Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1918-11-01

Der being regulated by the cubic fee
of air space in the chamber. The
army bed is an extra width cot will
good steel springs and bedding suited
to the weather and climate; never
less than two blankets are assigned
him. all wool blankets, khaki color
Sometimes he gets three and two
thick cOmforters more if weather de-
mands
Lavatories are located at the rear
of these quarters, with water pres
sure and fixtures of a design similar
to that used in the best hotels in the
! country, and for every company unit
there are from four to six shower
baths. Cleanliness of person and
surroundings are absolute require
ments of the United States army
Every possible precaution is taken by
the sanitary corps to insure that the
camp conditions are 100 per cent
sanitary.
Drainage is installed along strictly
scientific lines, and the most scien-
tific disposition is made of all camp
sewage. During previous wars more
men have died from preventable dis
ease than from bullet wounds. Dur
ing the Civil War soldiers persisted
by thousands from typhoid, camp
fever, dysentary and kindred dis
eases resulting from unsanitary con-
ditiOns about the camp. Those days
are gone. Surgeon General Gorgas,
who made the building of the Pan
ANA Canal possible by draining the
canal zone and fitting it for human
habitation, is in charge of the army
sanitation.
AS sooh as the soldier is assigned
to quarters he is given the most
searching physical examination. All
scientific medical tests are applied to
detect disease. For instance, if
there are indications of tubercular
infection the patient is put under OBJ
servation that there may be no mis-
take in the diagnosis. If there is in
cipient trouble he is sent to one of
the army sanitariums and restored
to health. If his case is advanced
he is relieved from military service
or exempted until physically fit.
Besides the examining surgeons
there is the dentist. Teeth are put
in good condition here, and there are
dentists overseas to keep them in
good condition. Also there is an
orthopedic surgeon to examine the
soldiers feet. 1t has been said that
OF thnro
from foot trouble than all
other causes combined. The atten-
ton given to the selection of shoes
for the soldiers In the American army
is a sidelight on the care we give our
men.
When soldier gets his first pair
Of shoes he gets pair that fit his
feet. No account is taken of the size
he wore before. His feet are placed
in a cunningly devised form where
the length and width are exactly de-
termined. He bears his weight on
this little machine and an officer
and a non-commissiOned officer take |
the size record of both feet. his name,
and regiment. Then he
puts on a pair of shoes of the size
called for. But that doesn't end it.
There is further device that checks
on the measuring machine and
catches any human error in record
ing. This is put inside his shoe and
he runs down an incline of 80 de-
grees striking his heels on the cleats
nailed to it. If this little machine
does not make itself felt and the shoe
after examination by an officer is
found to be satisfactory the man is
fitted and his size is added to his
service record
Our soldiers are provided with
clean socks, and at the end of long
marches the feet are carefully in
spected by the surgeon in charge.
No army in the world has ever at
tanned such a health record as ours,
the death rate being eight out of
every 1000, here and abroad. This
would be even lower but for the
large number of men who come down
with diseases to which they were ex-
posed before leaving home.
The average gain in weight of the
American soldiers since entering the
service is ~ pounds per man.
ANTOINETTE FUNK.
Director Propaganda and Speakers
Department