El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-06-08
PASO, TEXAS THURSDAY JUNE g.

Der was as rapid as had been the rise
"The same gradual rise is seen in th'
mortality statistics OF typhoid fevel
during the civil war.
The average annual mortality from
typhoid fever in our regular army
since the civil war has been: For the
first decade (1s6S-1s77 50 per 100, 900 o.
mean strength, (.95 per 1OOO); for the
second decade QS7s-lssO 10S per 1Oo,.
600; for the third decade (lSSS-1S97) 81
per 10000 This latter rate compares
favorably with that of many of our
principal cities. For example. it is
exceeded by the typhoid death rate in
the city of Washington, which is 49,
per 100000 average of 10 years-1SSS-
1897; by that of the city of Chicago,
which is GA per 100. 900; by that of
Pittsburg, which is SS per 100000.
These figures, however, do not show
the entire mortality in these cities
as result of typhoid fever. for with
out doubt many of the fevers ascribed
to "malarial fever'' were in fact due to
typhoid infection. Thus in the city of
Washington the deaths reported from
typhoid and typho-malarial fever
(average.of ten years. numbered 1871
per 100000 of the population, while
%. 4 per 100, 900 are reported as due to
mslarisl fever. In Baltimore the NOR
tality, as recorded, from typhoid fever
is Ais and from typho-malarisl and
other malsrial fevers 1873 per 100. 900.
'.It will be seen that sanitary con-
ditions 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. and through persist
ent efforts of officers of the medical
great Improvements have
been made, especially during the past
ten years. The result is shown in a
reduction of the typhoid mortality
from 1OS per 100, 900 in the ter years
ending in 1897 to SIS per 1OO,O 200 in the
decade ending 1897. Hygiene is made
one of the principal subjects of exami-
notion for candidates desiring appoint
nents in the Medical Corps of the
army, and at subsequent examinations |
'or promotion to the grade of captain
sud major is given a most prominent
place.
'As compared with the first year of
,he civil war, however, there Is de-
,ided improvement, the typhoid NOR
,ality for the first year of the civil war
having been 1871 per 100, 900 of mean
trength, and for the Spanish-Amer-
can war 1897 per 100000. Moreover
he vigorous sanitary measures en-
orced enabled our troops to quickly
rec themselves from the ravages of
his infectious disease, and while the
inc of typhoid mortality continued to
.scend during the first year of the civil
var and subsequently,, it rapidly fell
fter the middle of Septem Der, last,
nd for the last six months of the per-
cd under consideration has been re-
narkably low. Indeed, in the history
+ large armies the record has never
eretofore been equlled.
Typhoid fever in our camps has been
D a large extent due to the neglect of
sanitary measures; also to
very general failure upon the part of
,edical officers attached to regiments
, recognize the disease in it's milder
,rms and during it's earlier stages. AS
result of this the camps became in
,cted, and the failure to use proper l
lethods of disinfection, and the CONT
ued occupation of infected camps, has l
ID to the development of veritable
oidemics of typhoid fever in several s
the camps. t
"a trained Medical corps, hardly
1equate for an army of 25, 600 men ]
Lnnot control the sanitary situation v
hen this army is quickly expanded to r
q, 600. Physicians and surgeons from
vii life, however we'll qualified profess
onally, as a rule are not prepared to
sumo the responsibilities of medical L
fcers charged with administrative
tiles and the sanitary supervision of
mps. The proper performance of +,
ch duties cannot be expected from a q
lysician without military training or n
perience, no matter how distinguish se
position he may have held in civil io
e. g
Courage and patriotism On the part -
line officers and enlisted men caanot
ke the place of knowledge and ex nj
Ne" ieFiee vi IrooPs are as nj
rule ignorant of the first principles n,
camp sanitation. and reckless as to u
9 consequences of their neglect of
escribed sanitary regulations.
The value of the aphorism Sin time