Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 94, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 February 1918 — CONDITIONS AT CAMPS GOOD [ARTICLE]

CONDITIONS AT CAMPS GOOD

Secretary Baker Visits Men and Finds Health Improved - Secretary Baker has just returned to Washington from a visit to a number of concentration camps in the South and Middle West, and stated that he ifound conditions very satisfactory. The general health at the camps was excellent, the secretary said. iClothirig was adequate and the equipment of rifles at each camp complete. Full complements of machine guns and artillery are not yet in hand, but there is enough of each to permit continual practice. “The disease and sick rates at each camp were found to be steadily declining,’’ said Mr. Baker’s statement. “At each camp an adequate number of trained nurses was found and the hospitals were well cared for and supplied and in the hands of capable medical and surgical staffs. The general health of all three camps was excellent and at Wheeler, where the worst sickness had occurred, the improvement was marked and steady. “The early difficulties due to crowding have been entirely overcome and none of the hospitals visited was being used to full capacity. In very few wards were all the beds occupied.”