The Oskaloosa herald., 1918-03-07
II u. d 81 s s i y i
PERsHING' S BOYS
ARE A CLEAN LOT
HAVE REMARKABLE HEALTH
RECORD IN FRANCE.
VENEREAL TROUBLE is RARE
About twenty-five Men to Thousand
Have Been Sick.-Pneumonia
Causes Most Trouble. Medical
Corps is Efficient.
(By George T. Bye.)

Paris, March Sit may give salts.
| faction to made in America" enthus-
| lasts to learn that whatever disease
germs have been assailing our boys
in France are strictly of American an
cestry.
! There are no epidemics among the
soldiers or people of France and Eng:
land; thanks to this and to the entire
ly adequate organization of our Medi-
cal Corps, the sick and death rate OF
our army in Europe is considerably be.
low that of the National Army in can
comments in the United States.
| This information comes directly
| from the official charts of the u. S.
Medical Corps at General Pershing's
Headquarters and the readiness with
| which the charts we're shown to me
| is in itself sufficient certification OF
the health of our boys, not to mention
the excellence of the safeguard of that
health.
| Low Sick Rate.
At no time has the bed capacity of
the, American hospitals been taxed.
The crest of the sick rate was reach.
ed the first week in February with $50
per cent from which there was an inn
mediate drop. The average is about
per cent, of which percentage scarce.
| ly half are bed cases. i, A man who
asks for pill for indigestion or some
liniment for a bruise is included in
the sick rate totals. In reality there
|are about twenty-five men to a thous-
and who are under careful treatment
in hospitals.
Our boys can join the Medical Corps
in pride over one phase of their
health. The figures for venereal di-
sease are far under the totals of the
American cantonments. More than
that; what venereal disease there is
consists largely of cases brought over
among our men has been too low to be
considered in health summary. Nor
ally, though, the figures tower high.
Punishment Is Severe.
4 In dealing with venereal disease our
Medical Corps has controlled the men
with fatherly frankness and military
severity. We have hundreds Of pro
phylactic stations in France where
the men may so for advice or care. 1t
is the most frequent sign to be seen
in American camps. However, there
are Few that avail themselves of this
attention because they are moved by
the fatherly advice. The very few that
ruthlessly disregard both advice and
warnings forfeit every cent of their
pay during treatment, are not allowed
to stay in hospitals one minute over
the time when it is possible for them
to do light work and are Courtmartial
ed, degraded and made to do the hard,
est and most Objectionable work when
they are physically able. There is no
army in Europe dealing so severely
with venereal disease as General Per.
shing's Force. .uN ...
! a- Pneumonia Most Feared.
!. Among the germ forces the pneu'
monia heavy artillery has one the
most damage, more in fact than all
other agencies, germ or german, com
bined. Thanks TO our magnificent
hospitals the pneumonia death rate
has been kept down to inconsequential
| figures. The losses from this cause
have been largely among negro steve
dores who, although having ample
clothing, warm quarters and daily
health inspection, are slower than the
whites in becoming adjusted to the
damp winter of France. ... g..
The Medical Corps has had its
greatest trouble with measles and
scarlet fever which are easily con
ltagious and spread rapidly in camps il
mot given prompt check. There have
been very very few deaths from scar
let fever or measles but it cost sleep
!, less vigil, and even now great many
men are in En- our hospitals suffering
from one or the other of these in
fantile complaints" ~arh g..
. Nor has spinal meningitis been alb
sent, or unexpected. Several camps
have been quarantined because 1t was
suspected that meningitis carrier;
were among the men. However, the
meningitis death rate is at the bottom
, almost ranking with suicide with &
total of one, ~e - t-
j Medical Corps Efficiency.
4 Our Medical Corps took up its duties
lin France largely under British tute
| lage. The British Expeditionary Force
) had to contend with unsanitary vii
! lagos, crowded billits. insufficient
| clothing, and the depressing influence
of a strange climate in its early days
!, even as an American army. Most o
, our doctors were temporarily station
; ed upon arrival at British hospitals
in England and France. and this IN
truction is still going on.
That our sick rate never approach
ed ten per cent of which General PEI
|. shing was warned in anticipation i
lin part due TO reported suggestion
and training given our Medical, Corp
+ by the British hospital STATS.
~ Claim 10 made that tho FIRST robin