Abstract of 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:
- 1900
Licence: In copyright
Credit: Abstract of 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.
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![Inl'Miitiy. 'riiese data wen* fui-]iiHli(;d largely l>y l;he uuMlioal officers of these regiments, and in pai-t by tbe caj)tains of 1/5 eomijanies of regiments belongiiig to the Secoiid and heveutli Corps. It will be readily seen that in prosecuting this work we liave assumed a task not only of great magnitude but one beset with many difficul- ties. The incompleteness of regimental medical i-ecords, the clianges in the spelling of names, the giving of initials, and the statement of rank and company have given us no end of trouble. However, we have spared no pains and we believe that we have not duplicated cases. In the case of men who were furloughed we have carefully searched the reports of mustering-out officers; and in ascertaining the names of tiiose who have died and the cause of death, we have resorted to the records of the Adjutant-General’s Office. Many men were sent home on hospital trains and were distributed in chil ho.s- pitals throughout the country. The medical officers of these ho.spitals have, as a mile, been kind enough to send us detailed reports giving the name, regiment, rank, company, diagnosis and termination of each case. In a few instances hospital officials have refused to make such reports, hence we have not secured reports from all the civil hospitals. However, in some of these institutions in which the superior officers have refused to suj)ply us with the desired information physicians in immediate charge of patients have at considerable sacrifice of time made out the desired lists for us. To all of these we wish to express our warmest thanks.. We are particularly indebted to Maj. David C. Peyton, surgeon, U. S. Volunteers, for complete reports of sick from the various State and city hospitals of Pennsylvania. Having ascertained when the first case of typhoid fever appeared in each regiment, we have endeavored to trace the progress of the disease and to account when iiossible for its spread. Especial atten- tion has been given to the effects of the movements of regiments, the sites of camps, the water supply, and the disposition of fecal matter upon the spread of the disease. It will be seen that we speak of “recognized” or “certain” and “probable” eases of typhoid fever. The recognized or certain cases need no comment nor explanation. By “itrobable” we refer to eases which were not recognized by any of the military medical officers as typhoid fever, but which we believe to have been cases of this disease. We have kept these two classes distinct in order that our statistics may not be vitiated by our own ideas. When we began the inspection, of camps and hospitals, we soon saw that many medical officers were, in our opinion, failing in the recognition of typhoid fever. Immedi- ately we asked the Surgeon-General to send to each encampment an expert properly equiiiped to make blood examinations for the plas- modium of malaria and to apply the AVidal test for typhoid fever. It is to be regretted that these examinations were not begun earlier. However, we have been able through these experts to clear up the diagnosis in a large pro]iortion of the cases. In many iilaces our](https://iiif.wellcomecollection.org/image/b28063223_0014.jp2/full/800%2C/0/default.jpg)
