The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-11-20
fRY EarIs b. Toatevin.l

(5y Earle II. TOsteyin.)
(Staff Correspondent of The Forum
with the "Sunset" division.)
The following letter was writ
ten at Camp Greene, prior to the
removal of the troops to Camp
Mills where they are now located:
Camp Greene, Charlotte, N. c.,
Nov. 14.--'T have been truly astOund-
ed at the remarkable physical condi-
ton Of your men from North DakO-
Ia" said a high official connected
with the Camp Greene base hospital,
who asked that his name be withheld
from publication. He continued: THE
men of the 164th infantry were in
better physical condition than any
Of the regiments in the Forty-f1rst
division. and following our examina-
ton of every man in the regiment
and comparison with statistics at our
command we have discovered that
the 164th, the old First North Dakota
men. average two inches higher in
stature than any other regiment in
the service. In addition to that they
weigh an average of twenty pounds
more to the man. The Montana regi-
ment had q company in which all
members were over 6 feet tall but
the general average is not quite as
good as that Of North Dakota. We
have further learned that all men
from the northwest have proven to
be in better physical condition than
those from the east and south"
The North Dakota boys underwent
a severe examination recently and
the records have been compiled at
the base hospital. Major Luce, a
Washington, d. c., physician in
charge OF the North Dakota regi-
mental infirmary adds to the above
interview the statement that less
than two per cent of the North Da-
kota boys have been i'll since reach
ing Camp Greene, six weeks ago.
Some of the figures taken from the
hospitals records show 81 cases OF
venereal diseases in 2,737 men in the
North Dakota regiment, a remark
ably small number. There are s. men
in the base hospital but the greater
share of these are there for observa-
ton pending issuance of possible
IS. G. d., the three mystic letters
which are tackled on army records
meaning Surgeons Certificate of
Disability" These men, some 80 or
more, are those found wanting in the
recent physical examinations and
who have been under observation
pending discharge.
The first week or so in camp an
average of 103 men answered sick
call, most of them suffering with
colds contracted through change OF
climate or on troop trains. Now less
than 40 men seek medical assistance
a day and most OF these for very
minor indispositions.
The health Of the entire Forty first
divisibn in which North Dakota is
included with Montana, South Da-
kota, Idaho, Colorado, Washington,
Wyoming, Oregon and Utah troops,
has been excellent. There were two
deaths. one North Dakota boy and
the other a Montana soldier, in the
six weeks in camp here out of a to-
tai population of approximately co.
600, a very low death rate. Three
cases of spinal meningitis in the
Wyoming regiment were responsible
for the isolation of that section, but
there were no new cases, and the
three sick men recovered, the at
tacks being very mild.
During the past two weeks every
man in the North Dakota regiment
has received three "shots" or inocu-
lations. Each was a triple inocula-
ton for protection against typhoid
fever and the two kinds of para
typhoid fever. All have been vac
cinated for smallpox.
you can tell the folks back home"