Evening journal., 1916-07-01
j. 5. PLANS TO Guard
HEALTH Of Soldiers
War Department Points to
Lessons OF Cuba, Panama,
Philippines
CAMPAIGN TO.BE
WAGED ON FLY

WASHINGTON, d. c.. July 1.-The
War Department has outlined the sys-
tematic measures which have been
taken to care for the health of the
American troops who go to the Mex
ican border Precautions have been
taken to eliminate the mistakes made
during the Spanish war and assur-
ance is given that there will be no
recurrence Of the unsanitary condi-
tons or outbreaks Of preventable dis
eases which occurred then.
"Since that time great strides have
been made in the matter Of sanitary
education and training" according to
the statement made public by the
Army Medical Department And the
line Of the army upon which rests the
obligation of carrying out the sani-
tary recommendations of the medical
department is far better informed Of
the dangers Of diseases and the neces-
sity and means Of preventing them
ITO this end the medical department
has carried on a systematic course Of
training Of line officers in the SER
vice schools and has brought out edu-
cation in hygiene among the line and
medical officers Of the National Guard
in several States Since the Spanish
war all medical officers Of the regular
army have been given systematic in
struction In hygiene and sanitation at
! the army medical school, with the re-
suit that in the mobilization camps in
Texas the rate of efficiency from dis
eases Of troops IN the field has been
usually less than for similar troops
in garrison.
During the period since the Span
ish war the energies of the army
medical department have been largely
devoted to disease prevention on a
vast scale, and most gratifying results
have been attained by the investiga-
ton into the cause Of disease and
practical sanitation applied by army
medical officers in Cuba. Panama and
the Philippines have set the standard
for the world in respect to disease
prevention.
"In the application OF these gen.
eral measures to local camps and
commands the first step has been the
appointment of a regular medical Of
ficer TO have supervisory charge oi
sanitation and mastering in. AS soor
as these militia troops become Unite
States volunteers by being mustered
in, regular army medical ofncer Il
formally assigned them as sanitary
inspector Where large groups arr
together field service regulations re
quire that the medical officer detailed
as sanitary inspector shall be exper
fenced in such matters.
with respect to typhoid fever
which was the great source Of sick
ness in the camps OF the Spanish war
. this disease now gives relatively little
concern as a result Of the effectivt
, protective lnoculations worked out by
the army medical department and sys'
. tematically carried out on all regular
> troops on enlistment. With this pro.
. tective incubation Of course 90 Other
measures, calculated to protect
! against not only typhoid but Other
: diseases as well.
, "The medical department has also
/ with wise forethought, organized
medical reserve corps Of the aoles'
physicians in civil life to form a med
icaI second line in case Of emergency
They now amount to about 1000 II
number and are proving Of the great
est service in mobilization camps
where a large number have been or
dered for duty"