Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-03-14

in the civilian population of the United
States, has been practically non-ex-
istent in the army.
\
What the army medical men can do
when they have a chance is graph
cally told by Gen. Gorgas in facts re-
garding the 5000 Mexican federal
troops and their camp followers of
both sexes. that fled across the Dor
der after the battle of Ojinaga January
l and =, 1914. and were informed at
Fort Bliss and Fort Wingate Typhoid
and smallpox were rife among them
when they came with their accumulat-
ed filth.
They were compelled to build SAM
tary camp. Then in one day 4.9f3 OF
them were lined up and inoculated
against typhoid and vaccinated. These
diseases promptly ceased. Since then
the health conditions have been ad-
mirable. for the American medical Of
ficers are always on the job. No sim
liar number of Mexicans in Mexico
ever had such a low death and disease
rate as these people possessed.
Gen Gorgas has in the medical de-
partment which he commands, some
5000 people. They are divided as fol-
lows: Medical officers, 426; medical re-
serve officers on active duty. 81: con-
tract surgeons, 10; commissioned dem
geons, SO: Army Nurse Corps, $50; Hos
pital Corps, 1855; civil employees, 239.
Wherever there are American SOL
diers the medical department is repre-
scented. watching over. guarding, pro-
tecting the health of the men,
But, Gen. Gorgas points out, his Or
ganizatfon is barely adequate to do
the work 1t should do in time of peace
1t is still far from being ready to meet
the emergencies of war. No insurance
Is taken against the future. true, some
things have been done.
For example, every military unit is
now supplied with stock of medical
supplies. and enough are held in reserve
to supply an army of 25O,000 men. But
with military experts talking of an
army of at least million in the event
of war, this is not large. though vastly
better than in 1898. Then when war
came there were no reserve supplies
Some of those ordered were not deliv-
erd until six months after the procla-
nation of peace. So far, then, the sit
uation has been improved.
Archaic laws and regulations still re-
main as a handicap in places. If war
should come-and this is something
constantly being put up to the medical
department by both official and citi-
zen inouirers-it is far from being in
shane to expand to the demands of the
situation. It's dependence would have
to be in trying to provide enough train
ed men to pull through the unframed,
and a very considerable dependence
would be the trained regulars of the
purely fighting branch to pass on to
the recruits their knowledge of hygiene
and sanitation.
"Of the regulars" said Gen. .Gorgas.
in discussing this matter, "all but the
racrnits will average one to three years
of experience that has taught them
how to take care of themselves in field
and camp. Among the volunteers some
considerable experience exists as re-
suit of maneuver camps and the Span
ish war-many veterans of that war
being in the militia. There will be
considerable proportion of green men
to be taught camp sanitation, as well
as given military instruction. Much
of this will be given in concentration
camps.
fortunately, most of the officers of
the volunteers will be men who are