National Republican., 1883-11-06
THE HEALTH OF THE ARMY.

THE HEALTH OF THE ARMY.
The Surgeon Generals Annual Report
Increase OF Work In the ONCE increase
i'm the Sick List - White and CoIored
Troops
The report of the surgeon general Of the
army, prepared by the late Surgeon General
Crane, states that the disbursements on ac-
count of the medical and hospital department
for the year were S158, All, leaving balance
of $44, 1923, the greater part of which has been
expended since the close of the fiscal year.
The disbursements on account of Artificial
limbs were $93670, leaving balance of $780,
$50; on account of appliances for disabled
soldiers 1921, leaving balance of $1,T79; on
account of medical and surgical history $685.
leaving balance of IS, ,534 and on account Of
''S balance "" of $s,oS5 @ The To''' sum uo''f Of
S2,09s was expended in furnishing trusses.
The report says it is desirable
that the issue of trusses shall correspond to
the issue of artificial limbs, as was probably
the intention of congress; that is, that truss
shall be furnished to everyone who was rup-
tured while serving in the army or navy in
the line of his duty. An estimate of $3.50, 900
is made for medical and hospital supplies for
the current fiscal year. 1t is suggested that
the proceeds of sales of medical supplies to
civilian employees should, if possible, be carried
to the current appropriation for the medical
department of the army, and the amount be-
came available for replacing the articles sold,
instead of being covered into the treasury, as
at present
In chapter on the health of the army dur
ing the fiscal year, the report says: Among
the white troops the total number of cases of
all kinds, taken on the sick list was 37,697,
being at the rate of 1,s02 per 1000 of mean
strength, an increase of 1913 cases per 1000
over the number reported for the previous
year. and SO per 1,00o over the average de-
cennial rate of admissions The total num-
Der of deaths from all causes reported among
the white troops was 214, or 10 per 1000 of
mean strength.
Among the colored troops the total number
of cases of all kinds reported was 1859 or
1852 per thousand o mean strength, an in
crease of 1852 per thousand over the rate re-
ported for the previous year, and 126 per
Thousand over that for the decade preceding
The total number of deaths of colored soldiers
reported from all causes was 26 or IL per
thousand of mean strength
Tho total number of cases reported among
the Indian scouts was A, being at the rate of
2l2 per thousand of mean strength, and the
total number of deaths was two.
Diseases of the respiratory organs stand
first in numerical importance, of which about
"a per cent are catarrhs of the upper air
passages Extremes of variation in tempera-
ture will account in part for the frequency
of these diseases but to large extent in
sufficient ventilation of barracks and dormi-
tories, as well as irregular and unequal dis
tribution of artificial heat during cold
weather must be held responsible.
Wounds, injuries, and accidents stand Sec
ond on the list of causes impairing the effect
iveness of the army. The large number re-
corded in this class may probably be attribu-
ted to the use of troops in mechanical and
laborious employments which form so large
proportion of the soldiers duties As an indi-
cation of the peculiar hardships to which our
troops are exposed, the rates of admission for
wounds, accidents, and injuries are 122 per
thousand higher than those reported for the
German army, and lag per thousand higher
than the decennial rate of the British army.
1t is interesting to note that the colored
troops make particularly favorable showing
in the small number of admissions for alco-
holism and its results, exhibiting as they do,
a rate of only per 1000 to rate of rs per
1000 of mean strength among the whites. On
the other hand in diseases of the nervous
system, they have an unexplained prepon-
derance.
Tho report makes a gratifying exhibit of
the work performed in the record and pension
division during the fiscal year, from which it
appears that the total number of official de-
mands upon that division during the fiscal
year, for information as to the cause of death
in the case OF deceased soldiers and the hos
pital record of invalids was 119,5s0, being
5I95O in excess of similar applications during
the previous year, and an increase
OF S9,516 cases over the yearly average
of demands for the decade preceding.
In addition TO this large number there re-
mained unanswered on the thirtieth of June,
1882, 2, 19o applications, making in all l4l, 500
cases to be disposed of within MS short q
period of time as practicable. 1t is esti-
mated that, should the demands upon this
division not exceed the average monthly
receipts of the latter part of tho fiscal year,
the accumulated surplus of cases now on hand
will be disposed of within tho period con-
templated by the trainers of the act of Aug.
5, 1882.
There are now nine medical officers on
sick leave Of absence, OF these three have
been found incapacitated for active service
and recommended for retirement by army
retiring boards viz Assistant Surgeon T. f.
Appel, who has been on sick leave since
April z, 1877; j. w. Buell., who has been on
sick leave since Aug %, 1877, and w. r.
Steinmetz, who has been on sick leave since
Sept. 10, 1873; one has been recommended to
Dc brought before an army retiring board
with view to his retirement from active
service, viz: Assistant Surgeon j. V. De
Hanne, who has been on sick leave since
June 81, 1879 and three more are regarded
as permanently disabled Four medical Off
GERS are on ordinary leaves of absence after a
tour Of duty on the frontier, leaving one hun
dred and sixty-two medical officers for duty
Oct l.
First Company, Veteran Corps.
The regular monthly meeting of the Union
Veteran cOrns frat comnany C,ant Tanna,,