The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1914-05-24
U, S. Army MUST
CLEANUP MEXICO
Sanitation Would Be the Big
Task IN Case Of Id
tervention.
MEDICAL MEN READY
One Expert Says 1t Would Cost
This Nation Billion
Dollars.

at Will cost q billion dollars to clean
up Mexico" said a noted sanitary expert
yesterday He referred to the medieval
condition of the Mexican cities regarding
measures for the prevention of pestilences.
This work of sanitation and not the rum
ming down of banditti Is the great task
the United States will undertake II il
interyenes in Mexico.
But lust now the medical men here are
not directly concerted with the problem
of making all Mexico country of
healthy, modern cities. They are bend
Ing every effort TO assure the freedom
from sickness OF the thousands Of boys
In khaki already in the Tierras .Galientes.
or hot coast lands. and the tens Of thou
sands who may soon land there.
Nothing could illustrate better the
necessity of proper medical stats in the
field than recent reports of conditions IN
the Mexican federal army. The Mexican
arrny has no medical corps that deserves
the meme. After recent battle with the
rebels the wounded who could not stand
were piled in a heap and left to die.
Those who could stand were crowded on
a train bound for Mexico City. Their
wounds were unattended and putrefaction
set in, The poor wretches had not even
water Those complaining of their con-
dition were taken to the doors of the
coaches by the guards aboard the train
and thrown on. some rolling underneath
the wheels. Only the few who reached
hospitals in Mexico City had chance
70 survive.
Treat Friend and Foe Alike.
The American surgeons and Red Cross
workers on the field of battle, as in
the fighting at Vera Cruz. treat friend
and foe alike. But even before the
wounded become their care, the army
medical men find plenty to do.
Sanitary work has really only been
learned since the time of the Spanish
American war. 1t used to be automatic
that disease killed more than bullets in
a war This was strikingly true of 1898.
Two years ago ZOO --merican troops
were encamped several months at San
Antonio. Texas. There was only one
case of typhoid, and not a single death
from that cause In lass. 1900 were in
camp st Jacksonville. Fla. for about
the same length of time and under SINH
lar conditions. There were s,6sS cases
Of typhoid, and PAS poor fellows died.
Nothing could better Illustrate army
progress in preventing disease.
The Mexicans in Vera Cruz, who We're
familiar with conditions in their own
fighting force marvelled at the prepare,
tons the American trops madeI to war
spon disease. The trim, active surgeons.
the long lines of mules and wagons. the
complete equipment were somewhat of a
revelation. Still more did they marvel
when the soldiers We're put to work cart
ing muck from the streets and straighten-
ing up in the first days of the -occupa-
ton
Each army division, which is made up
-of four brisades, will have four field
hospitals. In each hospital are Jos
beds. On the rear Of the field hospi-
falls. supposing an advance movement,
will be an evacuation hospital, which will
hold twice as many beds as field hos
pitai. Behind the evacuation hospital
fifty or one hundred miles. depending on
The position, will be e base hospital.
There are five surgeons assigned to
zach field hospital, three TO each ambu-
ance corps. four medical officers and