Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1917-12-26

day OH the result OF his personal in
spcction OF the camps.
With the exception Of Camp Fun
ston, none OF the camp base hospitals
have been completed, Gen. Gorgas
says, and this is handicapping the
medical officers in treating patients.
He recommends the rushing Of this
work, particularly the installation Of
the necessary plumbing.
Gorgas Shows Ugly Conditions.
Conditions at Camp Sewer. Green
Vile, S. c.. where former national
guard organizations from Tennessee
and North and South Carloina are in
training, are shown in the following
letter from Gen. Gorgas to the chief
off staff. United States Army, dated
November 20, last:
"Sanitary conditions here are seri-
Gus. Sixty men have died. Of pneu-
monia in the past month. The camp
had been exposed to general cpl
demic Of measles, about 1000 cases
having occurred within the last
month. During the same period
they have had 175 cases OF pneumo-
mia and 5 cases of meningitis. The
new conscripts Of this command are
men who are nonimmune to measles
They come from the neighboring
Southern States where population Is
scarce and therefore have not had
measles in childhood. Always, with
measles, a certain number of cases Of
pneumonia occur. The mortality of
high.
"The basic unsanitary condition,
however, in my opinion is overcrowd-
ing. In the past, in this camp, the
division commander has. had to put
1 and IL men in tent, due to the
shortage Of tenting. This would give
about 20 square feet Of space to each
man. At present he has to put nine
men in tent, which gives about 2S
square feet to the man. urge that
the division commander be directed
to furnish at least so square feet Of
floor space to the man, which would
give about five men to the tent.
Observation Camp Urged.
"! also recommend that an ohScr.
vaton camp Go established where
. !, No In. y,
dndcr observation for at least two
weeks, or until the camp itself shows
evidence Of being free from infection.
"The division commander tells me
that he expects a large increase in
the force at an early date. l urge
that no fresh men be sent to this
camp until the division commander
says that he is able to care for them
along the lines OF this recommended
zion.
'There has been a good deal OF
discomfort and exposure on account
Of the men having nothing but their
summer clothing. This has been in
great part corrected in the last ten
days by the arrival of wooden clothing
and overcoats. The o. d. wool has
not yet been issued, but the authori-
ties are informed that it is on the
way. The whole command Is still in
khaki.
Heat and plumbing are badly
needed in the hospital. Both were
authorized two weeks ago. recon-
mend that the matter he pressed and
the hospital be equipped in this re-
spect at just as early a date as possi-
BILE. The hospital needs badly more
transportation. recommend that
they be furnished one motor car; one
three-ton truck; one one-and one
half-ton truck, and one three-quar-
ter-ton truck. The hospital at pres
ent has $50 patients"
At Camp Bowie, where the seth
Guard Division is training, Gen. Cor
gas reported during the past, month
IL deaths from pneumonia out of
400 cases admitted to the hospital.
About $500 cases of measles have
developed in the same length Of
time.
People Uneasy and Bitter.
''rhere is great deal Of uneasi-
ness and criticism among the people
with regard to conditions here,
which are worse from the sanitary
point of view than in any Of the
camps ! have visited" Gen. Gorgas
says.