The Washington herald., 1917-05-12
Army and Navy News
Test Service Column I'm City

Aohtry company Is the pdSic
army unit-the smallest unit having ad-
ministrative powers over its men ana the
smallest unit for messing. auartering
and supplying equipment
Inc peace strength of an infantry COM
pahy Is: The captain first lieutenant,
second lieutenant. first sergeant, mess
sergeant, supply sergeant. duty ser
seants' IL corporals, cooks, buglers, l
mechanic, 10 privates (first cIass) and Sc
prlyates-a total personnel OF 103
war strength adds 2 sergeants cor
porals, cook. mechanic, first-class
prtvates and 81 privates-a total war
strength of 1853 men.
The cavalry troop-equivaIent of the
infantry company peace strength, In
cludes: captain, first lieutenant, first
sergeant, mess sergeant. supply sergeant,
stable sergeant. sergeants. corporals,
cooks, horseshoers, / saddler, bu-
glers, 10 first-class privates and 3S pri-
vates-7S men. Ten privates (irst cless)
and 25 privates are added for war
strength-a troop total of los.
The field artillery company Tin a regi-
ment of two battalions) consists of:
Captain. first lieutenant, regimental SER
geanttmajor, battalion sergeants-maJor.
/ first sergeant, color sergeants. mess
sergeant supply sergeant, stable ser
geant, sergeants. corporals, horse
shoes, saddler, mechanic, buglers, 2
cooks, privates (first class, Is privates,
band leader. assistant band leader, ser
geant bugler, 2 band sergeants, band
eorporals, musicians (irst class. 4
musicians (second class, 10 musicians
(third class.
When a regiment consists of three bat
talions there is added One battalion
sergeant-major, l sergeant, 8 corporaIs.
l bugler, / private (first class) and pri-
Yates.
There are six guns or howitzers to each
field artillery regiment in peace times.
In war time the number may be increas-
ed to meet the eXigencies Of the occasion.
Each battery, at peace strength. carries
two machine-gun calssons. with 400
rounds Of ammunition.
Drastic measures for the control of
tuberculosis in the army are recommend
ed by the committee OF three appointed
at the request of the Council OF National
Defense by the National Association for
the Study and Prevention of Tubercu-
losis.
Some OF the details Of the committees
plan were outlined in Cincinnati recently
by the chairman, DR.. Herman NJ. Biggs,
New York State commissioner Of health.
speaking before the annual meeting OF
the association.
Speaking of the conditions in the
armies OF Europe Or. Biggs said
The conditions in France. where ac-
curate information is available, are sp-
palling. 1t is estimated that not less
than 10000 soldiers have been discharged
from the army because Of the develop
ment of active pulmonary tuberculosis.
Although complete and accurate data are
wanting as to the conditions obtaining
in other countries excepting only Eng
land) such information as is available
seems to show that the conditions are
the same and are particularly grave in
Austria Hungary and Russia. We are
also informed that the Canadian troops
have suffered severely in this respect
Experience in Europe.
THE incidence of the disease in the
British forces has been much less than
in the other countries involved in the
war.
Experience in Europe seems to have
shown quite clearly that all OF the dis
eases which were formerly greatly dread
ed in war. such as typhoid and typhus
fever. smallpox, cholera, epidemic dy-
sentery, etc. can be readily controlled by
modern preventive measures, and that
tuberculosis and the venereal diseases
have taken the chief place in producing
disability among the troops in the field"
DIR. Biggs declared that the measures
development of tuberculosis and the ve-
nereal diseases among American troops
could not be too stringent.
In the opinion of this committee" he
went on. 'the work of the medical corps
of the army could be much facilitated
and expedited and this corps-already
greatly overworked-Could be given much
needed assistance. If the services OF vol
untary experts in tuberculosis were en-
ployed in various parts of the country.
Has Made Inquiries.
The committee has made inquiries and
will be able TO furnish the War Depart
ment with a list of a large number of
voluntary qualified experts of this char
acter.
I'VE are of the opinion, from our own
experiences and our Interpretation Of ex-
pert opinion in this matter. as well as
from the experience OF the armies in
Europe. that any man with even a very
limited amount of pulmonary tuberculo-
sis which Is latent or arrested is almost
certain to break down under the physical
strain OF military training and army life,
and a focus OF diseases previously latent
or arrested viii almost certainly become
active.
Systematic and complete periodic re-
examinations should be made of all
troops within three months after enroll
ment and at intervals OF three months
thereafter