The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-01-04
ALABAMA TROOPS
 EQUAL ID ANY ON
 MEXICAN BORDER Major O'Connell, Chief of Medical Corps, Tells of Camp Life at Nogales UNPREPAREDNESS IS
 CAUSE OF SICKNESS Individual Guardsman Equal to Reg ular, But Militia System Is a
 Proven Failure ' Regulars
 Responsible for System

The Alabama National Guard is the equal or any unit on the border not in the regular army, in the opinion of Maj. George O'Connell, in charge of the Alabama Medical corps Major O'ConneI declares that the fault which the officers or the regular army have found with the state troops have been due to the sys- tenn rather than to the militia.
 Tn statement made to friends in Bir- mlnsham yesterday, Major o'Connell goes into details regarding the sick ness which had been rather prevalent among the state troops. He declares that 'iie mixes which were taken in the ex- tremely cold December weather, coupled With the lack of sufficient clothing and bedding were largely responsible for the large number of cases of pneumonia. which had been excessively fatal.
 That the Alabama Base hospital had made good was vouched for by Major oConnell, who declared that the troops or this state had requested in almost every instance that they be taken to the hospital of their own state He cited certain statements made by officers of ~-O ~oNAeSA oAiAiJ III WHICH they had de- ciared that the United States army was not prepared to handle such mobiiza- ton of troops as had been gathered on the Mexican border
 PNEUMONIA PREVALENT
 The majority of deaths are being caused by pneumonia said Major OConnell These cases are all treated in the base hospital by medical officers of the army and the medical reserve corps detailed there The adn1intstration or the hospital is severely overtaxed by a lack Of personnel, especially among the enlisted men of the medical depart- ment of the army. Fourteen of the Ala pama Field hospital are on temporary duty there
 It might be pertinent to add here that the commanding general and district surgeon of the Nogales district, General Hummer and Colonel Brattan respective ly' have been untiring in their efforts to optaln adequate protection for the men. .potn in the matter of clothing and in quarters. They have been greatly handi- capped because of the delay in getting these supplies. The district surgeon showed me letter he had written Gen Hummer urging the discontinuance of mixes during this, time of the year. He @sSY 8f@e& ffss supplying of the men Wssh faf Fafsers and the installation oE water fA facilities,
 @Sqg who is in Birmingham 81t furlough, talks in- q tales and of the condi- Saeiis the state troops are ma town. He will re-
 hei days before returning
 re the Alabama infan-
 99 camped.
 PREP PAREDNESS
 iced in every instance
 ent was lily prepared
 f lation of troops" said 0g@a Tn other words, it sssfs. Ea, slg q 3ao for the various de- ta 4.pa aSf,ecially for the quar- tetF3 spag nent It should be a iSs&eA ec tnis cauntry and provision FeQA3A pe NiaNs so prevent such recur- fsscs The iss.s- if preparedness is di-
 q3 eSeeHsApse for this illness and t'3' alss0 nFgft Hf the troops The sys- kSW Qz the N9fiofal Guard is a failure sAfs 1att2fa not due to the in 4 tt sa.aie has carried his Dstfs1Hlfa tsaN HH made good in spite Ns snas ts ssfetAs se system was not of h' metlns yet he shares it's criticisms ftA personally { am confident that in SNiSS lae faNita system, the lack of SANfrff a'aN tae eek of instruction he has done
 aispir discouraged and dis M gsehse on sides by the regular aey pess IS in telling us that
 sanslt failure. I tell them
 sstena sss failure and that f4aH W Feat'y t5 blame for the sys-
 Te thQ boys coming ahome?
 lye fstion with every one s n an answer it. There
 order who seems to fNT hc ways an air of ex- @AeseA 7ega We have no idea Aa asicN of this government will l* pAF kflNvn when there might 1f Ni3 iQAple cross the border to Ell W fe n fN Miexico. The consensus fff fp4nicfk afH4Rg tae border folk is that *1Steef o9f later 'He must go into Mexico