South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-12-26


discovered in the three years OF this
war. and they are all 10 the bad
trench feet, trench fever and trench
nephritis Inflammation of the kid
ney) Like many other vegetables
and celebrities. they spring from
the soil. but the name of the soil of
their particular origin is mud
trench mud
When the full misery and hard
ships Of trench warfare in snow
and sleet and bottomless mud be
gan 10 dawn upon US in the gloomy
winter of 1914. one of the torments
that stood out first and most prom
inently, was a painful and peculiar
Inflammation of the feet. ankles
and legs. dubbed by the soldiers
trench feet" Ii looked and be-
haved like a sort of mixture be-
tween chilblains and frozen feet.
The feet would first swell and turn
dull red. or purplish and painful,
then the skin would begin 10 itch
and burn intolerably, then if bath
ing and antiseptics did not check
the process the purple color would
deepen to black, and superficial
gangrene of the foot, especially the
toes and heels, would set in.
SO severe was the gangrene that
large patches of the skin and sur
face of the feet would die and
slough away completely, while in the
worst forms. amputatiOn would
have TO be considered in order 10
prevent fatal absorption of the poi
sons OF decay into the system.
1t was an extremely obstinate,
painful disease, and while as a rule
it could be checked with little worse
than the slOughing and ulcerating
away of a few patches of the skin.
il threatened 10 become quite Sc
rious from a military point OF view.
For it was almost totally disabling
while il lasted and at one time was
so common that il was estimated
that nearly 10 per cent of the sol
diers in Flanders and northern
France, on both sides of the fight
ing lines, were constantly laid up
by it.
In fact, il became so troublesome
that a special commission was APP
pointed TO enquire into its causation
and see what could be done TO pre-
vent it.
Because the disease first began in
winter, when the men were COM
planning bitterly of the cold and
also because it started like chill
II .
was supposed that extreme cold,
combined with wet. was an import
ant factor in causing il. But it was
quickly found that although the
cold undoubtedly aggravated and
FASTENED the process, as a matter
of fact the mud and water in the
trenches were seldom frozen over,
so that the mems feet were never
exposed to a temperature as low as
the freezing point. a condition
which would certainly not furnish
a sufficient degree of cold TO pro-
duce genuine frost-bite or anything
approaching it.
Moreover the disease showed no
rapid tendency 10 diminish with the
coming of the warmer weather in
the spring except where special
measures had been taken against it.
was much interested to discover
on my visit 10 the Italian front that
during their first year of trench
warfare, the soldiers had suffered
very severely and extensively from
trench feet. although such a thing
as a frost is rare along the ISonzO.
In fact. Gorilla Gradisca and Mon
falcone are all celebrated as winter
health resorts.
But they had plenty Of the two
chief causes of the disease-ill-
drained trenches and infected mud.
The first thing discovered that
pointed in the direction of relief,
was that pressure of both boots and
Ieggings had a good deal 20 do with
the production Of the disease. The
army boots were fairly comfortable
and loose fitting. but the soldiers
knowing that they would often be
standing up to their ankles or even
up TO their knees or waists IN mud
and water. naturally were inclined
TO lace up their boots as tightly as
BONSAblEt ~ d. ~ htfp Alltlll II Ulll
leaking above. This seriously in
terfered with the return circulation
Of the blood from the feet and
started them to swelling which, of
course, raised the pressure still
higher and set up a regular vic
ious circle"
Boots a size or more too big for
ordinary wear or marching pur-
poses, were issued 10 the men, and
they were instructed to avoid lacing
them up too tightly, and wear heavy
wooden socks.
Even more serious binding was
found 10 be due TO the puttees and
leggings worn by the men, and Of
the two. most unexpectedly. the put
tees were the worst. This was due
TO the fact that in order 70 hold in
place and present a trim and soldier
" appearance. il was necessary to.
wind these curious wooden leg
bandages-taken. like khaki, from
the hill tribes of India-so tightly
that the big surface veins of the
legs were severely pressed upon.
making the feet, first swollen and
then cold Also that when water
soaked DutteeS shrank and tight