This has happened to other Haitians; there are no aftereffects, and the cause continues to puzzle a medical team from MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa.

"They almost put themselves in a self-hypnotic trance," said Col. Robert S. Speigel, commander of the air transportable hospital at Guantanamo Bay.

Along with the mysterious malady, Speigel and about 130 others on the medical team from MacDill have witnessed illnesses such as malaria that they don't often see back home. They're treating about 16,000 Haitians temporarily housed at seven camps at Guantanamo Bay.

The Haitians fled their country by boat because of military suppression and economic hardship. Many at the U.S. Naval Base here await the return to power of deposed President Jean-Bertrand Aristide, ousted in a military coup on Sept. 30, 1991.

The United States is permitting the Haitians to stay at the base until safe havens in other countries are open. Most have not been granted asylum in the United States.

The medical staff works out of dusty tents -- drastically different from MacDill's pristine hospital. They usually don't have the luxury of conducting a battery of tests before reaching a diagnosis.

The 62-bed tent hospital arrived at the naval base on June 14. The MacDill staff is expected to leave by the end of September, although it hasn't been determined who -- if anyone -- will take over.

There's a sense of energy among the doctors, one dentist, nurses, medical technicians, and other personnel who dash to help the Haitians.

"You see a lot of diseases you don't see every day," said Maj. James J. Rodgers, chief of internal medicine. "It's exciting. There's a lot of camaraderie here."

For three weeks ending in mid-July, the workers had time to treat only severe ailments of the 1,000 Haitians arriving daily at Guantanamo Bay. The refugees were dehydrated and many had malaria, pneumonia and skin infections, such as fungus.

"The biggest thing we've had to deal with is fevers, some from 102 to 106 degrees," Rodgers said. "It was really hard because we were only taking care of the acutely ill. They would just come out of the [Coast Guard] cutters and pass out."

Although the flow of Haitians has become just a trickle, that hasn't slowed down the medical staff's workload.

In addition to daily medical treatment, the focus now is on public health, including immunizations, prenatal and infant care, and diagnosing tuberculosis, which has infected 5 percent of the Haitians and threatens to spread.

Many of the refugees ask for checkups because they see others die and are worried something might happen to them.

These Haitians need much more medical care than patients at home in Tampa.

MacDill services limited

The retirees complained when the deployment was announced, saying they felt cheated of their health care. Sixty-two doctors are still on base, said Diane Green, a MacDill spokeswoman. It may take patients a bit longer to get a routine physical or appointment, but emergencies aren't delayed and referrals are being made to other medical services, she said.

Capt. Natalie Giscombe, a MacDill nurse, said Haitians "haven't had access to medical care as much as people in America do. Sometimes we have to sacrifice ourselves to give others an opportunity for health care."

Maj. Stephen M. Voltarel admitted four babies with pneumonia in one day earlier this week at Guantanamo. He has treated children with meningitis and asthma. Sixty percent to 70 percent of the Haitian children arrived with malaria. One 15-year-old boy with malaria and severe dehydration died of a heart attack the first week in the camps.

A different perspective

"I think these people desperately need our help. Husbands were shot. Family members drowned. Kids are sick in the hospital. Seeing things here and what they're going through puts things in a different perspective."

The hospital at Guantanamo abuts refugee camps located largely on McCalla Airfield, no longer used because the runway is too short. The floor of the Velcro-sealed, air-conditioned tents is rubber-lined padding.

Medical workers wear face masks because many are afraid of contracting tuberculosis or other contagious diseases. A triage open-air tent is set up for refugees who might infect others. Another open-air tent is an isolation ward for patients with pneumonia or TB.

Other enclosed tents include pediatrics and adult emergency rooms, an anesthetic and surgery ward, a 25-bed ward for noninfectious illnesses, an administrative room, pharmacy, supply and dental room, X-ray facility and laboratory.

Each of the seven refugee camps has a medical tent, or satellite clinic -- the Haitians' first contact with doctors and nurses. Between 150 and 200 Haitians line up for "sick call" daily at the camps, most with headaches, severe heartburn because of dietary conditions and stress-related problems.

The MacDill staff is dealing with the challenges. Gone are comforts of home. Many miss their families, but their consolation is that they get mail regularly and can call loved ones daily. And they want to help the Haitians.

"I enjoy what I'm doing," said Giscombe, 28. "It's been interesting. As soon as I get out in the camps, they're in line waiting for us. It's frustrating because we want to do more for them."

There also are those with parasitic infections. One woman who visited the hospital doubled over and vomited a 6-inch worm. Doctors treated another woman this week for a deep cut on her hand from a fight with other Haitians. Others scuffed up are also treated.

Surgeries are rare. In one case, surgeons who suspected testicular cancer found instead a large hematoma, or blood clot, on a man beaten by a Haitian soldier.

There have been 24 births at the MacDill hospital, some Caesarean sections, and one stillbirth.

The medical workers also treat the nearly 2,000 military people who are helping out the Haitians.

"I think we're doing a real good job with the large number of people that we have to treat," said Speigel, 50. "We have a good group."

One of the most difficult things is communicating with the Haitians. Most speak only Creole, and doctors need translators.

The staff is developing prenatal programs because each camp has between 40 and 50 pregnant women. Nurses are educating people on maintaining sanitary conditions, and they soon will add an educational program about sexually transmitted diseases.

Within a couple of weeks, the staff plans to have given all the Haitians chest X-rays to check them for tuberculosis; 1,000 have been screened.

"Trying to control the tuberculosis has been one of the biggest challenges," Speigel said. "We need to isolate and treat them."

TESTING FOR AIDS

Of the nearly 600, 29 have tested positive for HIV, the virus that causes acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. Their sponsors to the United States and health officials in their new towns must be notified of their condition.

"Once the island [Guantanamo] became overrun by Haitians and the policy changed, there has been no screening for HIV," Rodgers said. "There is a lot of HIV out there."