Volume 1

Report on the origin and spread of typhoid fever in U.S. military camps during the Spanish War of 1898 / by Walter Reed, Victor C. Vaughan and Edward O. Shakespeare.

  • Walter Reed
Date:
1904
Catalogue details

Licence: Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

Credit: Report on the origin and spread of typhoid fever in U.S. military camps during the Spanish War of 1898 / by Walter Reed, Victor C. Vaughan and Edward O. Shakespeare. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service. The original may be consulted at London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine Library & Archives Service.

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    At Chickamauga the tents were pitched in the northern part of the park. The streets were covered with gravel. Each battahon dug a sink fi-om 300 to 400 yards east of the tents. Sinks were dug about 10 feet deep, sheltered with boards, and the contents were covered every morning with sufficient earth to keep every- thing dry. As soon as a sink was filled it was abandoned and a new one dug. The kitchens were well kept. All slops were thrown into kitcken sinks, and the garbage was burned. The water supply was obtained from wells and from Chickamauga Creek. From Chickamauga the regiment moved to Newport News, Va., preparatory to embarking for Porto Rico. It camped at the mouth of the James River near the city. This camp was without shade or grass, hot and sandy. Men were quartered in shelter tents. Sinks were dug north of the camp, but quite near, on account of lack of space. They received the same attention as they did at Chickamauga. On August 1 this camp was broken, half of the regiment embarking on the transport Hudson, while the remainder moved into a little park within the city. The second portion of the regiment left Newport News August 9 and arrived at Ponce, P. R., August 16. Here it occupied a camp about 1 mile from the plaza for two days. This was on swampy land and the mosquitoes were almost unbearable. Little care was given to the sinks in this camp. Water was ol)tained from an aqueduct which supplies the city of Ponce. Two days later the regiment was moved to the hills north of Ponce. At this place the camp was arranged especially for the comfort of the men. Sinks were dug several hundred yards from the tents and kept in good condition. The kitchen garbage was buried. The tents were floored after the regiment had been encami^ed for aljout three weeks. No tents were ditched at any time. The two halves of the regiment were not united until August 29, when the detachment which first went to Porto Rico joined the second detachment on the hills near Ponce. After this the whole regiment remained here until September 18, when four companies were mounted and sent into the interior. The remain- ing eight companies were later quartered in such houses as could be rented in the city of Ponce for that purpose. The houses were comfortable and the men not crowded. Here the ordinary privy vaults were used. THIRD WISCONSIN VOLUNTEER INFANTRY. First Brigade, First Division, First Army Corps. In the May report of this regiment, Maj. John B. Edwards, surgeon, makes the following statement: The health of the command has been very good. The diseases have been principally diairhea and other digestive disturbances, with some affections of the respiratory tract, due in the main to the change in the manner of living and the heat. Condensed Sick Report from May 11 to 31, Inclusive. Mean strength 1,024 Diarrhea 27 Dysentery 6 Other diseases 81 Total 114 In the June report Major Edwards makes the follow- ing statement: There has been no material difference in the health of this com- mand during the months of May and June. The command being larger and the result of vaccination have both contributed to swell the number of reported cases. Several cases of typhoid fever developed during June. I was unable to determine its origin. Condensed Sick Report foe June. Mean strength 119 Typhoiil fever g Malaria 20 Diarrhea - ig Dysentery 4 Enteritis 1 Other diseases 59 Total m In the July report, Major Edwards states as follows: This command left Camp Thomas, Chickamauga Park, Ga., July 5, 1898, for Charleston, S. C. Quite a number of cases of typhoid fever had developed and were occurring at that time. All sick were left behind. The quarters in Charleston were not the best from a sanitary point of view. A number of typhoid fever cases occurred there between the 6th of July, the date of our arrival, and the 20th of July, the date of our departure. Quite a large number of malarial cases developed during the same time. July 20 this command sailed for the island of Porto Rico and arrived and disembarked at Ponce July 27 and 28. Some cases, both typhoid and malaria, developed on board ship. Condensed Sick Report for July. Mean strength 1, 318 Typhoid fever 15 Malaria 22 Undetermined fever 32 Diarrhea 3 Dysentery 1 Enteritis 4 Other diseases 49 Total 126 In the August report Major Edwards makes the following statement: This command remained in camp near Ponce, P. R., until August 7, when it moved toward San Juan on the military road and arrived at a point 1 mile beyond Coamo August 10. Augu.st 13 it moved one-half mile farther up the road and is now encamped at the latter place. There has been a large increase of sickness, espe- cially in this camp. The diseases are principally fever (malarial), some tj'phoid cases, disturbances of the digestive tract, acute diarrhea l ieing the principal trouble, a moderate ]iroportion of the cases showing a decided tendency to become chronic; very few of the men have entirely escaped. It has been impossible to deter- mine the precise cause; it has been attributed to a variety of causes and is probably due to the condition of the climate and lack of variety of food—these, in my opinion, being tlie chief causes. 1 have had some difficulty in getting necessary medical supi^lies dur- ing this month. CVindensed Sick Report for Ai^cust. Mean strength 1, 306 Typhoid fever 22 Malaria 132 Undetermined fever 30 Diarrhea 44 Enteritis 7 Dysentery 3 Gastritis 1 Other diseases 61 • Total , 300