The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-04-03
ARMY TRAINING
DECLARED'A|D
To HEAL TIL
Surgeon General Points Out
Benefits Of Citizens Sum-
Iner Camps
d InternatlonaI Sow servlce.


The citizens military training
camps not only will benefit the
health OF the men in training. but
also will prove. q powerful influence
for improved health conditions In
Wl1ole communities to which these
men return, Merritte w. Ireland,
surgeon general Of the United
states army. declared today.
Pointing. out that public health
can be secured only when people
know the necessity OF. health,
measures, the former chief surgeon
az the Al. Il. II. asserted young
men who receive training in cor
rect hygiene al. the military camps
will carry hack those ideas to their
families and friends, and az the
number increases every village ana
city will have men whose physical
fitness and habits for good health
will be an incentive to others 70
observe and profit thereby.
Only 2 Deaths In 1922.
out 81 ~ ,s43 men In the camps
lin 1929, General Ireland said, there
I were .g73 cases OF disease and in
| iurv. with only two deaths, both
d,te 10 appendicitis. Many of these
men were admitted to sick status
| for causes that would have passed
almost unnoticed in civil life, ne
declared.
"This is in keeping with the pol
icy that every man be watched
closely at all times. and the sis nt.
lest ailnent investigated and trsateu
promptly. Not only IL his WelIaIe s
I'm camp thereby provided TOR, but
aiso ha Is taught the wisdom Of
medical attention for apparently IN
important infections and injuries
so that more serious conditions may
he avoided
During each year Of the civil war.
| the general said, an average CT
1870 deaths from typhoid fever oc-
Cured for each hundred thousand
| Federal troops. AMI during the
| Spanisf1 American war 1,14O. White
each wear Of the world war this
average was reduced to SEVEN.
This control Of a disease formerly
1.-THE scourge Of all armies was ac-
lcomplished through the applica-
ton of modern sanitary NERVOUS
he said,
Deaths Reduced 90 Per Cent.
/ Using army statistics because
they are complete over longer
ineliod The general pointed out that
4 HUNDRED years ago, an aVerase
Iof thirty men of every thousand II
1.-THE s.rr1ay' died each year Of dlsease,
while today the average oIlIy
three. or a reduction Of ~ per Csl IS
"Similar advances. he continued
"have been made in civil life IN
the control Of certain infectious
diseaaes: but. invaluable as this
work has been, it Is not by any
means enough. There can be no
doubt that one OF the most vital
needs before the American people
I TODAY Is that OF preventing the de-
velonment or staying the progress
az organic disease, using the term
/ in its broadcast sense TO lnciuoe All
physical abnormalities not soI
very infectious nature. a sounu
body is the basic requirement q
good health. Structural defects, ap-
/ normal development, chronic as
eases. and defects due TO nrsaklns
tha laws Of right living strike az
tI,e foundations OF health, reducing
| the net efficiency of the human
| loodv in proportion to the damage
| done These abnormalitiee are
| found in all walks of life, and are
doubly reRretable because most OF
them might have been prevented.
Tells Of Draft Tests.
| PHYSICAL examination of more
than 1000 900 young men during
the world war plainly shows. ac-
cordin9 to General Ireland, the
rreat need of universal knowledge
of the rifles of health. OF 2,510,0O0
drafted men between eighteen ana
| thirty wears of age, 1888 ,4OS or 0!
per cent showed physical or mental
defects. and 81 per cent were physl-
cally or mentally unit Tor any
military service. Among the men
who were physically defective
I.533,937 defects were found.
"Many factors. such as racial IN
fIuences. occupation, and the driv.
Ing force of economic conditions.
the general said, ARE involved IN
the production of these defects, but
the indisputable fact remains that
nv far the greater number could
have been prevented or eradicated
In their early stages had the health
measures of today been known and
'"The War Department, recogniz-
ing that knowledge is the first step
to health, is attempting to spread
broadcast the gospel of good
health through the summer train
ing camps. The plan of the sum-
ner training camps to provide vol
untary military training for young
men is yet in its infancy. but even
now It is an invaluable means of
infusing the principles of health
and the need of physical fitness.