Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-10-27
THE sanitation division, which Is
l under Col. Deane c. Howard Of
the Army surgeon generals Of

the Army surgeon generals Of
flce. has been conducting q Sc
lies Of experiments on the sterilization
Of mess kits and other eating utensils
during the prevalence of the epidemic
Of influenza. The result OF their stud
les appear to prove beyond question
that their earlier contention that this
should be done was correct. and they
are taking action to enforce such
sterilization in the Army. But they
are talking about this subject because
they believe It is q matter Of keenest
interest to the civilian public. par
ticularly when everything possible
should be done too confine the infu-
enza to the smallest limits.
They had good opportunity to OBJ
serve the results of cooking and eat
ing utensils sterilised by boiling as
against the same Instruments cleansed
In the ordinary method In camps-by
O .rinsing in lukewarm water and q
rubbing with . dish towel. ,,-..'...
cans-that is. cans that had not been
used-were filled with boiling water,
into which the dishes were immersed
until they were free from accumu-
lations, when they were allowed to
dry on removal from the water. In
every instance, where a comparison.
could be made there was less iniiu-'
pie preventive The cycle Of the
spread of the germs 10 from the
mouth OF the person to his hands to
the dishes. or directly to the utensils
that come into contact with the
mouth to the warm water Of the or
RI dto1, out 20 al,
that are placed In 1t and thence at
the next using Of the dishes to the
mouth and threats Of the victims
This Is no new idea Of the Army,
for as far back as March "a Col.
Howard had recommended the adop-
ton Of the simple sterilizing, process.
germs but as At that time his warn
ing went out merely as q circular
recommending that, divisional sur
geons urge the practice. Now, how.
ever, his recommendations take the
form Of q report to the chief Of stan.
with q request to divisional COM
which makes for health and decency.
THE War Department. on tho rec
=. ommendation Of the division of
ordnance. training in the bureau Of
ordnance, has greatly expanded the
ordnance maintenance and repair
school at Raritan, N. ]. It has d.
rected that the barracks be increased
to accommodate at least 1000 mon;
that q building to be used as a school
Of instruction be erected as q part
OF the present room, where the guns
are assembled and the work Of repair
n nd m q In tn ~ mn IN M
This building also Is to be Of semi
permanent character, such as the de.
partment now is putting up in many
instances where they are likely to
be of military value In the future,
sirable place for the storage and care
of ordnance mutations when It is no
longer needed for immediate combat
rs number now in the school. i is
1.5oo to approximately 1000. and from
trained and made available irs medi-
ately for overseas duty with line or
schaoi ions. THE means that this
flow Of 1900 or more men trained In
the way to maintain and repair all
ordnance damaged in the stress of
campaigning or In the clash Of bat
tie: The. courses include instruction
machine guns, tractors and motor
This school is a part Of the United
States Raritan arsenal at Metuchen,
20 ana Of '' con Sndif tHe H.n1;Sn
West Point officer. who in turn re-
ports directly to Col. w. w. Gibson.
director OF ordnance training In
ON October 16 q big observation
balloon. belonging to the Army,
drifted over Washington on it's way
to Baltimore. q distance Of about forty
miles. and on the following Tuesday
dirigible for the Navy arrived from
Akron, Ohio. and 1t stopped only long
enough to take on a supply Of oil and
to resume the Journey to New York
city. Maj. Gen. Kenly. director Of
in the balloons basket. and with him
were two famous balloon pilots, Lieut..
Col. Hersey and Maj. Mccoy. The bal
loon was as big as q house. and 1t
noated through the air with q motion
like an ocean steamer at anchor in
smooth water.
The week before. Gen. Kenly had
taken the trip to New York in De Hav-
iland 4 In less time than 1t took the
balloon to 70 to Baltimore. The next
day the balloon made its way to the
outskirts Of Scranton. Pa, In some
favorable wind to carry 1t on its way,
Balloons Of this type have their uses,
but these spheres are quite another
thing than the anchored observation
balloon. better known as "sausages"
ana "blimps." Cen. Kenly believes that
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