New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-14
Britain's Medical
Lessons to Benefit
American Army
US. Soldier Should Be the
Healthiest in World,
Says Sir A. Keogh

London, April 13.-The American SOL
der ought TO be the healtniest soldier
in the world, because he starts OUT
hacked by a medical organization that
he's received all the valuable lessons
learned by the British army in its three
years experience in this greatest OF
wars.
This statement, made by Sir Alfred
Keogh. surgeon general Of the Brit
ish army. revealed for the first time
the close cooperation between the medi-
caI branches of the American and Brit
ish armies maintained since the early
6svs of the war. Sir Alfred, the man
responsible for the health Of five mill
ion British soldiers, has placed all the
information gained in the war at the
disposal of the American army medical
men.
Right now. Sir Alfred said, there are
IN tbis country four Of the leading
United States army medical men VINO
have been studying the British medi-
cal and sanitary arrangements ~
France and who have toured the hos
nitals in England and studied the Royal
Army Medical Corps at home lney
are Surgeon PleaGwell. Colonel brad-
lev. Major Ford and Major Lister.
In Touch from the Start
eve have given and still are giving
tho United States army the dement's O.
our three years experience IN Eeepihg
healthy our enormous army" Sir Altre1
continued. American army medica1
men have from the start been keeping
in touch with our medical and sanitary
arrangements. and if the results or
their observations have been applied
IN their own. organization, as | have
everv reason to believe they have, the
United States army ought TO take the
cold under better medical supervision
tbon anv in the world. In other words,
the American soldier ought TO be the
healthiest. backed as he is by medical
organization that has benefited by all
the experiences of our great armies.
"Of course, the United States has al
ways had very highly efficient medl-
cal service. The only question IS
whether it is fully prepared for the eX-
pansion necessary in raising large
army. | say this because | doubt
whether those outside the organization
understand its Importance. Inc lay
man usually thinks only OF the killing
Efficiency of an army, not realizing that
70 be able to kill the enemy an army 5
health must be right up to scratch al!
the time.
Army Must Be Well Fed
"The first essential for an efficient
army ia that it be we'll fed. A well fed
army is an army in which disease pre-
vention has its greatest chance of sue
cess The next essential to an efficient
army Is the immediate investigation of
cpidemics. Both Of these problems
have been solved by US.
"The British army il well fed and IS
free Of epidemics. Since the outbreak
Of war we have had but three epidemics
in the British forces. and IN each case
these have been stamped out almost
instantly. We did this by concentrat-
ing our best medical effort at the
source.
Eve learned our lessons in santa
ton from the South AFRICAN war, Just
as the American army has benefited by
its experiences with disease IN the
Spanish-American War and later in the
big camps in the Southern part of the
United States.
"The United States army medical au-
thorities know that the problem at the
outbreak Of the present great war was:
Has modern medical science enabled
Us to prevent epidemics in modern war
fare? They know that the answer IS
yes.
Rural sanitation is another subject
that America is alive TO. This Is evil
denced by the fact that they have sent
to US one Of the learned professors OF
Johns Hopkins University. at Bait.
more, to make a special study Of rural
sanitation in the towns in France, which
we take charge of as soon as our armies
antar them ~