The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-02-17

weeks, fatiROe parties m q Cetail5 were
kept at work ditching. grubbing and
removing many hundred loads of cac-
tus. leveling low places, and draining
the fiat land. cleaning UP and building
company streets, until we had a fine
camp site. The water supplied through
the city mains from the Rio Grande
river, while containing much sediment.
has been good with but few exceptions
after storms and then the medical
corps used Darnal filters, refiltering
and clarifying the water.
Food Uniformly Good.
liberal supply of ice has been fur
ntshed each organization and a suffi-
cient supply of army rations. which
when properly handled and cooked
AMI used with economy and Judgment.
a money saving can be had from this
ration allowance each month, and this
ration saving used by mess sergeants
TO purchase fresh fruit and vegetables
assd ice cream. This ration and saw
ing when properly handled Is ample
for any man Menus are prepared
each day by mess sergeants and ap-
proved By the company commander
and frequent inspections made at meal
times, All question: BILE foods are in
spected and condemned by the survey
Ing and medical officer
Kitchens Modern.
When we first arrived kitchens were
built under tarpaulins. dining rooms
were IN the open in the sunshine and
for a while in July were disagreeable.
The United States army quartermaster
soon had material and plans ready for
good. roomy. cool. hy- proof Kitchens
and dining halls with the usual soldiers
tables. The regimental carpenters and
artifcers were assembled ana good
buildings. neat and attractive, were
erected. all properly aligned, well
screened, thoroughly ay-proof and
sanitary.
Kitchens and dining halls were in
spected each day and every Kitchen
placalried with a large sign Excel
lent" Very Good Good" Fair
and Poor" AZ indicated by the gen
erai neatness and absolute cleanliness
and sanitary conditions, existing in
both kitchen and dining room. This
marking and grading of kitchens
proved "a great stimulus and incentive
for those in charge 20 secure a good
grade, In arriving at this average
grading the following points were
considered: F7tes, bread and meat
boxes. ice boxes, storage OF supplies.
garbage disposal. cooking utensils
and cooks. and general appearance Of
cleanliness.
sonal cleanliness OF all the men They
are required to battle frequently. to
wash their hands before each meal
and clean their teeth daily. Inspec
tons are made hy the company com
manders each day and two minute and
formal Inspections each month by
medical officers, special attention be
ing paid at this time 10 any early
manifestations Of the beginning Of
+g.,,
given 10 prevent sickness,
Everything possible to make the
soldiers hfe comfortable as ii can he.
living in tents. and without home
comforts, has been done. All tents are
foored and the walls have been raised
and boarded up. making the caves five
feet above the floors affor1inE in
creased air space and room. gun racks
arranged and shelving made SO each
individual may have some place for
personal articles. Now that cold
weather has arrived Shly tent stoves
have been placed in the tents ana
they are very comfortable The Off
GERS little houses built mp. covered
with canvas. resemble large doll
houSes-are very attraetire--and with
electric lights are cosy and inviting.
No tent is occupied by more than eight
naen. Each man has two blankets good
overcoat. straw mattress and cot.
Each tent is we'll ditched ANA high
and dry and the company streets and
regimentaI street are ditched and we'll
drained All streets are policed
and cleaned daily. Picket lines and
stables are cleaned daily and burned
every days which prevent fly breed
ing. Iatrines are cleaned and burned
daily and all made fiy-proof. All
pools of water and drainage bitches
from bath houses are oiled twice
week which prevents mosquito breed
ing The stable cleanings are hauled
a mile from the camp and burned up.
All cans in kitchen and refuse burned
and kitchen STOP 7evaporated in pan
incinerators. which have proven more
efficient than the pit incinerators.
Health of the Command.
The health of the command has
been excellent. We brought nearly
one thousand men down on the border
and we have been here in the dust and
dirt OF Texas with its windstorms.
dust storms and northers for eight
months and we have lost only two
by death One was shot in the dis
charge of his duty endeavoring to pro-
tect a defenseless girl from a drunken
soldier. This drunlsen soldier was
not one OF Virginia's men. One died
from carcinoma OF the bowels. We
have had only one case OF typhoid
fever. that a mild case. Every man
and officer from the colonel to the
high private in the rear ranks have
been vaccinated against typhoid fever
and smallpox. Although We have
been In a hot climate and have done
arduous duty under many trying cir
cumstances, our sickness has not
averaged l-2 per cent. When we
think OF and compare our health
record with the health record of the
Virginia troops in the Spanish Ameri-
can war. when We lost considerably
over 3 per cent from typhoid fever
alone in one regiment. we must admit
the value of the discovery OF typhoid
incubation as preventive. We
have had hut four cases Of dyscntery
and but ten cases OF mild type of
malaria and eight cases Of dengue
fever. We then must also admit and
recognize the value of enforcing per-
sonai cleanliness in men. cleanliness
in the kitchens and in the entire
camp and we see the good of tho frss
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