Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1908-01-09
UNPLEASANT FIGURES.
The American Soldier Not the Healthy
Man He Should Be.

1t 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 mill
tary 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 other
countries have conscription. Then,
again, the strength is differently esti.
mated in different countries, and
some have a 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. 1179, was in the United
States army. and the lowest, 34S.
in the Russian army. The highest
death rate, SCI, was in the British
army, the next highest, 5.2S, was In
the United States army, and the low.
est, 1856, in the Prussian army. The
best basis for comparison Is the rec
ord of total losses, representing the
combined rates for deaths and dis.
charges. According to this record,
the United States army stood fourth
after those of Belgium, Russia cnd
Great Britain, but far ahead of all
others. An important factor in judg
ing the relative healthfulness of ar
mics is the average duration of each
case of sickness. Measured by this
standard the United States army
stood fourth after the armies of Prus.
sia, Bavaria and Holland. The aver.
age 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 aver.
age in the Russian army.
HC ldIS III lhO VI
States army was lower than in most
other armies for pneumonia, pleu.
risy, scarlatina, sun3troke, erysipelas,
and cerebro-spinal menginitis, but far
higher for alcoholism, influenza,
mumps, and venereal diseases. The
United States army rate was lower
than the Russian rate for diphtheria,
erysipelas, malaria, pleurisy, 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 death rate of Ole 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 AMI Belgian armies
than in the United States army.
The comparative figures concerning
lcoholism-those and others. used
in this article having been supplied
by the eurgeon-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 can
teen The figures for the United
States army are for the year 1906.
and those rotating to foreign armies
are for the latest year obtainable.
The admission rate in the United
States for the year was 30.5S per
1000 of mean strength; in the British
army, 100; in the French, 0.29; in
the Pru sian, 0.08; in the Bavarian,
0.O6; in the Dutch, 0.24; in the Rus
sian, OIL; in the Spanish. DOL, and
in the Belgian, 0.15. The return of
death rates is very Ieager, those for
the American army relating only to
troops within the continental bonn
daries of the United States. The
death rates per 1000 of mean
strength are as follows: United
States, 0.02; British, 0.07; Russian,
O.0O1. In all, or nearly all. the
armies for which the admission rates
| for alcoholism are given above the
troops are supplied with malt liquors
and some with spirits. In the United
States army alone is the soldier de-
MED the privilege of purchasing 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.