Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-06-18

| camp water supply in semi-permanent
camps in the home country are all
those employed by intelligent civil
| communities.
Drinking Water Problem.
! In large, semi-permanent camps,
when troops are assembled for the
purpose Of instruction and equipment
| awaiting transportation to the scene
/ Of campaign, it is usual to bring the
water into camp and distribute it to
| the kitchens and shower baths by a
fairly elaborate system of pipes. If
the source of supply is good we have
no more danger under the circum-
stances than we have in a small city.
When we have to deal with the
| question of potable water in the en-
emy's country, and especially in the
! field, we deal with a more difficult
problem, but by no meals a hopeless
one. Efforts are made to ascertain
| the quality of the water by examina-
| ton and by its reputation When that
is practicable. When deemed neces-
sary-and this is the case with all
surface waters in the tropics. unless
We except some mountain streams
we try to render the water safe for
| drinking purposes by such measures
as may be possible in the field How
ever, it will often occur that under
military stress, lack of time and
transportation troops for short peri
DDS must use the water that the ma
tives depend upon, Under these cir
cumstances we may look for the ap-
pearance of such diseases as are wa
ter borne and are prevalent in the
communities using the water
The methods to render the water
potable are naturally those used in
temporary emergencies as a rule
boiling, filtering and the use Of chem
lcals. Portable appliances are used in
the army to render the water safe.
When this is not practicable we may
always fall back upon boiling, for this
may be actually done by the inCividu-
al soldier with his metal cup as the
receptacle. 1t has been found, how
ever, that it is an impracticable and
S'A-AACOH h1IpOoSAOlC plOSSdulG e. do W
accomplish such a measure requires
fuel, the fire, time to boil and time
to cool the water to enable it to be
drunk. Either the soldier has, in the
heat of the march or battle, to drink
water as he finds it or some simple
method has to be devised that may
meet this necessity in a more prac-
ticable manner.
The field filter weighs so pounds,
and this limits its use to such col.
umns as are provided with transpor-
tation to carry It about. The prac-
teal use of calcium chloride as dis
injecting agency is excessive in cities!
It's use in portable plants in suitable
form for armies has not been satisfac-
torily worked out but promises pos
sible solution for this vexing question.
Disposal of Wastes.
Only less important than a supply
of potable water in camp is an eff
cient method for the disposal Of hui
man wastes. EXcreta in camp become
a most dangerous focus for the dis
semination of such diseases as are
spread through this means by direct
contamination or pollution of water
and milk and by flies. In the last
large camps maintained by the army
in Texas in 1911 and 1913, a most
efficient system was used. On still
larger scale, but for a shorter time.
the same system was In use at the
Gettysburg reunion in 1913. Briefly,
this consists for each company organf-
cation Of a trench sixteen to twenty
feet long. two to two and one-half feet
wide and six feet deep. Over this is
placed a box cover, which forms a
seat with tight covers. The whole
box fits to the ground so closely and is
so tightly made that flies are excluded.
Each morning a gallon Of oil and Is
pounds Of straw are burned in this
trench. This has the effect of de-
stroying fly larvae, incinerating the
surface Of the contents Of the trench
and it's solid walls and deodorizing
For year in the Texas camps this
system has given complete satisfac-
ton. 1t will be observed that again
camps semi permanent Ia character
and the camp Of troops actually in
the field. For the latter, of course, no
elaborate system is appropriate. Shall |
low trenches are used and covered |
after "a hours. The facilities. pro-
vided for the civil population are
used when troops are in possession Of
towns and cities
Is somewhat limited by the character /
Of the ground. High ground water |
and rocky outcrops forbid their USE
We can then use very satisfactory In
Generators in semi-permanent camps.
These are more expensive, as fuel is
required. When a large camp is In