Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1900-1930, 1905-10-19
JAP DEATH ROLL.
Mikado's Government Reports 72,46O
Fatalities During War.

Fatalities During War.
The japanese report 72,45O fatalities
during the war with Russia. OF the
dead 46, $50 were killed in battle, 1920
died Of wounds, and 1890 of disease
No account Is taken Of those disa bled by
wounds or disease. In a war of eigh-
teen months, in which FIVE battles indie
pendent Of the siege of Port Arthur and
, several naval engagements were fought,
Japan lost by death 72,450 men.
In the Civil War, in which opera tons
extended over four years, the Union army
lost G7,O5S men killed on the field, 43,O12
who died Of wounds, and 249, 45S who
died of disease. The Confederate loss
! WAS $4,000 killed and MORALLY wound
cd and 59,297 by disease. The several
armies were engaged in forty-eight bat
: ties and in many long and exhausting
campaigns, but in no battle of the Civil
War were half as many troops in &C
ton as were engaged at Lao Yang or
Mukden.
Satisfactory comparison between the
battles Of the RussO-Japanese war and
those of our Civil War or those of the
Franco-Prussian war Of 1870 cannot be
made until reports in detail are at hand,
says the Chicago Inter Ocean. 1t is
apparent, however, that of the many
wounded a larger per cent recovered
than in any previous war.
This was due partly to improvements
in surgery, to well organized hospitals,
and to better emergency service in
battle. 1t was due also in part to the
character of wounds made by the mod
crn rife fired at long range.
The observation of surgeons during
the war was to the effect that men re-
covered more rapidly from gunshot
wounds than in our Civil War or in the
ErancOPrussan war. 1t was also con
tended that, firing at long range. the
modern rife was not the equal of the
old rifle in effecting permanent disabil
it,. All these contentious seem to be
sustained by the report Of the japanese
authorities.
However, the most remarkable feature
Of the japanese fatality list is the small
number Of deaths from disease. With
probably 100000 men in the field only
1.I,"OO deaths by disease are reported.
1t is true that the campaigns were not
like those in the Civil War. 1t is true
that the 249, 45S deaths from disease in
the Union army in the Civil War include
fatalities along all the short term and
unseasOned regiments that entered into
the composition of a total enlistment of
100000 men.
Yet, after all allowances have been
made, the small death rate by disease in
the Japanese army must be credited to
better sanitary regulations, better organ
ization in hospitals for the treatment of
camp diseases, and better methods in
handling contagious diseases.
1t was the rule in the japanese army
to send the seriously wounded and the
seriously sick to home hospitals as soon
as possible, where they could receive the
best surgical and medical treatment. The
genius Of the japanese medical staff was
directed to the saving of men, and in
both the Russian and japanese armies
the wounded were so carefully and intel
.igently treated that the majority re-
turned to the ranks in short time. The
wonder is not that Japan lost 81 900 men
by death in battle, but that she lost only
1880 by disease.