Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-06-12
Not Out for Their Health.
(WashIngton Post.l

gentleman residing in Nashville who
served four years in the Confederate
army, Is quoted by the American, of that
city, as having made a remarkable state
ment concerning the effects of army life
on health and longevity. He asserts, on
the basis of personal observation, as well
as study of the question, that of given
10000 men the mortality would be greater
In stated time If they should remain at
home than 1t would be in doing service as
an army in war. including the fatalities
OF battle, as well as those resulting from
disease.
This veteran speaks Of out-of-door camp
life as in the main healthful, and says IL
~ preventive of a number OF diseases
contracted in close houses and under the
influence OF business worriment and sed-
entary occupations. He contends that
the number killed in battle is no more
than an Offset for the number saved from
disease. The American is inclined to In
dorse this gentleman's opinion. 1t refers
TO the comparatively small number Of men
killed in engagements, and says that
most of the Confederate veterans are
very hardy men. 1t believes that many
OF them are indebted to their war expe-
rience for the good health that will last
them into old age.
There as no statistics available for
theory, but IL is sharply discordant with
the general belief IL is true that camp
life sometimes produces marvellous re-
suits in strengthening and inVigorating
the system. II is equally true that camp
life often produces the opposite effect.
But living In camp is not the normal con-
dtion Of the soldier in actuei war. The
long marches in summers heat and win
ter's cold, the heavy loads which enlisted
Il 10 ft,a ,9kl
exposure to storms of rain or snow, irreg-
ularity and sometimes insuf1iciency of
food-these are the chief causes Of sick
ness and death. A regiment Of thou
sand men has, in hundreds Of instances,
been reduced TO 500 or less without once
getting a sight of the enemy. The hos
pitfalls and graveyards are recruited in
hard campaigning quite as much by dis
ease as by wounds.
1t is not best TO hold out to the young
men of the country the idea that they can
get an Improvement in health and stand
better chance Of living to a ripe old age
by going into the army Patriotism OF
that sort would not sustain them long
amid the inevitable hardships OF the ser
vice A single forced march-say thirty
miles I'm a day I'm ankle-deep dust and the
thermometer at 100 degrees in the shade
would wilt any young man who was out
for his health and anxious for longevity.
The simple truth is that army life. when
war Is on, is q severe test of the physical
as well as the moral structure. We have
no doubt that the men who have volun-
teered for this war have done so with a
full understanding OF the risks involved.
They are not looking for health-pro-
noting camps nor for refreshing marches,
and they know that If real fighting comes
on. Il means death for some OF them and
wounds for others. They are out because
duty calls them, and they would smile In
derision II any veteran OF the civil war
should tell them that I'm volunteering
they had taken a step calculated 10 pro-
mote their health and add TO their length
OF DAYS.