The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-10-15
sPREAD on rrpHorD IN oAMFk
A Board OF Medical Ohicsrs Reports That
the Fly II Largely Responsible.

ny AAy ~ 1hNH9Ay nNHR0AAANANs
WASHINGTON. Oct. IA Surgeon General
BternberR sent out to-day to chief surgeon In
the field copies OF the report submitted By .
board Of medical officers. consisting OF Ma
jors and Surgeons Walter Reed. U. 8. A.. and
Victor E. Vaughan, U. 8. ". appointed to In
quire into the causation aud spread Of typhoid
fever in the camps In the United States. The
report says that the ny is largely responsible
for the spread Of typhoid fever In the camps.
Although we are not ne yet ready to come
to q definite conclusion concerning the causa-
tlon and means OF spread Of this disease" the
board says. we feel quito thoroughly con-
vineed that the fy has been an important fac
tor in its dissemination. We are also con-
yinced that 80 long as the present method Of
disposing Of fecal matter In the camps is con-
tlnued. IL will be quito impossible to eradicate
this disease. We believe that the baciln are
now being daily disseminated BY flies. and that
the t~entage, bedding and clothing OF the sol
diers have become more or less injected will
the germs S9sD Of . tyIhI9iSS d. f fNsSn a IN as W. snlp fsls that nat
%iection. Until this Is done we ste eonyinoed
that changes of Damp sites will be OF little or
The board made a number Of recommend
att2ns for the improvement OF ne sinEs in
%tibbSi s1ke Ssm tent sn and aN cl 10th PGoOe In conci1siOa
I'm the, opinion of the board no time should
70 hOos ~ VII hlaukulotiOh SnN AAGlN
firmly convinced that typhoid will Continue
to prevail until late fall at least. Moreover,
even after the fly ia. paralyzed BY. the oold
weather. the infected bedding and tentage
will cause a continuance Of the disease"
The Surgeon General referred the report OF
the board to Lieut. Col. Charles Smart, Deputy
SUPERINTENDENT. for his opinion, and Lieut.
Col. Smart took issue with some OF the views
of the board. He says that the experiences OF
the Second Army Corps in August and Sep
TENDER did not sustain the board In its asser-
ton that until radical measures have been taken
to destroy the infection, changes OF camp site
will be of little or no avail. Troops in remoy-
ing from an infected site to new ground. he
saws. will carry with them only the infection
In men In the inoubatory stage. Tents. cloth
ing. blankets. DC, says Col. Smart, are disin-
fected by exposure to sun and air on the new
ground. Cases developed In. infected men can
be removed to hospital. and In ten days or two
weeks the. command will be practically. free
from the disease. and when camped on fresh
ground will remain free from all except spo-
radio cases, IL the camp has proper sanitary
government.
In his communication to chief surgeons,
transmitting the boards report. Gen. Stern
berg says: Where conditions are not entirely
satisfactory fol. digging sinks of proper depth
the recommendations OF the board should be
adopted and watertiRht trouGhS should be
used as suggested. Special attention Is in
vited to the recommendation OF the board
that every opportunity should be taken to ex-
pose blankets and bedding to the sunlight.
Infected tents. clothing and bedding should
be disinfected by steam by boiling water or
by a 5 per cent. solution Of carbolic acid"