The San Francisco call., 1899-03-26
THE FATALITIES OF WAR.

n T the beginning OF the Spanish war The Call
( ! reused attention to the need of Red Cross
work not only for the battlefield and the sui
ferers in action at arms but for those sckened with
the diseases of the camp. In that connection said
the deaths by disease would be five to every one in
battle
The officials have compiled the casualties from the
outbreak OF the the first OF the current month
In that time the army lost in battle and by wounds
az men and the navy IS, making total OF 400. In
the same period the navy lost by disease So and
the army 5277, total OF 1888. Nearly eleven men
lost their lives by disease lost by battle This
is an unusually high percentage. An enlisted man
stands better chance, by to in battle than he
does from disease.
This is largely due to the scene OF the, war being
in the tropics All temperate zone nations that have
carried under a vertical sun have had the
same trying experience. In all ages the tropical eli
mate has been powerful factor in equaIzing the
tives with a superior force and better equipments
composed OF temperate zone soldiers.
This is the sorry part OF the Philippine problem.
Since the fighting began the reports generally
confined to casualties in battle and the deaths by
disease are not transmitted but is highly probable
that the proportion of to I will be maintained or
exceeded.
Before our land forces moved into the tropics
there was propagated wrong idea about sanitary
conditions, due to the excellent health OF the naval
forces. Dewey's men on shipboard in Manila Bay
were in constant good health, and people at home
jumped to the conclusion that the climate whole
some But on shipboard the diet and habits of the
men are under strict discipline and regulation They
drink only distilled water Their rations under
rigid inspection The preparation OF their food is
excellent Their personal cleanliness and immunity
from the filth Accommodations OF a camp are great
factors. All these things were not considered, and
even the medical officers OF the army gave out re-
assuring statements about the saubrity OF the eli
mate But experience has shown the difference be-
tween ship and shore On land the thirst OF the
is nordinate and is quenched with that is filled
with germs OF disease Regulation OF soldiers diet
is not possible as in the case OF the sailors. Con
with the poison OF tropical soil and exposure to the
vertical rays of the unavoidable and sani
tary precautions can overcome the natural condl-
tions, which fatal to race though the natives
withstand them without injury
Some surprise has been expressed at the anxiety OF
the parents and relatives of the First California Vol
unteers for their return from the Philippines. AS
readers OF the daily papers this has taken
the form OF an organization OF parents, which has
held meetings and formally requested the Govern
raent to release that regiment and send it home
This feeling is due to the information written home
in private letters that are not published, which are
expressive OF the miseries of that service.
While the fighting is on letters that tell OF organ
lied or individual acts OF heroism, or that give
opinions about the campaign, are written and read
and published, and there is less information about
conditions that not related to action in the field