The evening times., 1898-08-06
SATURDAY. AUGUST 6. 1895.
Sickncas i'm War.

While the menace of yellow fever at
Santiago and of typhoid at most of the
northern camps is serious, it is not to
be supposed that our army is suffering
from an unusual experience. The gath
ering of many thousands of men at a
single place in a strange country in
wolves changes in their manner of liv-
ing. 1t is not always possible to pro-
vide for them the food supplies to
which they have been used, and ther.
is the invariably bad effect of change
of water The proper sanitary arrange
ments take time to effect, and if a con-
tagious disease makes its appearance,
as il is almost certain to do, the seeds
are scattered broadcast before the steps
are taken to restrict its ravages. That
our army in Cuba would be attacked
not only by the disorders incident to
the climate. but also by yellow fever,
was fully expected and publicly an
nounced bv medical men. and there
fore the men who clamored to be sent
to the front went under no delusion as
TO the foes they should meet.
Up to this time there has been less
sickness, and it has been of a milder
type, than was anticipated, and very
much less than invading armies usual
ly undergo When the allied armies in
the Crimea numbered about four hun
dred thousand men, more than three
hundred thousand were on the sick list.
and the percentage of fatalities was
large. When the Germans invaded
o France. more than two hundred thou
sand of their soldiers were not merely
reported sick, but were in the hospi-
tails. At one time, four of every five
soldiers were reported to be unfit for
duty because of sickness. Until our
civil war disease was recognized as
more formidable foe than the opposing
army. Even that war left to the nation
a proof of the power of the invis BILE
disease germs in a pension list that is
largely due to deaths or disabilities re-
sulting from sickness in the armies.
Seeing no need of so many troops at
Santiago, the officers who made the
report and appeal to General Shafter
thought it was their duty to rescue the
men from what would probably be an
increasing danger. With the decay of
vegetation the physical system becomes
less able to repel disease. 1t is wise,
therefore, to remove all the debilitated
soldiers who can be spared. Many
more could be spared If the Spanish
contractors could be made to hasten
the work of removing the prisoners,
whose presence is all that compels Gen.
eral Shafter to maintain large force
there. 1t is practicable to allow large
percentage of the troops in the camps
in this country to go home for few
weeks to recuperate. The spirits of the
men have been depressed by the hot
weather and by their failure to get into
active service. Six weeks at home
would put them into fine form. Ger
tainly all those who have been sick and
are now reported to be fit for duty
should be allowed a short furlough,
subject to instant recall. Until the
campaign against Havana begins, no |
service will be required of those who |
are not booked for Porto Rico or the |
Philippines. The work of bringing |
home part of General Skaters army |
has begun, and will be pushed so that |
all that remains to be done now is to |
increase the proportion of furloughed |
men from the American camps.
The public should not encourage the
idea that the ravages Of disease in |
our armies Is unprecedented or even
unusual, for panic among the troops
is much worse than what are called un-
sanitary conditions.