Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1914-06-20

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the environs of city with a sewerage
system and is to be occupied for a
considerable Tine connection may be
made with the established city sys-
tenn. This was actually done during
the past few months at Texas City.
This system was devised by
the Naughn-Reed-Shak board,
which investigated the typhoid cpl
denies in the camps during the war
with Spain. This is known as the
Reed trough system. and is merely a
galvanized iron trough and urinal that
contains a mixture of lime and water.
AS the excrement and urine are de-
posted into this they are not dis
turbed by flies. The contents of the
trough are removed at intervals by an
odorless excavator and deposited at a
distance on fields as a fertilizer. This
system is limited TO weather condi-
tions that do not reach the freezing
point.
Moving Armies Police Themselves.
1t has been an axiom in past wars
that moving armies were healthy.
This is merely an expression of the
fact that moving troops get away
from their own camp pollution. This
is still true unless the troops in semi
permanent camps are protected from
themselves by a sanitary system for
the disposal Of human wastes. To a
lesser extent the other camp wastes
are a menace to the health of troops.
If neglected.
There exists, then, a yeast to leav-
en- the whole that was absent in 1898.
Since that eventful year the officers
OF the medical department of the
army have been studying and practis-
ing military hygiene and sanitation
with brilliant results. as demonstrated
in the two large camps in Texas
! Here 10000 men lived for year at
time with a sick rate lower than that
at the average post. Better yet, the
officers of the line, impressed with
the value of the lessons in camp sani-
tation, have been enthusiastic support
ters of these advances and are hardly
second to medical officers in their
knowledge and experience in such
matters. The army. then, is in an
entirely different position than at the
outbreak of the Spanish war. The 90
600 cases of typhoid that then puz-
zled and distressed the people of this
country will not appear as specters
in our camps as a sign of sanitary in
competence.
Anti-typhoid incubation, which has
been in vogue in the army since 1909,
and which so efficiently protected 1t
in 1913 that there was but one case
among the inoculated in the army Of
10000. is to be trusted to keep cur
camps free of this disease so fatal to
armies in the past.
The dysenteries will be held in abey-
ance by many of the precautions that
prevent typhoid, particularly the safe
guarding of water and the early exclu-
sion of such cases from the camps.
Yellow fever is robbed of much OF
it's terror by the fact learned in 1898
by Reed and his devoted band. which
taught US the means of transmission
and. consequently, the manner OF
avoiding 1t. The soldier carries in
the field mosquito bar weighing 13
ounces that enables him to sleep in
comfort and safety. The sentry on
duty Is protected with a head net that
serves the same purpose. These are
the diseases that, IL avoided. will make
any campaign in the tropics unique in
history.
Typhus an Ancient Enemy.
One other disease there is that may
be possible cause of alarm-that I'M
til recently might have been difficult
to prevent. 1t is a disease that has
played a tremendous part in all great
European wars in the past and has
even determined the fate OF cam
paigns since the Peloponnessian war
typhus fever Fortunately, and thanks
to officers of the public service, as
well as to a brilliant Frenchman, we
have learned that 1t is spread by the
bite of the louise and. in consequence.
We are enabled to limit its ravages.
have not mentioned smallpox. as
1t is not peculiar to armies, and its
preventive measure of vaccination is
so well known as to require no further
mention.
Thus, forewarned, we are forearmed
and enter any campaign confident OF
our ability and In the sanftafy train
ing of the line feel that we can exist
in the campaign in such a state OF
"hygienic competence" that the disa-
bilities of the war will be limited. for
the first time IN the history of the
new world. to wounds. and that dis
ease will not kill more than bullets.
The American people will have what
they should have for the generous
support given every year-the most
efficient army of it's size in the world.
Engineering Record.
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necessary. The present consort of