Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-07
HEALTH OF THE ARMY
Surgeon General Sternberg Reports It
as Excellent.
CONDITIONS At LOCAL POSTS
Improving Quarters for the En-
listed Men.
BETTER CLASS OF RECRUITS

DEL LEN GLASS OE' RECRU LIS
The annual report of Surgeon General
Sternberg of the army made public today
contains mass of interesting information
concerning the health of the army and the
sanitary condition of the various military
posts.
The health Of the army has been excel
lent during the calendar year 1896. In the
previous year all the rates that are usually
considered by statisticians and health off,
GERS as throwing light on the physical
condition of community. were lower than
in any former year of the history Of our
army.
The admissions to sick report per thou
sand of strength were 1,11O39 as compared
with 1.11O.22 in the previous year. and with
1.OS9.G3 in 1894, which was the lowest
recorded admission rate for all causes; but
1t is to be observed that an excess of in
juries in the past two years raised the
total rate, while the admission rate for
disease In both years was lower than in
1891, S3O.G5 during the past year. S37 90 in
1885 and 1882 in 1894. The death rate
from all causes constituted 5.44 per 1000
of the strength, not much higher than that
OF the previous year, and much lower than
the average annual rate rs of the previous
ten years.
1T may be well to notice." says General
Sternberg, the great Improvement that
las taken place in the past few years in
the sanitary condition of the colored troops
as manifested by their lessened rates of
sickness, disability and death. The white
troops have participated in the improve
ment, although their rates have not fallen
so rapidly as those of the colored men,
There was No doubt greater room for i'm
provement in the sanitary status of the
colored troops, and the men may have
responded with more earnestness to eff
forts in this direction. During the past
year the total admission rate for all causes
among the colored troops WAS S6s.sS per
l,OR of strength, as compared with ], 49, 40
among the whites for the same year, and
as compared with 915.SS among themselves
IN the previous year, and with 1,36S.bi
their own annual average for the previous
decade, the annual average of the white
troops having been 1,2S4.M. The non-effi-
cheney from all causes among the colored
troops during the year was 20 10 per 900
OF strength, as compared with 81. u among
the white troops. The colored soldier lost
o;42 lays from disability during the year.
the white soldier, 12.11; and the average
time of treatment of each case was among
the colored troops 10S4 days, among the
whites 11.22 days. The causes of disabil-
ity from which the colored men suffered
less than the white troops were malarial
levers, venereal diseases, alcoholism diar-
rhoea and injuries; those from which they
SUFFERED more were neuralgia, rheumatism
ana myalg1a. tonsilitis. collie and constipa-
uon' conJunctivitis and pneumonia"
DisenHe at Local Posts.
In chapter on the Highest and Lowest
Rates at Individual Posts,' Gen. Sternberg
says: 1.-The largest admission rates for the
year were reported from Washington bar
racks, d. c., and Fort Myer Va, 225O.71
and 2,25oOO respectively per 1000 of
strength. These two posts have had high
rates for number of years. Malarial in
fection was the principal cause of these
nigh rates An investigation was made
during the past year by Surgeon W. Reed,
who concluded that the fevers at both posts
were to be attributed to the marsh lands of
the Potomac valley. The maIarial rate
continued high at Washington barracks
during the past year. but the cases at Fort
Myer were relatively not so numerous,
These two posts, although heading the list
of sickness as represented by frequency of
admissions, take only the twelfth and ff-
teenth place respectively when the posts
are arranged in order of non-efficiency
from sickness. Following Fort Myer in
frequency of entries on the sick report are
Fort Clark and Camp Eagle Pass, Texas,
each with over 1900 entries per 1000 of
strength: Fort Slocum. N. Y, and Fort D.
A. Russell, Wyo.. with over LOO, and Fort
Riley, Kan, Fort Monroe. Va, Jefferson
barracks Mo-, Fort Wingate N. NJ, and
Fort Barrancas. Fla, with over / 800. The
causation of these rates are stated in dis
cussing the health of the departments
Jefferson barracks. Mo-, had the highest
rate-O1.E'- constant sickness, although
only ninth in order of frequency of admis-
sions. This was owing to the prolonged
duration of its fever cases-malarial and
typhoid Two other posts-Camp Eagle
Pass and Fort Mcintosh, Texas-had a con-
slant sickness of over 60 per 1000 of
strength. Three posts-Fort Barrancas
Fla, Fort Thomas. KY, and San Diego bar
racks. Cal.-had each over 5 per cent of
constant non-efficiency. Following these in
the order of diminishing
Clark and Brown, Texas, Fort Wingate,
N. NJ. Fort Crook. Neb., Fort Monroe Va,
and Washington barracks, d. c., the last
with a rate of 44.51 for the year. Fort
Yellowstone. Wyo., had the best medical
record during the year, it having had the
lowest admission and non-efficient rates,
with no death and no discharge It's adj
mission rate was 39S.15, with less than l
per cent of constant sickness, $50 per
1000. Including this garrison there were
eight posts which had an admission rate of
less than 6oW.Alcatraz Island, Cal. 4776l;
Fort Porter, N. Y, 1896; Angel Island.
Cal, A; Fort Assinniboine, Mont,
5000; Benicia barracks Cal, 54OG7; Fort
Trumbull. Conn.,, 1882, and Fort Wayne,
Mich, $500. Sandy Hook proving ground,
N. j.. had less than one per cent of con-
slant sickness, Oh per 1000; Benicia bar
racks, Cal. had 1896, and the large post,
Fort Assinniboine, Mont, 1872
Mnlarial Infection.
The admission rate fer malarial infection
for the year was s3.Os and the rate of nom
efficiency 1.G5, as compared with 50 So and
Ito in 1895. and with 1851 and 24S as tbs.
average Of the decade 1854. The total
number of cases was 2,Os7, of which 1,771
were intermittents. 207 remittents and con-
tinued nialarial feYers, one pernicicus and
eighteen registered as malarial cachexia.
One death and one discharge were occa-
stoned by these diseases. The admission
rate for the colored troops was 1868; for
the white troops. 1915.
The posts which had high rates were
mostly eastern posts, Washington bar
racks, District of Columbia, and Fort
Myer. Virginia. being at the head of the
giving $50 end $50 Of non-ef1ciency JEFF
ferson barracks, Missouri. followed, with
1862, and the high non-efficient rate Of
1906. Fort Sill was the only western post
that had a rate. 29O.64. approaching those