The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-12-27
POLAND IS GIVEN
G00D|]sCLE
German Occupation Ha
Had Wonderful Effect
Upon Health. s.
fpy Associated Press J

WARSAW, Dec. 27t-It has taken
the most strenuous efforts Of German
medical forces to overcome the cpl
demic Of typhoid, smallpox, rabies
and other diseases that they found
prevalent in Poland when they ar.
rived. They had TO contend, not only
with q shortage OF indictments. but
also with tho distrust OF the people
and a distinct opposition to VACCINE.
ton that was overcome only with DIFF.
fculty.
Poland was Immediately divided up
into forty.ninc sections, In thirty.five
OF which II was possible to install
German physicians, aud additional doc:
tors are being brought in as fast as
possible. The first duty was to es.
tablish sanitary conditions. With but
few exceptions the cities and towns
had never heard Of a drainage system.
The streets were disease breeders,
and the public convenience stations
were dangerous in the highest degree.
In many places, including Lodz with
its 100000 inhabitants, the public was
dependent for water on. wells that
were spreaders Of disease. Seven
thousand of Lodz's 10000 wells have
been examined and purified, and the
balance will be fit for use, within q
few weeks.
Much to the establishment OF the
Polish population, and not without op.
position, the official notification OF
disease was required, especially In the
prisons. the hospitals and other pub
lie institutions where the Germans
found cholera. typhoid and typhus
rife. The opposition to these mea-
sures was such that 1t was necessary
to lay down severe penalties for fail
ure to comply with the new regula.
lions.
Even the schools were discovered
tolbe disease breeders, through the
medium Of teachers who were sick.
Great as the shortage of instructors
was, and Is, many had to be forbid.
den attendance on their schools in or.
der to check epidemics. A thorough
house:cleanlng Of hospitals, schools
and houses Throughout the length and
breadth of Poland was Immediately
begun.
Smallpox was the worst thing with
which the Germans had to combat.
The found an epidemic of It that ran
In anortheasterly direction. and which
was Checked only by the vaccination
of between 100000 and 100000 per-
SONS! The epidemic Is broken now.
but the vaccination Of all the popula-
ten is impossible because Of lack
ofsvaccine. sd
Typhus to a smaller extent existed,
principally In Lodz, where strict Ger.
man methods were introduced. Chol.
eraSwas prevalent along the right bank
OF the Vistula, practically oil Of which
has been stamped out by this time. To
prevent the disease from travelling In.
to Germany, via the water route,
cholera prevention stations were In
stalled all along the Vistula' from War
Bawito, Thorn. Only infected wounded
prisoners not far enough advanced to
give evidence OF the disease have ev.
es$cerried 1t into Germany.
Such hospitals as existed in Poland
were In part destroyed when the Ger.
mnns arrived, and the latter had to
erect new structures In addition to
putting the old ones In commission
again. Some 200 hospitals, six disin.
fecting establishments, each capable
OF handling 10000 persons daily, IA
smaller institutions OF the same sort,
and countless improvised steri!izers,
have been built during tho past few
months.
The Germans found an astonishing
number Of mad dogs, which apparent
lyShad acquired the rabies by Tstarva-
ton aud by feeding on the stagnant
remains Of food not destroyed by fire.
Many soldiers were bitten and infect.
ed. Dogs by the hundreds have been
shot; and the hospitals have been sup.
piled with the very latest and most
effective hydrophobia preventives and
curatives.
Since the German forces not only
must handle disease but also prevent
itSwhere possible, the strictest pos.
stble watch Is kept on all food stutfs.
"a bureau has been established which
maintains veterinary surgeons, ex.
amines slaughter houses, and prose.
cutes purYeyors of impure foods.
In order that existing needs might
be supplied, the expectation ban in
Germany on certain medicaments was
lifted, and Poland today is in posi-.
tion to receive all that 1t needs in the
pharmaceutical line. Pharmacists In
Poland are required to list all their
supplies, and speculation In such sup
plies has been reduced to minimum
by heavy penalties.
eGerman hygiene" declared the
physician in charge Of all the work in
Poland, remains as a heritage to
whatever government, takes charge.
Welhave established q basis on which
others in the future can build" X