FIELD SANITATION

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 1, 27 September 1920, Page 4

FIELD SANITATION

ITS IMPORTANCE TO TROOPS. The importanco of preserving the health of troops by adopting efficient means of sanitation in the field; formed the basis of a topic discussed by Briga-dier-General D. J. M'Gavin (DirectorGeneral of Medical Services) at the Garrison Officers' Club on Friday. LieutColonel R. St. J. Becro, D.5.0., presided, and among those present was (Major-Gen-eral Sir Edward Chaytor (General Officer Commanding the New Zealand Forces). General M'Gavin remarked that sanitation was neglected to a certain extent in the New Zealand Division because the advice of some medical officers was not sufficiently emphatic. Combatant officers on the whole aid not realise tho importance of sanitation principles, and that was the reason why they did apt carry out sanitary instructions properly. During wars in which the British, had been engaged for tho last thirty years disease had caused far more deaths than enemy action, and tho vast majority of the diseases were preventable, In recent years, however, tho importance of proper sanitation had been recognised, and improved methods of preventing disease had been resorted to. During tho South African War there were 57,000 cases of typhoid in the British Army, the deaths numbering 8000, but he believed that in the last war death's from this cause numbered only between 200 and 300. This result had been achieved chiefly innoculating troops against typhoid. "Had wo not theso innoculations against typhoid wo would not havo been able to carry on the campaign on the Western front for twelve months," declared General M'Gavin. Similarly,- innoculation against tetanus had beon proved to be most effeotivc. Trench fever was carried by lice and was preventable, and 60 per cent, of the wastage of tho British Army in Franco was due to this fever. When steps were taken in the New Zealand Division, however, to combat conditions condncivo .to tho spreading of lico by establishing divisional baths and disinfecting clothing, tho wastage from trench fover was reduced very considerably,, and if the disease becamo prevalent in a unit it was generally easy to trace tho cause. All persons who had Buffered from typhoid—and in eomo cases people who had not contracted the malady at allcarried the genus of tho disease for the rest of their lives, and it could be assumed • that in every battalion of 1000 mon one man was a "carrier' of typhoid. This was particularly dangerous if tho "carrier" happened to be a man who was a cook, or who handled food. As a result of experience gained in this direction in Franco an order was issued that anvono who had suffered from typhoid should not be allowed to handle foodstuffs Water was one of tho most important things to an army from a sanitary point of view, as its chief trouble was that it carried disease germs with it For tbis reason it was necessary to sterilise water, and General M'Gavin doscribed several methods by which this could be done. In this connection the lecturer commended the drinking, of tea w troops, for when a man was drinking ca it was known that the water from which it was made had been stenhscd ,y bring toiled. General M'Gavin conduded h> stressing the need for keeping down Ales and for protecting food from t)X attentions. Flies were especia ly dangerous from o no ft and it was important to romemC that foods that did not have to be Seed such as broad, jam, and sugar, 3 always be kept under cover. At the conclusion of his lecture General M'Gavin was accorded a hearty vote at thanks- ,