Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1918-04-24
SURGEONS BATTLE.
WITH PNEUMONIA
Furloughs to Farmers in Certain
Cases. Camp Dodge Men
in IL Camps.

| ~s~e3ekS~s
| Divisional Headquarters, S8th Divi.
sion National Army. Camp Dodge, Des
Moines. Iowa, April %, 1918.-While
there is nothing alarming on account OF
the scourge of pneumonia that Is pre-.
valent at Camp Dodge, nevertheless a
| most determined fight is being made to
| ascertain the source of the disease and
to this end the most noted physicians
the deadly visitor. AS stated in a pre-
! vious letter the large number of cases
| OF pneumonia are attributed to the dusty
condition of the camp. No rain of any
| consequence has fallen since the fertile
| farms along the Beaver were converted
into the abode of thousands of men last
fall. The only real wetting the ground
has received was from a snow fall in Feb
| ruary. That was before the frost was
| out OF the ground and only the surface
was thoroughly wet. Grass seed has
been sown over all of the loose, bare
ground and sprinkling from innumerable
| centers into beautiful lawns. 1t is be-
liered that the dust element as far as
| it may contribute toward the presence
| of pneumonia has been eliminated.
Two noted specialists have joined the
medical corps at the base hospital. Capt
| George l.. Bates has been ordered from
rt Riley as division tnnerculosis spe-
so been ordered from FIT. Riley for duty
Every precaution possible is taken to
prevent the further spread of pneumon-
the past week. Wards are all under
| quarantine Caps and gowns and masks
are worn by every person who enters the
wards. visitors not excepted. Doctors
put on freshly sterilized clothing before
entering each separate ward. Thou
sands of pneumonia masks are being
| made in Red Cross work rooms through
out the country for use in the contagion
wards of military hospitals.
The masks consist of several layers
of guaze with tape at the four corners
| and are tied over the nose and mouth.
They are sterilized each time before
every bed. When a patient reaches the
stage where he is able to walk again he
is also given a mask.
The nurses are girls who have been
especially selected for this work after
years of training: They are patriotic
and are willing to sacrifice: other wise
they would not be willing to relinquish
better salaries to serve in the military
hospitals.
Mai. F.. c. Todd, commander the base
hospital at Camp Dodge, says:
In the pneumonia ward where our
worst cases are confined, it is almost
impossible to pass down the length Of
the room without being moved to tears
when one sees the tender care which
is given these terribly sick boys some
of whom. perhaps. may never recover
All our nurses have the smile habit
and it is the most contagious thing in
the hospital. It's value is inestimable."
Major Todd says it would be impossi-
BILE to establish system of caretaking
and supervision in any civilian hospital
equal to that maintained in military hos
pitfalls in the United States.
In every ward, besides corps of nurs-
es, there is a ward surgeon and his as
sistants who are constantly in touch
with the most minute developments
Of each case. Over three wards there
to- i1ir ~ to
so assigned because of sheer profess
sional ability. In addition surgeons are
appointed to manage groups OF wards
BY this system oversights and mistakes
are practically impossible.
Inspection Required.
Orders issued at headquarters of the
Eighty-eighth division at Camp Dodge
provide for the inspection of all Y NJ
c. A.. Knights of Columbus and other
buildings of like nature, for sanitary
within those areas these buildings are
located make these inspections.
Every civilian employed in the camp
has been ordered inoculated with ty-
phoid serum
About 400 soldiers at Camp Dodge at
tending the Officers Training school will
have completed the work April 10. They
will not be given commissions immedi-
ately, but will remain for time before
they are commissioned.
Burroughs for Farmers.
Orders have been received at Camp
Dodge making it possible for those hav-
to get furloughs during the busy plant
ing or harvesting season. The appli-
cation for a furlough must come from
the applicant himself, or from relatives
even though his services may be need
ed by someone related, The soldier
while on furlough must be paid the GUS
tomary farm wage, but his pay as a
soldier is stopped during such furlough
except enough to keep up his insurance
and Liberty Bond payments. A list of
questions must he answered by the per-
son making application for the furlough.
This list must state the number of acres
cultivated, the size of the farm, the yield
last year of different farm products and
the amount of available help. After
| must be sworn to by the applicant and
turned over to the local board then &C
ton will follow. 1t is not believed that
may men will make application for
granted to men above the rank of first
sergeant nor to soldiers in organiza-
tons that are liable to immediate call
for transfer.
Twelve Camps Supplied by Men Prom
Camp Dodge.
Twelve cantonments within the United
States were supplied by Camp Dodge
| recently with selected men, who it is
| assumed will see service in France many
months before less fortunate men left
The number of men transferred can
not be used, because of the censorship
placed on such matters. 1t is permitted
however. to say that the transfers were
started early in March. and that they
were not completed until Tuesday, when
the last quota of 1000 men arrived at
Camp Upton, N. Y.
Men sent from the ssth division are
from Iowa. Minnesota, North Dakota,
and Illinois. The cantonments to which
the have been transferred are:
Sam Camp Logan, De ever S Colo: Camp
Carolina: Camp Gordon, Atlanta, Ga ;
Camp Doniuhan, Lawton. Okla: Camp
| Grant. Rockford. ILL.,; Camp Sherman.
Ghillicothe' o.: Camp Dix, Trenton: N
| Meade. Maryland: American University,
Washington. D. c.
| Red Cross Salute Required.
In view of the requirements in Eu-
rope that all Red Cross nurses be grant
ed the courtesy of a salute the men at
Camp Dodge are being taught this OBJ
servaton. The order says that the re-
quirements of military courtesy will be
carefully observed. Alertness in salut-
ing will be exacted When a superior
| sanitation. whether indoors or in the
street, and member of the group observ.
ing the officer will command attention
whereupon all will face toward the of.
icer and all will salute.
Members of The organization at meals
in cafes or restaurants, or at work al
| their desks. will not rise upon the ap
nroach of superior officer unless per
sonally addressed or unless specially
called to attention by their senior
Members Of the Organization passing
superior officers in vehicles will sa
lutte without rising. Smoking mate
rails will be removed from the mouth
before saluting. Drivers actual.
handling teams or chauffeurs actual,
driving automobiles will not salute: i
halted they will salute without rising
Whenever appearing in public par
ticular attention will be paid by mem
bers Of this ORGANIZATION to their bear
ing and general appearance Chauf