New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-06-28
THE FIRST DUTY
To Take Up at Once, and Vigorously
Hospital Organization.
To thu Editor OF The Tribune.

Sir: Now that our troops are actually
leaving for service In Mexico for an UNI
known duration il seems TO me to he the
first duty of those OF US interested who arc
remaining at homo TO take up at once, and
vigorously, the work Of organizing hospitals
and relief work in all its branches for the
benefit of the soldiers and their families
Unfortunately these fine young men are
leaving without adequate preparation, ana
those OF us who had experience in other
wars in the United States service see re-
peated many of the bunders of our former
experience As il does good merely TO
critcise some one else, let US at least race
the situation frankly and do what we can
and | assure you that there Is much that Is
needed and will be needed.
Practically all Of the military regiments
are being recruited up to war strength,
which means, in many cases, as much as one
third to one-fourth their number are raw
recruits. None of the regiments are physi-
cally hardened-at best they have had
merely the routine drills of once a week at
most in their armories. This means that
these men who are being sent now in sum-
mer for service in the tropics. without ade
quate physical preparation, are bound to
suffer not only from death and wounds az
the hands Of the enemy, but, what is more
important, sickness and diseases of various
kinds, especially wasting tropical diseases,
which come from change of climate and
water, such as dysentery, enteric fever, sun
stroke and other fevers. Fortunately,
science has advanced in the last ten years
70 the point where men may be inoculated
against typhoid, and we may be spared the
horrors of that which carried away so many
of our men in '9s and in '6l. Nevertheless,
we must recognize frankly that the tropics
is no place for white man who is on &C
tive service in the summer at best. and tina.
a high percentage of sickness is inevitable
The troops who will be fortunate enough
10 be In permanent camps on the border
where their water can be boiled, sanitation
provided, screens used against flies ana
mosquitoes, bathing facilities at hand and
personal cleanliness enforced, as well as
fresh and wholesome rations secured-these
men of course will not have as high per
centage of loss as the men active ser
vice in Mexico proper. But as the plan is, or
seems likely to be, that large numbers will
be sent into Mexico proper We should pre-
pare for them and have base hospitals, rear
hospitals and convalescent homes ready in
advance, and not wait until after the first
battle takes place. IL does seem 10 me that
some of the organizations which have been
doing such effective work for the relief Of
the sufferers abroad could readily turn their
hands to the wants Of our soldiers at home.
and have no doubt for minute but that
this will be done. Ny point is to urge the
necessity of taking immediate action 20
have our soldiers profit by the experience Of
the war that Is being fought across the seas,
where the extreme importance OF such
things Is recognized and provided for so
splendidly
Those OF us who saw service in Cuba in
'9s know that hospitals we're such only in
name, there often being merely Red Cross
flag raised on tree. I myself returned in
a ship carrying $50 sick and wounded men
with only one doctor and four hospital or
derlies on board TO care for them, and We
slept on beds consisting OF hunks made OF
rough lumber and had no facilities whatever
to change clothing or TO eat our meals, hav-
ing often to use old tomato cans and sim
ilarly improvised utensils 10 eat with. When
we arrived at the hospitals at Tampa, which
had had some months notice and prepare
ton, matters we're not very much better;
we did have cots there. but no sheets,
and again the eating arrangements we're OF
the crudest. At that time there were in
1uDa great SuppIito VI MI oViAs VI Hi'uiNdA
necessities and comforts for the wounded,
but through Encouragement they lay in the
hips at anchor Off the Cuban coast, instead
Of being used for the men as intended.
There we're also many nurses being shipped
over by the Red Cross, but for one reason or
another their services were not used By
the army until after a certain amount of red
tape had been cut. But why 90 on and re
peat stories that are familiar to every one?
cannot make my appeal too strong, espe
cially TO the women who have shown of late
such genius for organizing. TO take up
this matter Of making adequate provision
at once, and sincerely trust that some of
the many organizations will start TO take
up the work of getting these organizations
together so as to work in harmony with the
greatest efficiency.
ARTHUR F. COSBY.
Former Private First L. s. Vol. Cavalry
Rough Riders), later Captain and Asst
Adj. Gen. L. S. Vols
New York, June 26, 1915.