Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 286, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 December 1917 — CONDITIONS OF CAMPS BLAMED [ARTICLE]

CONDITIONS OF CAMPS BLAMED

OVERCROWDING AND LACK OF CLOTHING REASON FOR EPIDEMICS.

Insufficient clothing, overcrowding and. bad sanitary conditions are held largely responsible for disease epidemics at Camp Bowie, Texas, Camp Funston,Kas., Camp Doniphan,Okla., and Camp Sevier, S. C., by Surgeon General Gorgas in reports made to Secretary Baker, made public Tuesday on the result of his personal visits of the camps. With the exception of Camp Funston none of the camp base hospitals has been completed, General Gorgas says, and this is handicapping the medical officers in treating patients. He recommends the rushing of his work, particularly th” installation of the necessary plumbing. General Gorgas points out that practically all of the disease is brought to the camps by incoming men and recommends the establishment of observation camps for all newcomers so that they may be observed for such time as the division surgeon shall deem necessary. To aid sanitary conditions he recommends that -fifty square feet of floor space be furnished for each man at all the camps. In some cases now only twenty feet is provided. Steps to remedy existing conditions have been taken by division commanders as far as possible, the reports say, while winter clothing is being provided as rapidly as received. Lack of war garments. during the cold weather or the late fall is believed by General Gorgas to have contributed largely to the spread of pneumonia.