Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-08

population, while ga per 100000 are re-
corded as due to malarial fever. In Balti-
more the mortality, as recorded from ty-
phoid fever is 41.5 and from "typho-ma-
iarial and other malarial fevers' 1873 per
100000. In ST. Louis the figures are, ty-
phoid fever 35.7, typho-maiariai and other
malarial fever 40 per 1907 GOO; in New Or
leans, typhoid fever 26-1. typho-malarial
and other ma1arial fevers 1912 per 100000.
Sanitation at Posts.
1t will be seen that sanitary conditions at
our military posts in time of peace, as
judged by the typhoid death rate. compare
favorably with those in our large cities in
various parts Of the country AS matter
of fact great attention has been given to
post sanitation for many years past, ana
through the persistent efforts Of officers OF
the medical department great improve
ments have been made, especially during
| the past ten years. The result is shown
| in a reduction of the typhoid MORTALITY
| from 1903 per oo09o In the ten years end
| ing in 1887 to IS per 100000 in the decade
| ending in 1897. Hygiene is made one OF the
principal subjects of examination for cam
didates desiring appointment in the medical
| corps of the army, and at subsequent eX-
| aminations for promotion to the grade OF
captain and major is given a most promi-
nent place. 1t is also the most prominent
| subject in the course Of instruction at the
| Army Medical School, where the student
officers spend five hours daily for period
of five months in practical laboratory work
| prevention of infectious diseases. 1t should
| be remembered, however, that the Army
| Medical School was not established until
the year 1893, and consequently but small
| proportion of the medical officers of the
| army have had the advantage of this course
of instruction.
I But the comparatively small number of
medical officers of the regular army avail
able for duty in the large camps occupied
by our volunteer troops at the outset of the
war proved to be entirely inadequate to
control the sanitary situation In these
camps, and result of the conditions eX-
listing the mortality from typhoid fever in
our armies during the year ending April 80
| 1899, has been more than twenty-five times
as great the annual mortality in our
0 regular army during the decade immediate.
ly preceding the war period. As compared
with the first year Of the civil war, how
ever, there is a decided improvement. the
typhoid mortality for the first year of the
civil war having been 1871 per 100000 OF
mean strength. and for the Spanish-Ameri
can war 1231 per 100000. Moreover, the
vigorous sanitary measures enforced en-
abled our troops to quickly free themSelVe:
from the ravages of this infectious disease
and while the line Of typhoid mortality con
tinued to ascend during the first year of thu
civil war and subsequently, it rapidly fel
after the middle of September last, and TO
the last six months of the period under con
sideration has been remarkably low. In
deed in the history of large armies tn
record has never heretofore been equaied
Causes Of f!ph0fd.
Typhoid fever in our camps has been to
large extent due to the neglect of well
known sanitary measures indicated by m
in circular No. l, dated surgeon general
office, Washington, April %, 1898; also to
| very general failure upon the part or meoi
cal officers attached to regiments to recog
nize the disease in its milder forms and our
d ing its earlier stages. AS result of thi
n | o,,d tha ia
e to use proper methods of disinfection an
l., the continued occupation Of infected camp
. have led to the development of veritable ep
'e denies of typhoid fever in several OF TN
;, camps occupied by our troops.
II The principal lessons to be derived lroI
It Our recent experience may be stated
" follows: ~
"A for an army of $1,000 men cannot cohti'
-. | the sanitary situation when this army
~ | quickly expanded TO .5o,9Do. Physicians al
n surgeons from civil life, however well qua
20 | flied professionally, as a rue are not pr
III | pared to assume the Responsibilities
- medical officers charged with adminlst
NJ tive duties and the sanitary supervision
20 camps. The proper performance OF SUI
g duties cannot be expected from a physlclS
20 without military training or experience,
, matter how distinguished position ne M
n, have held in civil life.
IN Courage and patriotism on the part of Ii
VI , officers and enlisted men cannot take |
% | place of knowledge and experience. Ne
90 Ieves of troops are, as rule, ignorant
the first principles of camp sanitation, a
! reckless to the consequences Of tn
neglect of prescribed sanitary regulation
ly Therefore, training and discipline are
~, sentiai factors in the preservation Of
. health of soldiers in garrison or in I
Al fed.
II The value of the aphorism lin time
IF: | peace prepare for war has received ad
,TH RATES PER 1900 FROM DISEASE.