El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-06-20
KILL THE FLY,
KEEP HEALTHY.
Gen. Pershing Is Enforcing
Cleanliness Among His
Soldiers in Mexico.
Rr GEORGE h. CLEMENTS.


Temporary Headquarters. Punitive
Expedition. L. 5. Army. Near CoIonia
Dublan. Mex, June 16.-CBy Motor
Truck to Columbus. y. n, June 2O)-
swat the fly" is an order which is be-
ing obeyed with alacrity along the en-
tire line OF conmunica tions from Co
lumbus. y. N. 10 San Antonio, Mex.
ever since the setting in OF warm
weather. Up 10 this time no flies Of
the common OF garden variety have
appeared at Namiquipa or at other
camps located on the high plate7us TO
the southwark but at this camp and
at the camps between here and the
border the house fly would be an in
sufferable pest were he permitted 10
breed and flourish without protest
From the first. il has been an in
variable rule that at every camp made.
no matter how temporary its nature.
all refuse which might furnish a rest
ing or breeding ground for flies must
be burned before camp was abandoned.
As the season advanced the rules be-
came more rigid until now all latrines
are covered and provided with fly traps
Of the latest and most approved pat
tern to catch the vagrant flies which
come in from outside the camp. In ad-
dition to the boxing Of the latrines
and the fly traps. the contents OF the
latrines are chemically treated 10 the
end that all larvae may be destroyed
in the cavalry camps the picket lines
are ''policed" to the mines every day
and all horse drOpplngs which might
serve as breeding places for flies hauled
to a point we'll outside the camp and
there burned. In the meantime the
ground on which the horses stand is
chemically treated as a further pre-
caution against the propagation OF the
Few Flies Are Found.
As a result Of all this caution there
are very few flies to be found in any
army camp, large or small. in all that
portion Of Mexico occupied by Ameri-
can troops. In addition to taking pre-
cautions against the spreading OF dis
ease through the carrying OF germs
on the feet OF flies, the sanitary de-
partmept OF the expedition is taking
no chances on pollution OF water sup
ply and is enforcing rigid rules cal
culated 10 prevent any outbreak OF dys-
EMERY or other intestinal trouble All
water for culinary or drinking purposes
must be procured from wells or pumps
which have been provided. or from
carefully guarded flowing springs. the
origin Of which has been carefully in
spected- All water from shallow wells
or pumps must be chemically treated
or boiled. The men have been so
schooled in the matter of health con-
servation that they make no protest
against the extra work involved in the
pumping Of water as against dipping
il from q nearby stream or in chemi-
cally treating or boiling II.
The result OF this care regarding
flies and water may be found in the
comparatively empty hospital tents
and in the few calls made upon mem
bers Of the medical corps for treat
ment for even the most minor forms
or sickness. Il is true that a number
Of sick men have been sent to the base
hospital at e. PasO but il is equally
true that the vast majority Of such
cases have been of a chronic nature
made acute for the time being by camp
life in contradistinction 10 life IN bar
racks.
Health First Requisite.
4 sick soldier IS Of no value TO the
army in time OF war and a detriment
effort is made TO keep him healthy
at all time but particularly when his
services may be needed on the firing
line at a moments notice The les
sons learned during the Cuban cam
paign and the later campaign IN the
matter Of curing bodily ills there may
not have been much progress since the
inauguration Of the campaigns allud-
ed to but il has been brought home to
the medical fraternity that il is bet
ter to prevent disease than to wait for
its development and then try to cure
it. Every energy is nowadays bent in !
the direction Of preventing the diseases
incident to life under hard conditions !
therefore the attempts 20 prevent the /
prOpa cation OF flies. MOSQUITOES and ]
other disease carrying insects-the |
burning. burying or chemical treat
ment OF all forms OF filth and the pour /
ing OF oil on the stagnaut pools in /
which mosquitoes might breed IN such !
as to be not only an annoy (
ance but a positive menace to health.