The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1900-12-08
TYPHOID FEVER IN THE ARMY.
REPORT or GEN. srERNHERG oN
ORIGIN ANn SPREAD.

Hoard Investigated the Conditions
surroundinn the various Camps
Durlng che spanish War sud Com
ctudcd that ~ Was Practically
Impossible 60 Eradicate o. Alto
Rethcr-tiics Considered Medium
90 ConNc,iuR Germs.
Washington. Dec Sturgeon General
sternherg made pubic to-day report on
the ousiu ana spread Of typhoid fever In
the United states military camps during
tho spanish War OF lsas prepared hy .
board conslsuns OF Major Walter Reed.
Surgeon. q. s. A.. Max Victor division
surgeon O. s. ". aud Maj Edward o.
Shakespeare. brigade surgeon. q. s. "
Tho surgeon general comments upon
the widespread prevalence 81 TYPHOID ia
is9s. twenty thousand cases Of this dis
eaae appearing among ins troops encnmp-
ed Within enc uml,b OF the United states
from May unti September
During rho spanish War every reglmens
constituting ho First Second. Third.
Fourth Fifth oni seventh Army Corps
developed typhoid ferer. this being true
of both thc volunteer and regular com
mauds More than % per cent Of the
volunteer reFimonts are shown TO have
developed typhoid wthio egm weeks
after going into camp. ana che fever de-
veloped also in cora.n % the regular
regiments within three 10 five weeks after
the tents went up Typhosa became epi-
demlc iu aIi camps large ana small,
North aud south. ond was found % be 30
widely distributed in shla country that
one or more cases are likely 60 appear I'm
any regiment within eight weeks after
assembly. whether ON the march or sta
uonary.
II Is also stated that with typhoid fever
as widely disseminated AZ lt 8 iu this
country. the chances ore that u q reEi-
I ment Of 1870 men should be aaaemblcd
I tn any section. and kept tn a camp hav-
| ing the most perfect sanitary conditions.
one or moro cases Of the fever would de-
Velop Nevertheless BE- was found that
many commands, during the war. were
unwisely ioclted, thH the space allotted 10
regiments was. 900 some Instances. entire
| ly inadequate and that may regiment
were allowed 10 remain on one site TOO
long.
some Camps Were FILTHY.
Requests Tor changes IN location made
ed Ia some Instances camps were set up
! in che face OF earnest protests from medi-
cal officers,
The camps became very fiihy IN gem
eral 81 b. stated and line officers arc
| thus held responsible 10 some extent Zoe
| the lnssnitary conditions that developed.
/ The board suggests that greater author
Iity bee given medical officers IN questions
| relating 10 the hygiene Of camps.
Al Chlckamauga. Jacksonville. Camps
AlRer and Camp Meade. contaminated wa
ter Is stated 90 have played bui a small
part IN spreading tho fever To guard
against the contamination Of che water
supply. however facilities for the atert-
llzat!on Of wafer Tor troops ia the feld
are recommended
Files are believed 20 have heen trans
mifters OF the typhoid bacillus. II has
been conciuslvcly settled that a company
badly infected with typhoid cannot ria
I itself Of Infection By simply changing ia
| location.
Except where urgent emergency makes
| IL necessary tho board urges that ono
command should not be- located upon n
site recently occupied and vacated by
another. u b. urged that The soldiers
bed should be raised from the ground. and
also that tho soldiers Dc made 10 remove
their outer clothing At night wherever
possible.