The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-09-25

The next war may be managed by a |
scientific commission. That such a
plan was not adopted with regard to
the conflict just finished is to be Bit
terly regretted. 1t would have pre-
vented a large part of the mischiefs
which at the present time are causing
SO much scandal.
During the Hispano-American strug-
gle Uncle Sam has enjoyed very little
of the benefit which ought to have
come 10 him from the additions made
to human knowledge within the last
so years. In most matters relating to
science the war department has proved
itself half a century behind the age.
Take, for example, the selection of sites
for camps. Officers wholly lacking in
the necessary equipment of formation
on such subjects nave chosen these
sites, and woeful have been the conse-
quences. The government employs a
large number of biologists, any one of
whom would " testified, II called
upon, tina Camp Alger was a place
ideally adapted for the propagation OF
typhoid fever when used as a tenting
place for large number of troops.
Camp Alger serves as well as any
other camp for purpose of ilustra-
tfon. The geology of the region is of
such a nature that artesian water Is
out of the question; the only water
o%btainable is surface water, and of
necessity that soon becomes contami-
mated by the waste products OF a null
titude of soldiers. After the first two
or three weeks spent by the troops at
Camp Alger the water regularly used
by them unavoidably contained a per-
centage of the waste products referred
to, inasmuch as ii came directly from
the surface soil in which the pits for GER
tain purposes were sunk. In fact, the
subsequent epidemic was inevitable;
there was no reason for blaming ii on
Providence. If the authorities had de-
liberately planned to create the epidem-
ic they could hardly have accomplished
the result more quickly and thoroughly.
What has been said about Camp Al
ger is true to a greater or less extent
of the other localities where the SOL
diers nave been assembled. 1t goes
without saving that where so many
men are brought together there must
be some who already have the germs
of typhoid in their systems. An cpl
demic of that complaint is sure to fol-
low unless means are taken to prevent
the drinking of contaminated water. Ii
nure artesian water is not obtainable,
then the water for drinking must be
boiled. The statement so frequently
made by army officers that ii was i'm
possible to make the soldiers boil their
Thinking water is nonsense; II is SIM
ply a matter of discipline. At some OF
the military posts in the West 1t mas
been the practice for man years &c
boil all of the drinking waller for the
garrisons.
Just to show how stupid IT could be
the war department took the trouble e
have a lot of chemical analyses made
of the water of the different camps
This was interesting, as affOrding
data relative to the amount Of miner
al matter. ETC., in the samples tested
but what was wanted was bacteriolo
gical examinations for the purpose o
6nding out if any disease germs wert
present. This, apparently, was no
thought of. although the medical de
partment Of the army has in its emplo!
several very able bacteriologists. II
fact. the surgeon general himself ha
earned a high reputation in this line
DistiIffng plants are being set up a
Montauk. The puzzle is to know VIII,
they were not established there som
time ago.
The trouble is that all through thi
war the government has been unreadS
We have talked derisively about tn
"manana" weakness Of the Spaniard.
but we ourselves nave been putting OF
until tomorrow everything that Nigh
be done to-day. When the troops WeT
first called out by the president IL wa
known that they were to go to cub
aud fight battles there, Necessarily
there would be a great many wounde
and sick. who would ave to be brougf
back to this country to get well. Ther
would have to be for them one or MOI
camps of reception, where they coul
be taken care of for a while. VIII.
then, were not such camps provide
months ago, and equipped with til
requisite hospitals, distilling plant
surgical apparatus, etc, with plenty