Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 March 1918 — Loss Seen to Our Military Forces Because of Alcohol and High Living [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

Loss Seen to Our Military Forces Because of Alcohol and High Living

By SAMUEL G. DIXON. M. D.

Commiwioner of Health of Penmylvania

Getting the great number of men together from various parts of the country to military camps is a most difficult duty. The violent change of climate and the exchange, in many cases, to outdoor life from indoor life, without proper clothing and under unusual living accommodations, as well as the influx of new men, without isolation camps where they might be kept under observation until any contagious disease has had time to develop, are sources of danger to the men who are already in the service. Unfortunately, the recruits, under the excitement of the new life, are tempted to

indulge in high living and alcohol, which condition is always bad, particularly in cases of pneumonia. Alcohol combusts in the human system, and does so at the expense of other valuable foodstuffs, and therefore should not be considered a foodstuff under the circumstances. It interferes with treatment, using the patients’ strength, when this strength i* most needed in resisting the disease. Overeating and drinking are bound to increase the death rate from, pneumonia. It is the duty of each one to take good care of his health so as to enable him to fight against this serious, exhaustive disease preva-

lent in winter. • • ir# During the last several months, not only in military but in civil life, we have lost by death a large number of citizens by pneumonia and other diseases, where the patients’ condition was due to the fact that they were overfed and overalcoholed. It is to be hoped that this word of warning will, particularly at thia time when this terrible world’s war calls for our best efforts, help us to restrain ourselves, and that our citizens in civil life wiU join m assisting the military authorities in carrying out their discipline, by refraining from furnishing alcohol to those who are in the service.