The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1914-05-01
HEALTH MENACE IN
MEXICO CAUSE Of
DEEP CONCERN
Success Almost Entirely Depend
ent Upon Work Medical Corps
-Typhus Quite Common and
Yellow Fever Feared.

~ HOULD the United States army
have to enter upon long drawn
~ out campaign in Mexico the
germs of malaria, yellow fever,
typhus fever and smallpox would be
greater source Of danger to the Amerl-
can soldier than all the leaden bullets
and exploding shells which might be
fred by the opposing forces. This is
the opinion Of officers of the medical
corps Of the army and navy and of the
United States public health service.
Bad water Is a serious peril con-
fronting American troops in Mexico
Colonel M. L. Maus, chief surgeon of
the First division Of the United States
army, which has headquarters at Gov
ernors island, says that this country
VIII have TO spend 81 ,000,0OO,00O in es-
tablishing a sanitation system"
Although physicians and public
health authorities of Mexico have CIV
en- considerable attention to the study
OF sanitation and preventive medicine,
less progress has been made In obtain
ing the cooperation OF the people in
the enforcement OF health laws than
in almost any other part Of the civiliz
ed world. Many Of the Mexican peo-
pie, are most Indifferent to personal
hygiene The natives submit to at
tacks OF contagious diseases as a mat
ter Of course, and many Of the natives
have become immune to further at
tacks of yellow fever and smallpox
Surgeon Generals William c. Gorgas
Of the army William G. Braisted Of
the navy and Rupert Blue of the Unit
ed States public health service believe
that the progress made by the United
States in the study and prevention Of
contagious diseases places this govern
ment in an excellent position to solve
the health problems of its army and
navy.
Danger From Smallpox.
American soldiers and sailors have
been vaccinated for both smallpox and
VpAOtd LCNSL' LJpuOlu ID uOJ OhS VI
the common diseases in Mexico, but
smallpox Is prevalent In many dis
tricts. Many communities have been
visited by epidemics.
Malaria, in case Of an invasion of
Mexico, would be feared more than
smallpox, for this disease, whose germs
are carried by the mosquito, is found
In all of the warmer parts Of the coun-
try. A plenteous supply Of quinine
would be carried in the medical stores,
and the use Of this drug would lessen
the danger Of contracting the disease.
Yellow fever and typhus fever are
both sources of danger in Mexico, yel-
low fever occurring in the hot country
and typhus In the cooler plateau region.
The bite of an infected mosquito car
ries yellow fever, and the careful
of living quarters is the sur
est means Of prevention Of contagion |
In any territory where the disease is |
known to exist. Yellow fever turks In |
Yucatan and throughout the tropical |
country bordering on the bay of Cam |
peche. There is possibility of its oc-
currence at Vera Cruz at times.
Dread "Tabardillo."
Persons who have Travelled in Mex
leo, says the New York Times, have |
heard Of the ravages Of "tabardillo,"
pronounced "Tah-b -bar-deeyo," a disease
called "tifo' by the natives. This is
-yphus fever, a filth disease, which is
found in Mexico City and throughout
the cooler plateau country.
The army would be protected in
Mexico by scores of surgeons and
physicians of the army and navy med
cal corps who would work every day
1f the campaign to keep the men in
health. The law empowers the presi-
lent also to detail additional surgeons
from the ranks of the United States
public health service.
The information on the disease prev
llent in Mexico, now in possession of
he government, has been gathered by
physicians who often have risked their
ives In Investigations carried on by
he public health service in various
)arts Of Mexico In the last ten years.
)ne Of these men, DR.. Joseph Gold
)erger, contracted yellow fever while
engaged in an investigation and typhus
ever at another time, and was fortu-
late enough to recover from both at
acks. He is still an officer Of the
ervice under the direction Of Surgeon
General Rupert Blue
Our Medical Corps
The situation in Mexico serves to
all attention to an important branch
f the service little heard Of in times
4 peace, but which'i in reality is the
oundation Of the army-the army
medical corps-because the ability of
he army properly and efficiently to
erform its duty depends largely upon
he health Of the personnel In order
o indicate the Importance of the med
cal corps, DR.. H. Sheridan Baketel of
be medical reserve corps has supplied
alta concerning 1t which appear in the
lew York Medical Journal.
"The United States army" he says,
shows such a low rate of illness that
be ability of the medical corps is ap-
aren't At this time this department