No. 28: Advice as to Camping by the British Government Sanitary Commission

This item is an essay that provides advice supplied by the British government's Sanitary Commission in regards to ensuring sanitary conditions in military encampments.

Extracted text

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SANITARY COMMISSION. No. 28. ADVICE AS TO CAMPING, BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT SANITARY COMMISSION. NOTE. - In consequence of the frightful mortality by disease, the British government sent out a Sanitary Com- mission to the Crimea. The soldiers had been dying like rotten sheep. Late in 1854 they died at the rate of 33 per cent. a year. The rate afterwards increased so fear- fully, and rose so high, that if it had continued, and if re- cruits had not been continually poured in to fill the dead men's places, the whole army would have perished in less than a year. " In consequence of active, wise, and resolute efforts the number of deaths immediately began to lessen, and con- tinued to lessen until, in the first quarter of 1856, the rate of mortality was as low as it is usually among men of the army ages in the most healthy rural districts of England. Let us now look at the condition of the recruits in our encampments. They are said to be in good health. Of course they are, for they are fresh from their various whole. some callings. As time is necessary to form an army, so it is to breed an epidemic and the processes for both are in active operation.' From a letter on sanitary condition of the troops about Boston, by S. G. Howe, M. D.1 The practical conclusions derived from the investigations of the British Sanitary Commission were published in an official report, from which the following advice respecting the location, arrangement; and police of camps is taken and respectfully urged upon the attention of the surgeons and officers of the army of the United States.