Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-09-21

Precautions against contagion ore al |
ways in force; each man has been vac
cinated against smallpox and typhoid |
fever without one untoward result. Ri
monthly physical Inspections are m2dc
OF the enlisted personnel with the pur-
pose of iGolating am actual contagioN
or any suspicious case and every pos
sible safeguard is thrown about the
men to insure their physical and moral
welfare, in short plenty of good whole
some food, carefully prepared scrupu-
lous cleanliness. entire absence Of de
caying organic matter. complete de-
struction OF waste, both animal ana
vegetable, an abundant supply of pure
water for shower baths and pure Ice
FOR drinking water and for the preser-
vation OF food arc the conditions that
prevail in our camp
NO CONTAGIOUS DISEASES.
We have now been in camp nrerlv
three months with not single case OF
typhoid or any contagious disease,
which condition speaks for itself. when
one contrasts the condition of the
! troops In tho great concentration camps
| of 80. At that time the Reed Board,
/ headed by Major Reed, Y. :. army,
! found TINT 90 per cent of all tho troops
| in the great camps were i'll with N-
phoid fever within two months. besides
| many other CONTAGIOUS diseases, with
numerous deaths as some Oh us sadly
| remember. Still the marvellous differ
ence becomes less marvellous when we
compare the safeguards thrown about
our soldiers now as against the entire
lack of absence of care ana prophylac-
tic measures used then. At that time
not the slightest effort was made to
q hpi o.
CATION Tons of dccaying garbage uu-
covered and uuhurncd was left for
their consumption. I.atrincs were left
unscreened, uncovered and unburned
and not abandoned until about to over
flow. furnishing another ideal source of
pabulum for myriads Of flies, and
whence for change of diet they could
20 unhindered to the food of tho sol
diers. with feet laden with faecal mat
ter from the latrincs. No prophylacti,
measures were used against typhoid
except the boiling of water for drink
ing purpose. which was poured while
hot into such rcceptaclcs as lard bar
rels and allowed to cool as much as
southern sun would allow. There al
: precautions ceased. The men were al
! lowed to dip their cups or any othc
drinking vessel into the barrel, brush
ing aside the oil globules. in conse
; duence Of which the water soon becam
: in addition to being hot and oily, NOR
the preparation and preservation o
, impure than before boiling.
Formerly the medical officer i'm TIL
army had no status other than the di
rect care of the sick and wounded an
: records etc. Now his advice and coun
sci is sought and Needed by line officer
in all that pertains to tho daily rou
II
! bat. 1t being recognized as an axior
that more men in the past have die
from disease. than from all othe
. causes combined and that one sick ma
, requires the services of several We
= ones in various ways A careful peru
, | sal Of the foregoing will convince tn
:, most exacting that If we have nc
:, reached the perfect in matters sanitar!
;, that we are still on the job striving
Following are few menus selccte
"A at random from my files
!, Co. A. Sept. II, 19l6-Breakfsst, orange
corn flakes, bacon. fried potatoes, brea'
butter, coffee. Dinner roast teef, boile
potatoes, green peas, bread. butter cor
d starch pudding, coffee. Supper, ham, pc
e tato salad. pickles. hot lakes, sauc
6 bread, butter, coffee.
e Co. NJ, Sept II, 19l6.-Breakiast. shre'
v ded wheat scrambled eggs, potatoc
n bread, jam. coffee. Dinner. chicken, mas'
"a ed potatoes. bread and butter, mock cha
= llotte iced tea. Supper roast beef has
n stewed tomatoes, bread. butter. iced tea.
:, Co. J. Sept II, l9l6.-Breakfast. liver n
bacon, friend potatoes bread, butter e.
fee Dinner fried chicken, mashed pot
~ toes. string beans, tapioco pudding, brea
= butter. iced lemonade and coffee. Suppe
y clipped beef and cream, fried potatot
t. bread, butter, Trunes. iced tea.
m The others are equally good, While
1t outpost duty during manoeuvres and
n the march the rations must of necessi
j. be composed chiefly of hard tack. bact
S. and coffee. etc, hut of the best quail
" and plentiful.
Of T. J. HAGAN.
l. Major. NJ. G.. Vt. n G..
", Surgeon, LIST Inf VT. y.