Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1917-10-26


deed, map Of IA invasion OF A-
| the United States. bur it Is
not a military invasion.
The c0lored pins show the
| invasion of armies of disease
throughout the various states, and each
color denotes a different contagious
disease, such as measles, scarlet fever,
smallpox. meningitis and the like, as
these diseases come first from the foci
in the civilian population.
Every day come reports from officers
of the United States public health de-
partment, and the pins are moved
about as the germ armies advance or
! retreat.
AT single glance ii can be told just
what diseases are prevalent or pres
ent in any part of the country.
Let us say. for instance. that this
map shows a number of cases of
! meningitis in Kansas. The examining
officers are Informed through the pub
lie health reports, and all applicants
for enlistment In the navy from the
affected district are watched for symp-
toms of prevailing diseases. The same
is true of every disease which can be
carried or conveyed in any manner
from one person or place to another.
/ AT the training stations the men are
! kept under observation for days until
/ it is practically certain that they are
not carriers of infection.
/ The conditions under which the men
! live once they are in the navy are con-
| duciye TO health. and it is not easy
| for a disease to start and gain foot
! hold, but transmittable diseases do not
! get into the navy from the outside.
! Wherever great numbers of young men
| live together they are liable TO cpl
! denies, but these diseases are quickly
isolated and taken care Of
1t should be remembered that in
peace times epidemics Of disease are
| extremely rare in the navy, and the
deaths are too few to attract atten-
ton. When, however. at the outbreak
of war hundreds of young civilians. as
newly enlisted recruits, are brought
together from all parts of the country
and intimately associated, epidemicS
do occur. The boy from home where
the parents ''do not believe in vaccina
TONS" from a town where the author
tiles think it unnecessary TO quaran-
tine contagious case, etc. Thas
youth whose little sister or brother
has measles or scarlet fever and who
may carry the disease is allowed to go
| nd list In, ba
gers hundreds of others.
In great many ways the men them
selves can better their health and
maintain it. These ways are shown to
/ them, and many are required by the
discipline of the navy.
In the first place. the bulk of the
navy is at sea. Nothing certainly could
be better to breathe than the pure
sea air. The quarters in which the
men live are scrupulouSly clean. The
ventilation is good and the food plain
but wholesome.
Expert dietitians have agreed upon
the navy raticnS, and the men are as
sured of enough TO eat to maintain
their strength and health. Cold stor-
age facilities and the great quantities
of faod which can be carried on board
ship make navy fare perhaps more
varied and agreeable than that which
it is possible to give to the army in
the field. Then there is no possibility
for the men to go outside and eat a
lot of things for which their palates
yearn but which upset the stomach.
A certain amount of prescribed ex-
ercise must be INDUCED in every day.
This keeps the men in condition and
builds up their strength.
Personal cleanliness is required OF
every man in the navy. His clothing
and body are frequently Inspected.
Men with unpleasant or unhealthy hab-
its are not allowed TO enlist. If any
elude the vigilance of the examining
surgeons they are dismissed from the
service. Clean teeth, clean bodies and
clean habits are rigldly enforced.
The water ON board ship is of the
unrest. because 1t is distilled water.
Frequent tests are made by the med
ical officers to insure its freedom from
| contamination.
If / should give advice to the young
men entering the navy as to their
health il would be:
Keep clean, wash frequently, eat
the navy fare and do not stuff yourself
| with rich, unwholesome food when
you 90 ashore.