Evening journal., 1914-12-02
american ARMY IS
HEALTHIEST Of ALL
No Peril Now In Holding
Large Bodies Of Men In
Field, Says GOrgaS
FEVER MENACE HAS
BEEN MUCH REDUCED


In his first annual report as Sur
geon General of the United States
Army, Brig. Gen. William c. Gorgas
says the time has come when the
United states can be assured that II
can maintain a state of hygienic COM
petence that will warrant the holding
of large bodies OF troops in the field
indefinitely. Figures submitted by
General Gorgas indicate that OF all
the armies in the world that Of the
United States is the healthiest
The report further shows that the
percentage of disease in the United
states Army is the lowest it has ever
been and that since 1912 this rate has
been decreased approximately is per
cent. in the United States proper,
while the rate is also lower than at
any previous time among the troops
on duty beyond the continental limits
Of the country. It is interesting to1
note that at no time in the history OF
the army has the rate for alcoholism
been so low.
1T is especially satisfactory" says
General Gorgas. "in view of the ex-
tension of white races toward the
tropics. to state that the rates for
maiarial fevers are the lowest since
1905 when our troops were first per-
manently stationed i'm the tropics"
The Hospital Corps of the army. the
Surgeon General says. should be made
more attractive, because under pres
ent conditions there is little induce
ment in the pay to draw to il men of
/ intelligence that are necessary TO
/ perform efficiently its many and spe-
cialized duties. Pharmacists. surgicai,
laboratory and sanitary assistants,
expert nurses and cooks can get bet
4 ter pay as we'll as better hours out OF
the army than in it. he says.
THE reorganization of several new
field hospitals and ambulance units
during 1914" General Gorgas con-
/ tinues. only in part remedies the
] glaring defect observed in the short
i age of mobile sanitary units Our
present personnel permits only one
}, half of the regular army in the field
TO be served by the sanitary units
prescribed by field service regulations.
In view of the great battle losses to
, be expected in modern wars. Il is a
! serious responsibility to rely upon im-
/ promised units that must serve at the
front. This matter does not require
/ Congressional action.
THE great reduction In the amount
4 of preventable diseases foreshadows
e great economies to the Government
as practical application is developed
NJ Until comparatively recently the du
'- ties of medical officers were almos
J. entirely confined to the care of tn
% sick and wounded In keeping witt
l. modern tendencies, specialization ha
n developed and TO their former dutl
" is now added that of sanitary science
y with the practice of preventive medi
n cine in the field and garrison. tn,
S handling and disposal of the sick anC
wounded in campaigns, and the vari
Gus specialties of the civilian physi
clan and surgeon All this require.
preparation and training unknown In
past years The Medical Corps is
the only portion of the army not in
army instituted when Senator Root
was Secretary of War
ut seems time that a comprehen-
sive scheme was adopted to keep med
ical officers trained and abreast of
the times in both their medico-mili-
tary and strictly professional duties
For some years II has been neces-
sary to constantly employ from 30 10
100 members of the Medical Reserve
Corps with troops. II is desirable that
the Medical Corps be large enough to
perform all the duties required in
peace. and any reserve of trained
medical officers be effected in other
ways. In time of war there will be
demands for medical officers that the
corps will be unable to meet A suf.
fcient number to meet requirements
in peace is the best preparation tC
met the demands upon the medical
department in mobilization and war
Appeals are made during greal
public disasters for the services %
medical officers and for medical prop
erty by the National Red Cross. Il il
desirable that plans be perfected
whereby they may become available
through the authority of the Secre
tary of War. Legislative enactmen
is necessary TO modify the present re
strictions upon granting this help"
Under the caption Influence o
Race" General Gorgas says that tn
statistics show that the colorel
troops in the army had the highes
non-effective and the second highes
death rate. The white troops had tn
lowest admission rate and the Philip
pine troops the highest death rat,
The constant non-effective rates were
Colored. 3O.27; white, 23.97; Philip
pine. 1921, and Porto Rican, PASS. Tn
death rates were ColOred, 5.S3
white 4.S0; Philippine. 9.17 an
Porto Rican, 3.37. The rates for tots
losses werc: White. 1905; colored. l9
Philippine, 1884, and Porto Ricai
11.79. The highest rate for alcoho
ism was among the white troops. II
highest rate for malaria was in III
ranks of the Philippine scouts, Will
fhp HIGHEST fuhorpr foqic rato Ws