Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-11-23
UNPLEASANT FIGURES.
The American Soldier Not the
 Healthy Man He Should Be.

Healthy Man He Should Be.
 It is difficult to compare health conditions in the United States army with those in other armies. the prin- cipal reason being that in the United States the hospital admissions in- clude all soldiers who have been ex- cused from any part of their military duties, while this Is not the case In any other country. Moreover, re- cruiting conditions vary greatly in different countries. the United States and Great Britain depending upon voluntary enlistments, while all oth- CT countries have conscription. Then, again. the strength is differently es- timated in different countries. and some have low death rate because their sick are promptly discharged or retired and die out of service in- stead of on sick report.
 Nevertheless, certain comparisons are both possible and interesting. The highest admission rate, 1921. last year. was in the Dutch army; the next highest, 1.179. was in the United States army, and the lowest. 34S, in the Russian army. The highest death rate, 5.61. was in the British army, the next highest. 5.28. was in the United States army, and the lowest. 1.S6, In the Prussian army. The best basis for comparison is the record of total losses, repre- senting the combined rates for deaths and discharges. According to ho rrjt tot stood fourth after those of Belgium, Russia and Great Britain. but far ahead of all others. An important factor in judging the relative health fulness of armies Is the average duration of each case of sickness. Measured by this standard the United States army stood fourth after the armies of Prussia, Bavaria and Hol- land. The average duration of each case in the American army was about half that of the average in the British army and little more than half the average in the Russian army.
 The admission rate in the United States army was lower than in most other armies for pneumonia, pleursy, scarlatina, sunstrOke, erysipelaS and cerebro-spinal meningitis, but far higher for alcoholism, influenza, humps, and venereal diseases. The United States army rate was lower than the Russian rate for diphtheria, erysipelas, marlara, plenrsy, pneu- monia, trachOma and variola. The admission rate for dysentery was lower in the British than in the United States army. but while the British had a death rate of 0.16 per 1000 from that disease, there was no death from that cause in the United States army. The admission rate for malaria was lower. but the death rate was higher in the British, Dutch, Russian, Spanish and Belgian armies than in the United States army.
 The comparative figures concerning alcohOism--t those and the others used in this article having been supplied by the urgeon-general of the United States army-tell an ominous story which is commended to the attention of those misguided persons who op- pose the restoration of the army canteen.
 The figures for the United States army are for the year 1906, and those relating to foreign armies are for the latest year obtainable The admis- sion rate in the United States for the year was 30.5S per 1000 of mean strength; in the British army, 1.09; in the French, 0.29; in the Prussian, 00S; in the Bavarian, 0.06; in the Dutch, 0.24; in the Russian. O.01; in the Spanish, 0.0f, and in the Belgian, 015. The return of death rates is very meager, those for the American army relating only to troops within the continental boundaries of the United States. The death rates per 1000 of mean strength are as fol- lows: United States, 0.02: British. 0.07; Russian. 0.01. In all, or nearly all. the armies for which the admis- sion rates for alcoholism are given above the troops supplied with malt liquors and some with spirits. In the United States army alone is the soldier denied the privilege of pur- chasing beer or light wines at his post exchange. How this deprivation has worked to his disadvantage and injury is best told in the alarming figures we have cited,---Army and Navy Journal.