The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1918-09-20
ARMY HEALTH RATE
BEST IN HISTORY

| oEoA IN hIDlon L
The American Army has practically
eradicated the scourge of disease
which in previous wars caused more
deaths than shrapnel and sword.
The credit side of the Army's health
ledger carries a table of lower and
lower percentages. An American SOL
der of today takes his chance on the
firing line rather than in a hospital,
or a mess hall where impure food is
served. Our armies at home and
abroad are not menaced by embalmed
beef scandals, such as occurred during
the Spanish-American war. Typhoid
is almost unknown on battle field and
in training camp. Mortality from
pneumonia is remarkably low. Social
disease no longer seriously menace
the effectiveness of American armies.
A recent report from the office of
the Surgeon General of the army dis
closes that for the past two months
the average death rate on account of
disease was only 2.8 per thousand. This
report covers both the American Ex-
peditionary Forces and the training
camps at home.
This means that out Of each thou
sand men under arms during that pc
riod less than three men died of di-
sease. The man in civil life would
hardly ask greater odds against
death.
Comparative figures covering the
past wars of the United States show
that in these conflicts disease killed
more men-and many more men
than bullets. The chances were against
the seriously wounded soldier, as they
were against the man stricken with
fever or other diseases incident to
camp life or congested surroundings.
Constant Watchfulness
Sanitation food inspection, studies
in nutrition, sterilization, watchful-
ness from the moment selectman en-
tiers training camp until he goes in
to the front-line trenches, and then,
more watchfulness and attention, are
responsible for the creditable record
of the Army Medical Department.
If the gods Of battle spare their
son, the American mother and father
today need have but little anxiety
about disease. The army guards the
health of it's men first because it is it's
duty to them; again because battles
can be won only by well men.
With the disease records of the
Spanish-American war comparatively
fresh in mind there was nationwide
concern regarding disease protection
when this war came. 1t has disap-
peared, for here the record speaks:
In the Mexican war (1846-48) the
disease rate was ITO men died of di-
sease to Is killed in battle-more than
seven to one.
In the armies of the North during
the Civil War (1861-65) 65 died of di-
sease to 33 killed in battle-a disease
mortality substantially double the bat
tie mortality.
In the Spanish-American war
(1898) 26 died of disease to 5 killed
in battle, ratio of more than 5 to 1.
Typhoid fever, reduced to almost zero
in he American armies of today,
claimed most of those who died of ill
ness instead of in conflict.
During the first ten mouths of
American participation in the present
world war there has been a parity be-
tween the low death rate from battle
and the death rate from disease.
Where eight men have died of di-
Sease eight men have been killed in
battle, with a combined mortality
which, if projected through the year,
would be only little more than half
IF the disease mortality of the Civil
War.
Unprecedented Health Rate
Approaching the statistics from a |
different angle, health rate so far
has been established by |
he American armies over seas and at |
lone. With approximately three mil
ion men under arms, military fune-
ais because of disease are fewer day |
~ day than the funerals in an Ameri- |
an city of three million population.
For the last week in July, for in
stance, the combined reports of the
American Expeditionary Forces and
If troops stationed in the United
States, showed an annual death rate
or disease of 10 per thousand-lcss
han two men per thousand per year.
The annual death rate for disease
# men of military age in civil life is
n per thousand.
Thus man in the army appears to
lave three times the better chance
o stay well in the army than when
bout civil pursuits.
This new army rate, at that time
'ased on an approximate strength of
100000 men was established when
arge bodies of American troops were
living under most abnormal condi-
ions. They were participating in the
leavy fighting on the Marine salient
md slept and ate under arduous and
Ilmost primitive conditions.
That this record for one week was
lot an isolated favorable one is shown
" reports made by the Surgeon Cen
raj in the middle of August covering
he preceding two months. The av-
,rage death rate per thousand from
disease during those two months was
,.8.
The progress of military sanitation
S revealed through other compara-