The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-09-19
CAUSES Of THE SICKNESS
VOLUNTEERS WERE NOT Used TO
THE HARD ARMY FARE.
Neither They Nor Their Omcers
Knew Anything About Tnking
Proper sanitary Precaussens-

cfeCla4 isss)a1Se 20 t1A Poss-iGteAfEe1cSs,
WASHINGTON. Sept. Ex-senator Han
Ia In the frst man in public life 10 strike
the keynote showing TIE reasons fov srea.
proportion o: tbs stckness among the vol
unte@r soldiers since they enlisted Cor the
war with Spain. No one else appeared ID
think OK callEe attention 10 the fac. taat
IN the great military camps where volun-
tesrs and regulars pitched their tents side
- size. I. Is among the volunteers that
levers and stomach disorders wrought the
greatest havoc. The hospitals Mere Giles!
with The raw recruits gathered from ali
parts VI the country while the regular sol
diers acted IS II ,hsy were on picnic and
seemed to grow TAT upon their unexpected
out net unw e,corne ous ng.
The regular army ration 10 a mar acc1ls-
toned 20 its severe character. = productive
IT health. strength and even Increase u
adlpoae tissue under favorable c.reGna-
stances. To the p3mpere4 stomscAs ~ the
volunteers. coming they Old from the
higher walks Of lie. mainly from the pre-
f~ssioas rather than from tno trades. I'D
with Tch aud carefully cooked foods IL thar
homes or IN hotels and restaurants. ias
sudden change xas disastrous It vas 10,
al all surprising that hard tack bacon ana
coffee three times a day, with an occa-
sonal dose o! i0ng-k!liei 1eef that even
the most hardened boarding house keeper
would not have had tho face IL place upon
her table. should have upse; ali their d.
gestive organs and reduced them 20 a con-
Gision OF weakness whereby they became
easy prey 10 fevers OF all kinds and more
especially to that lnsdious germ. the dead
ly typhoid bacillus,
When the much talked OF investigations
are made. whether they may be by the
war department or by congress. 1t VIII DC
found that these facts, coupled with one
or two others 10 be spoken Of later. are the
causes OF a great proportion OF the lives
lost from disease. greatly oQtnumberins
those who persisted by Mauser buileta
Another important point 10 which Senator
Hanna has called attention was the result;
OF personal observation az Camp Alger.
near this city. When he visited that camp
he says he saw all around it1 outskirts
scores and scores OF little stands and booths
where ali kinds of soft drinks~iu which.
Of course. beer is includssi-all kinds Of
decayed and decaylng fruit were sold.
These vendors were patronized extensively
by the young boys VINO had not had the
benefit of experience such as the men of the
regular army had hal. TIE spoiled fruits
made them SEX and the beer added 10 their
discomfort. Mixed fruit and beer, with
the temperature ranging from 20 10 iG ~
the shade, would have produced similar re-
suits among the citizens of any country or
men Of any age in the mast robust health.
Small wonder then thar great sickness fc'-
lowed where the beer was bad and the
!ru.i was spoiled.
The food provided for the men. which
they were obliged To cook for themselves
was oftentimes eaten raw or haif-cooked.
or, perhaps. not eaten at all from very
reluctance 10 take the trouble 70 DO the
cooking. something 10 which they were
wholly unaccustomed and could not do
We'll trying their best. This failure 10 cook
what was provided. pregerriug to buy the
rash vended about the camp while they
had moncy-and most OF them had money
when they first came from homc-brought
on the earlier sicknesses and laid the men
liable 10 the more serious ana subsequent
fatal Diseases.
Senator Hanna might have added, what
ha did not. perhaps, because be ala not
know. that great crowds Of these soldiers
at Camp Alger found no difficulty IN obtain
ing twenty-four hours furlongh almost for
the asking. and sp,nt thelr time while on
leave IN rsotous dissipation IN tbs city.
The uniform OF soldier. when the war ex-
citemen. was a; lis height here. WAS an
open sesame 10 every place OF amusement.
every house os I'll fame AMI every ginmilI
IN the lower sections OF the city. Washing
ton. while = well~soverned city for the most
part, has two Of the most diS.eputable sec
tons Of which any cts Is Or can ~
ashamed One - known as Bloodheli
where robbcries ana murders oCcur-uot
frequently. It ia true, tur still a. often as
10 make the name - the locality a stencil
In the nostrils Of al good citizens ana
terror 10 law-aoid3ng people man Who