The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1914-12-12


~ established one for the
number OF men engaged. But sig
nificant among all of them towers a
record not of destruction but OF
preservation This is the record for
disease prevention. And when you
consider that nearly all other wars
during the last 200 years have shown
four men dead of disease to one OF
bullet wounds the importance of this
last record in the present conflict be-
gins to be appreciated.
Several things initiate toward max
ing the war in Europe devoid Of those
terrible epidemics of sickness which,
In every great conflict from ancient
times have occasionally swept down
and devastated the armies OF the COM
batants. One Of these Is the healthful
climate in which the fighting Is going
on. But more Of factor still are the
splendid sanitary measures for proven
ton with which the battling armies
are equipped. .
These systems are without excep-
ton the outgrowth Of the last nine
years. In 1905. when Japan went 10
war with Russia, she taught lesson
that the western world will never for
get. Prior to that time the medlcai
corps of an army consisted OF neld
surgeons and nurses to care Tor the
wounded But Japan took with her
yellow fighters $4,000 men whose sole
duty It was to guard the fighting army
against the perils Of disease. 1t was
great, carefully organized sanitary
corps, the first of its kind and size to
be seen. The fact that three Japanese
were killed by bullets to every one that
died of sickness fnstead Of four dying
from disease to one OF bullets. as IN
ell previous wars. was simple but am
pie testimony as to the efficiency OF
those $4,000 sanitary protectors.
From that time onward the western
powers were quick to to take up
lesson they had 30 long neglected. And
now the men who are fighting In
France and Germany are guarded from
the grim visage Of disease by elab-
crate sanitation systems.
For instance. the German army Of
invasion is accompanied by great mo-
tor-driven sterilizers In which every
drop of water drunk by the soldiers
has first been rid Of possible contami
nation. The French and English arm
les have microscope brigade. whose
duty It is to make meteorological ex-
aminations of all water supplies before
tapped by the men. Both sides have
inspectors who test food and sanitary |
inspectors who go ahead to arrange
for the sanitation on camp sites and to
do picket duty against pollution Of
streams and lakes.
The soldiers who have seen a cam
paign or two know the peril of dis
ease.
Medical and sanitary experts Of the
world are busy specializing, in the alb
sence OF real news, on the number of
deaths from disease in the battling
armies in Europe. LongmOre's tables
OF war statistics show that In the bat
ties Of the last 200 years four men
have persisted of sickness to every one
killed by bullets. This excerpts the bat
ties in the Russo-Japanese war, where
the marvellous sanitary regulations of
the Japs SO altered the established
that figures show that four
japanese died from gun wounds to
every one that succumbed to disease.
Reports from the European capitals
Indicate that 100000 Germans have
been killed in battle. 10000 English,
1900 Belgians. and nobody knows