Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 38, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 October 1905 — JAP DEATH ROLL. [ARTICLE]

JAP DEATH ROLL.

Mikado'a Government Reporta 72 ( 450 Fatalities Daring War. The Japanese report 72,450 fatalities during l the war with Russia. Of the dead 46,180 were killed Jn battle, 10,970 died of wounds, and 15,300 of disease. No account is taken of those disabled by wounds or disease. In a war of eighteen months, in which five battles independent of the siege of Port Arthur and several naval engagements were fought!; Japan lost by death 72,450 men. In the Civil War, In which operations extended over four years, the Union army lost 07,058 men killed on the field, 43,012 who died of wounds,, and 249,458 who died of disease. The Confederate loss was 94,000 killed and mortally wounded and 59,297 by disease. The several armies were engaged in forty-eight battles and in many long and exhausting campaigns, but in no battle of the Civil War were half as many troops in-ac-tion as were engaged at Liao Yang or Mukden. Satisfactory comparison between the battles of the Russo-Japanese war and those of our Civil War or those of the Franco-Prussian war of 1870 cannot be made until reports in detAil are at hand, says the Chicago Inter Ocean. It is apparent, however, that of the many wounded a larger per cent recovered than in any previous war. This was due partly to improvements in surgery, to well organized hospitals, and to a better emergency service in battle. It was due also in part to the character of wounds made by the modern rifle fired At long range. The observation of surgeons during the war was to the effect that men recovered more from gunshot wounds than in our Civil War or in the Franeo-Prussian war. It was also contended that, firing at long rafige, the modern rifle was not the equal of the old rifle in effecting permanent disability. All these contentions seem to be sustained by the report of the Japanese authorities. “ However, the most remarkable feature of the Japanese fatality list is the sraal! number of deaths from disease. With probably 500,000 men in the field only 15,300 deaths by disease are reported. It is true that the campaigns were not like those in the Civil War. It is true that the 249,458 deaths from disease iri the Union army in the Civil War include fatalities along ail the short term and unseasoned regiments that entered into the composition of a total enlistment of 2,500,000 men. Yet, after all allowances have been made, the small death rate by disease in the Japanese army must be credited to better sanitary regulations, better organization in hospitals for the treatment of camp diseases, and better methods in handling contagious diseases. It was the rule in the Japanese army to send the seriously wounded and the seriously sick to home hospitals as soon as possible, where they could receive the best surgical and medical treatment. The genius of the Japanese medical staff was directed to the saving of men, and in both the Russian and Japanese armies the wounded were so carefully and intelligently treated that the majority returned to the ranks in a short time. The wonder is not that Japan lost 57,000 men by death in battle, but that she lost only 15,300 by disease.