Washington sentinel., 1898-11-26
FOR EIcN NEw s
Translated and Selected from leading
EnTO6saH IoS the SENTINEL.
ENGLAND.
THE SIcKNEss AMONG THE TROOPS
FROM THE SoUDAN.
London Lancer

THE SICKNESS AMONG THE TROOPS
FROM THE SoUDAN.
LoHd0H Lancer
AS w have repeatedly said, il was to
be confidently expected, in accordance
with our previous experience with
campaigns in tropical and sub'troplcal
climates and with that OF similar expe-
ditions conducted by every other nation,
that co siderable amount Of sickness,
and notably of enteric fever, would ap-
pear among the troops returning from
the Soudan. Compared with similar
expeditions undertaken by other Powers
or even with those previously under
taken b. this country in Egypt, the total
amount of sickness and the number OF
cases of enteTic fever on the present
occasion have so far been less than
migrt have been anticipated. 1t will
be RENE mbered that there was a large
British troops after the Egyptian cam
paign OF 1882 and also after the second
expedition to Suakin. It is, uniortu-
nately, always the case that an army in
the field suffers far more rom sickness
than from the assaults OF the enemy to
which it is opposed The late expe-
dition to the Soudan was long and
very arduous one, added to which there
was other continued exposure of the
troops to climatic heat and the unhealthy
conditions to which they we're unavoid.
ably subjected Although losses from
sickness are practically unavoidable
under such circumstances, still it must
not be forgotten that their amount is
very sensIbly lessened In proportion to
the forethought and care bestowed on
perfecting the hygienic and medical ar
rsngements in the field The Ere ch
campaigns in Tonquln, Madagascar. aud
A, lsewhere, and still more recently the
very lamentable experience OF the Amer.
leans in Cuba, contrast very unfavorablY
with those of this country In Ashanti,
Egypt, and the Soudan We have gone
on improving OF late years in respect of
the sanitary and medical preparations,
and management Of our
expeditions. We have, at any
rate, reached a standard that enabled the
Sirdar in his Omdurman dispatches to
declare his belief that the mi minimum Of
pain and maximum of comfort prOcura
Dle on active service in that country had
been attained. Still, do what we may,
the use Of unwholesome and contami.
mated water on the part of the troops
cannot be altoR ether prevented, the
effect OF climatic heat upon m n unac-
to it has to be encountered,
and the soldiers have for some time TO
subsist on tim and preserved foods
and to face the hardships and fatigue
incidental to campaigning, The time
for the disease toll to be exacted comes
when the physical wear and tear and the
excitement and strain Of the nervous
system have abated or passed away, and
the Grenadler Guards as well as various |
other corps returned from the SOudan |
are now paying il as a result OF their
gallant service there. There are, we
believe, about one hun ired men Of the
Ist Battalion of the GrenadieT Guards in
Hospital at Rochester Row, OF whom
between 80 and 40 are suffering from
enteric fever, in addition to ABOUT 40
cases OF sickness of different kinds
distributed between Cairo, Gibraltar,
and Netey At Cairo there is large
number of sick IN hospital belonging to
the recently returned force from Omdur.
man and the Soudan, and at Alexandria
there are also several cases in hospital,
We much regret to notice that two young
officers, both Of whom were pr sent with
their regiments at the battle OF Omdur
man, have since died from enteTic fever
At the Raseltin Hospital, Alexandria
Second Lieutenant l V, L Maunsell, of |
The Lancashire FuslHers, who was a
very fine, promising young officer, is a
son Surgeon General T Maunsell, c.
b., the principal medical officer at Malta,
10 whom we venture to express our
coincidence