The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-06-09
LESSONS OF The WAR
As Surgeon General Stern
berg Spells Them Out.
PREPARATION IN PEACE
As NeedfuI Medically so in
Ships and Ordnance.

Columbus, O., June S-Ths interest In
today's session Of the American Medical
association ce-tered largely in the ad-
dress Of Surgeon General sternbers OF the
United States army General Stern5erg
was accorded close attention and warmly
applauded. The subject Of his address
was Sanitary Lessons Of the War" He
said:
AS compared with the civil war and
With other great wars during the present
century the mortality from wounds and
disease among our troops during the war
with Spain has been low. our wounded
have, TO a large extent. had the adyaa-
tage Of prompt treatment with autisepuc
dressings. and very considerable p-o-
portion Of those who were nor killed out
right have recovered without any muyi,a-
ting operation or septic complications
The mortality from disease has also been
comparatively low but unfortunately Gur-
ing the first months Of the war that
scoUrge of new levies OF troops. typhoid
fever, prevailed in many Of our camps
and claimed numerous victims l. is
( we'll known TO sanitarans and military
surgeons that as a general rule more SOL
diers succumb 70 disease than are killed
by the bullets OF the enemy, and cur re-
cent war has not been an exception in
this reard. The total number of deaths
/ reported in our enlarged army.iucIudiug
regulars and volunteers, from May /. lS9S
TO April 80. 1893, IS 6.4o6. OF these 5,i5S
died Of disease and esS were killed in bat
tie or died Of wounds injuries or acct
/ dent. During tha civil war the number ~
deaths from disease was 1S5 PIG The sIm-
Der who We're killed IN battle or died 81
wounds was % 500. or about oue-half Of
the deaths from disease. The total deaths
/ from disease in the union armies from the
commencement of the war 10 the slst Of
December. 1862. was 81 .325. and In the con-
federate armies during the same period
1888.
in comparing the death rates from
! disease during the year OF the Spanish
American war. May l, 1895 to April 3D.
1890 and the first year of the civil wa.
May 1, 1861, 10 April 60. 1852. note should
he taken iE the first place that the mean
strength in May. 1851. was only 1871 as
compared with 1925 men in service in
/ May, 1S2S. The mastering in Of volunteer
troops progressed more slowly in 1~a ta8n
/ during the recent war. SO that il was not
until September and October. 1851 taat
I the mean strength assumed proportions
/ equal 70 that of the months of the Span-
/ ish war. Although the number present I'm
/ the camps Of 1S6l-f2 after October. 1851.
J was largely in excess Of those aggregated
during the past year, the average annual
strength during both wars did not srfeer
greatly. Nevertheless the deaths from
/ disease i'm 1Ssl-62 numbered N SO while i'm
/ 1Se-9g they amounted ONLY 10 5.2fs The
/ death rate per thousand Of efranerb
mounted gradually month br month In
/ 1Sf1-F2. and indeed f. did no, reach f.
/ acme un,I February. 1868 when the r5..
! Of $50 was reached. In ICES. on the other
/ hand the acme. $50. was reached sud
/ denly in SeDterb7~. bu. oV.az g., tn. s4r-
! itary measures adopted ;ae far du-.ae
/ October and November was "a rand as
! had been ,he rise.
! Tine same radual rise .F seen lr .-.
/ mortality statistics ~ typhoid fever dur
/ in the civil war. The highest death rqte
/ 2Sl Was not reached ur-f Nav r4e tfe
/ thirteenth month NJ the AL cation NJ .r-
/ tr7ops. when 1922 men d.aJ ~ mis- dis.
/ ease ana the fan ~ .n- rate. MAS .r
/ gradual as the rise. on .1a other -err
! tho rise I'm 1sqS was s!5la0 IN. max
! ,u1un rate. e77. bain reached fe SOFTEN
/ her when gsa me ud.af % this disease
/ but the fan during the months ~ October
/ and %ove7,sar v,as as -7,.r,fs M -r. -.-.
+ This sydfa7 s-.e7rse-.e- a. .1o s.-l..e
canra. f.s attributed % an exhsa...1- -