HEALTH IN THE ARMY.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20491, 9 March 1932, Page 6

HEALTH IN THE ARMY.

" ♦ A HIGH LEVEL. (rilOM OUK OWN CORRESPONDENT.) LONDON, February 2. Lieutenant-General Sir Harold Fawcns, Director-General, Army Medical Services, has written a foreword to the report oil the Health of the Army for 1930. He says: "The health of all troops both ao home and abroatl has maintained a high level during the year under review, the incidence of sickness being only 2.2 per 1000 of the strengtn above that, for 1928, which was the healthiest year since the Great War. The ratio per 10C0 of the strength ot warrant officers, non-commissioned officers, and men admitted to hospital was 428.4, compared with 468.5 in 1929, a fall of 40.1, mainly due to a comparative freedom from influenza. The death ratio was 2.32 per 1000, against 2.45 in 1929, and 2.36 in 1928, while the invaliding ratio fell from 10.10 per 1000 in 1929 to 9.28. There wa s also a further decrease in the number of invalids sent home from abroad." During the year only four cases ot alcoholism and two of delirium trements were reported Observations as to the effect of smoking on endurance were carried out on 1885 men attending 19 consecutive courses at the Army School of Physical Training, and based oh a three miles cross-country run. Tile percentages in the first ten places were : Heavy smokers, 6.2 : moderate smokers, 8.4; and non-smokers 18.7. In the last ten places the percentages were: Heavy smokers, 10.6; moderate ; smokers, 11.5; arid non-smokers, 3.9. Regarding anti-malarial measures in India, it is stated that an "oil bomb,'' consisting of empty cigarette tins perforated with holes and filled with oily rags, was found to be satisfactory. One warrant officer in charge of anti-niala-rial work oiled the local buffaloes during the night, so that during the day they oiled the ponds.