The times., 1899-03-15
Army and Navy Deaths.

Army and Navy Deatiis.
II is only now that the public has been
made acquainted with the numo2r oi
/ deaths in the American Army from dis
ease during the war. In the unoilcial
communications of Government authori-
/ ties the estimated total was not more than
( two thousand and on this basis the aFgu-
ment was made that the rate was not so
( high as to warrant charges OF incornpe-
iency and neglect in the Medical, Commls-
sary and Quartermaster Departments. 1t
/ appears. however, that there IS an autneh-
/ tic record of more than five thousand
deaths from disease alone. This does not
include the many who died after muster
ont from disease contracted i'll the army
II is known that some soldiers suffering
from typhoid fever, were discharged IN
/ camp and sent north without attendants
or medicine and died either before or after
! reaching their homes There were others
who, while showing no symptoms OF
snecifc disease. were reduced by starva-
/ tion to point of debility that made it
/ inpossible for them to recover after dis
! charge. II is difficult to make an estimate
of the number OF such cases, but it is Ger
tain that they would add good deal 10
the total-enough to dissipate the idea that
the percentage of deaths BY disease Is small
in comparison with Civil War records.
II is to be borne in mind, too, that there
is every reason why the record Of the
Civil War should not be accepted as
reasonable standard for today. That was
a war of four years duration. and the
number enlisted was out of all proportion
to that of the Spanish war. The enlisted
men we're not subjected TO the physical
tests that were applied in the recent war
hut except those who had obvious or even
/ obtrusiye physical defects or ailments,
! ANYBODY could go into the army OF the
I sixties. il was not easy then to choose
| an ideal camp ground, but troops were
/ stationed according 10 the necessities OF
the war Communications were often in
terrupted. and there were long forced
marches away from the source of supp les.
The robust young men who responded TO
| President McKiney's calls had every rigat
( 10 expect the best that an army could
ask in the way OF rarons, healthful camp
sites. medical attention. and the like.
! The country far richer than it was thirty
/ years az was disposed to be generous in
the treatment of its soldiers. Not only
, medical and sanitary science had ad-
vanced since the Civil War. but the rail-
I roads had multiplied and the means of
communication between camps and the
markets had become easier. Considering
the proved healthiness of the great body
Of soldiers. there was no known reason
why there should have been any deaths
from disease. Surely there should have
been fewer than is common TO the average
or TO the most healthy city.
This is the more positive because of the
experience of the navy. The warships
we're under the same climatic influences
as the army in Cuba. and much more try
ing than those of the troops in the camps
OF mobilization. The sailors were kept
ever on the alert. being prohibited from
undressing for sleep; they we're in crowded
quarters day and night when there was no
breeze and nothing TO cool the furnace
like ships that blistered under the rays OF
a tropical sun: and they had no shore leave
to enable them to throw off the strain ol
anxiety On the whole, they had few ad-
vantages over soldiers if the latter were
properly provided with shelter. suitable
clothing good water. unpolluted air, and
a sufficiency of wholesome food To all
these they were clearly entitled as there
was nothing unreasonable in the list Yet
here is the record of the TWO branches;