The Pickens sentinel-journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1903-1906, 1904-12-07

lcal methods i'll war, read q paper be-
fore the Association of Military and
Naval Surgeons of the United States
in session at st. Louis, Mo. Major
Seaman made an extended study of the
United States methods in Porto Rico,
the Philippines and China in recent
years. His studies convinced him that
the great loss of men in war was due
to improper feeding Of soldiers rather
than bullets. He said:
"Up to July L only about 100 wound
ed and medical cases had reached
Toxic, mostly from the base hospital
at Hiroshima, which was continually
sending large numbers to other divis-
ional hospitals TO make room for fresh
ones from the front When l tell you
that not one ended fatally up to July
l, and that every one remaining in the
wards presented n favorable prognosiS,
you can appreciate the admirable
work that is being accomplished there.
1t is the rule of the Japanese surge Ons
at the front to do little or no operating
except in cases of extreme emergency
or where hcmorrhage threatens imme-
dlate death. All cases are treated by
the application Of the first aid dress
ing and then sent TO the rear as quick
ly as possible, thence by hospital boat
or transport to the base hospital" in
Japan.
THE Japanese soldier has been
taught how to treat his intestines-
and consequently his intestines are
now treating him with equal consid-
Grafton. His plain, rational diet is di-
observation-disclosures and assimilated.
1t is not an irritating, indigestlble fer
mentip, mess, acting as a local irri-
tant and producing gastrltis, duoden-
tits, enteritis, colitis, heptitiH and the
long list of intlammatory intestinal
processes with which we were all ia
miliar in the hospital wards at Camp
Alger, Chattanooga, Tampa, Cuba, Por-
to Rico, Montauk Point, etc, in 1898.
"The great hospitals are there, in
terne, contagious and infectious de
ments, their conSpicuOuSy empty beds
Voicing more elOquently than words
the most important lesson of the war.
a few cases of diseases Of the respira-
tory system are found-coldS, Dron-
chitis, and an occasional pneumonia,
ing rivers, exhaustive marches and
bivoucking on wet ground, few more
OF typhoid II saw only three in Man
churM), occasionally one Of dysentery
and a number of cases of beri bcri,
that former scourge of Oriental arm
les.
But Of all the many thousands gath
cred in thdse institutions there were
>Sut few medical cases, and of these
ScGrcely q bakers dozen came under
the he Aing Of Diseases of the Diges-
tive System" Therein lies one of the
greatest secrets of the Japanese sue
cess. Napoleon never made n more
truthful statement than when he said,
An army fights on its belly The Jap
anese have that belly, and they take
good care to keep it in fighting order
not by insulting it three times n day
by examining it with material totally
unsuited to the soldiers necessities,
thereby exciting irritations and dis
ease, but by supplying it with plain,
palatable, easily prepared and easily
digested ration that can be thoroughly
metaboliZed and converted into the
health and energy that makes it's own
or the ideal fighting machine of the
world to-day.
THE organization of the medical de
partmcnt Of the Japanese Army and
Navy is modelled after that OF the Ger
mans, with. many added improvements.
TOO much praise cannot be bestowed
upon the medical department. OF the
army and navy for their splendid pre-
paratory work in this war. The Jap
anesc are the first TO recognize the
true value of an army medical corps.
The medical officer Is OmniDreSent. You
will find him in countless places
where In an American or British army
he has no place He is as much at
the front as in the rear. He is with
the first screen OF scouts with his mi
crOscOpe and chemicals, testing and
labelling wells so the army to follow
shall drink no contaminated water
When the scouts reach q town, he i'm
mediately institutes thorough exam
ination OF its sanitary condition and IL
contagon or infection is found he
quarantines and places a guard around
the dangerous district Notices are
posted so the approaching column is
warned and no soldiers are billeted
where danger exists. Microscopic
blood tests are made in all fever cases,
and meteorological experts, fully
equipped, form part Of the staff of
every divisional headquarters.
"The medical officer is also found in
camp, lecturing the men on sanitation,
and the hundred and one details of per-
sonaI hygienc-how to cook, to eat, and
when not to drink, to bathe and even
to the direction of the pairing and
cleansing OF the finger nails TO prevent
danger from bacteria. Up to August
9SG2 cases had been received at the
reserve hospital at Hiroshima, OF whom
0636 were wounded. OF the entire
number up to that time only thirty
four had died.
III the testimony Of those conversant
with the facts can be accepted, supple
mented by my own limited observa-
tions, the loss from preventable dis
ease in the first six months OF this ter