TRENTHAM CAMP.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 August 1916, Page 4

TRENTHAM CAMP.

THE HEALTH OF THE TROOP* MEDICAL COMMITTFf MAKES INQUIRY. (From Our Own Correspondent.; Wellington, August 24. The Public Health Department anj the Defence Department are co-operat-ing in a thorough examination of Trentham Camp from a medical standpoint. A committee, consisting of six Public Health officers, drawn from the four chief centres is studying the camp conditions in detail and is also examining the clothing worn by the men, the. food, etc., with the object of determining whether or not the recent eick- f ness is attributable to the neglect of any safeguard, that 'could be Intro* x duced. The inquiry is purely, departmental in ' character and it is uncertain if the report will be made public. The available sickness statistics show clearly that the percentage of sickness at Trentham become important only during two or three winter months, and then only in ease of new drafts. Seasoned troops do not suffer at Trentham, and inquiry is being directed to the question of how far the trouble may be due to the resruits lack of experience in managing for themselves under camp conditions. Many chills, for example, arc contracted at night owing to recruits not under- .' standing how to make effective use of, the really ample supply of blanket*.