The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1914-08-21
JAPANESE DOCTORS
WHIPPED RUSSIANS
PREvENTABLE DISEASES KILL
FOUR TIMES As MANY SOL
DIERS AS BULLETS.

Washington, Aug. 21.-The Japanese
were among the first to recognize the
true value of an army medical corps,
according to DR.. Louis Livingston Sea-
man, of New York, in communica-
ton to the National Geographic So
ciety, at Washington, D. c. DR.. Sea-
man has made worldwide study of
contagious and epidemic diseases. He
, was with the second Imperial Army of
Japan at the front in Manchuria, and
is the author of many we'll known
medical books and papers.
The japanese medical officer is ON.
nipresent," he says. "You will find
him in countless places where in an
American or British army he has no
place. In the Russian-Japanese war,
ne was as much in the front as in the
rear. He was with the first screen of
scouts with his microscope and chem
icals, testing and labelling wells SO the
army to follow should drink no con-
taminated water. When the scouts
reached town he Immediately in
stituted a thorough examination of it's
sanitary condition, and If contagion
or infection was found he quarantined
and placed guard around the danger
Gus district. Notices were posted, so
the approaching column was warned,
and no soldiers were billeted where
danger existed. Microscopic blood
tests were made in all fever cases and
meteorological experts, fully eouipped
formed part of the staff of every d.
visional headquarters.
Lectured on Sanitation.
The medical officer was also found
in camp, lecturing the men on santa
ton and the hundred and one details
OF personal hygiene-how to cook, to
eat, and when not to drink, to battle.
and even to the direction of the pairing
and cleaning of the finger nails 20
prevent danger from bacteria. It was
the rule of the Japanese at the front
TO do little or no operating except in
cases of extreme emergency or where
hemorrhage threatened immediate
death. All cases were treated by the
application of the first aid dressing
and then sent to the rear as quickly
as possible, thence by hospital boat or
transport to the base hospitals in
Japan.
"A distinguished japanese officer,
when discussing with me the subject
OF Russia's overwhelming numbers,
said, You know in every war four
men die of disease for every one who
falls from bullets. That will be the
position of Russia in this war. We
propose to eliminate disease as a fac
tor. Every man who dies in our army
must fall on the field of battle. In
this way we shall neutralize the su-
periority of Russian numbers alita !
stand on a comparatively equal foot
ing
Deserves Best Attention.
Japan was the first country in the
world to recognize that the greatest !
enemy in war is not the army of the
invader, but of a foe more treacherous
and dangerous-preventable disease,
found lurking in every camp. The state
depriyes the soldier of his liberty nre
scribes his exercises, equipment, dress, |
diet, the locality in which he shall re.
side, and in the hour of danger expects |
him, if necessary, to lay down his life |
in its defense and honor. 1t should |
therefore give him the best sanitation |
and the best medical supervision that |
the science of the age-be it Japanese |
or Patagonian-can devise