Typhoid, the destroyer of armies, and its abolition ; The theory of air-borne typhoid in armies / by Leigh Canney.

  • Canney, Leigh.
Date:
1901
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Typhoid, the destroyer of armies, and its abolition ; The theory of air-borne typhoid in armies / by Leigh Canney. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    tions’ may be ignored. At the outset of the war with Spain, Surgeon-General Sternberg issued the following circular: ‘ In time of war a great responsi- bility rests upon medical officers of the army, for the result of a campaign may depend upon the sanitary measures adopted or neglected by com- manding generals of armies in the field. . . . The medical officer is responsible for proper recommen- dations relating to the protection of the health of troops in camp or in garrison. . . . Serious results infallibly follow a neglect of these rules.’ Then followed recommendations which, if carried out, would have prevented all the typhoid and most of the diarrhoea and dysentery from which the American army suffered so severely. A little later he issued Circular No. 5: ‘The extensive prevalence of typhoid fever in camps of instruction indicates that the sanitary recommenda- tions made in this circular have not been carried out. ... If the recommendations have been made and not acted upon by those having authority in the various camps, the responsibility is not with the Medical Department, but these recommenda- tions should be repeated, and commanding officers urged.’ The word ‘ court-martialled ’ would have been better than ‘ urged.’ The questions arise, How much destruction of life by preventable disease in war is necessary before general officers will take up this problem seriously ? How many years must pass between established scientific work and the adoption by the War Office