arrangements been made for cleanliness and comfort. The story of the Crimean war is an old one, but Professor Longmore presents it to us from a new point of view briefly and strikingly, and so imparts to it
freshness and
a
interest.
new
which
point
His theme
invest "
that
is
it with the
a
British
part of. the allied force before Sebastopol was remarkably unhealthy during the first period of the siege, and as remarkably healthy during the second part of the siege ; while a precisely opposite state of things existed in the French part of the force, which was in a generally good condition of health during the first period, but in an extremely condition
unhealthily words, very
at the period unhealthy, the
place
and
when
the British
health, the
'xEhe Indian
Jtttbical (gazette.
JULY, 1883. THE SANITARY CONTRASTS OF THE
CRIMEAN
General T. Longmore, c.b., has published a very interesting little book, in which a very instructive comparison is drawn ?
Under this title
WAR.
between the
Surgeon
sanitary
French
Armies
event is
now
state
during
contemplated. taught by the
and both
campaigns
what
have arrived
expedition
Crimea is
may
at a
be called
serious notice.
lapse to
have
condition of bad health."
War and Dr. T. C. Chenu's Sante des Armies
sur
"
Rapport
been
refinements attracts
provided
Conseil de
au
les resultats du service medi-
Campagne d'Orient
la the
en
of the, invasion
period
:?
French Armt.
British Armt. Period.
be
not
Whisks and mosquito curtains!
and food had been
good
and at
Deaths
Strength.
Strength.
Deaths,
and lessons
The
Crimean army might well have dispensed with these, had circumstances suggested their use, if proper shelter,
clothing,
a
place
sanitary contrasts occurred in allied armies exposed to the same conditions of place and climate, and taking part in the same military operations. The statistical illustrations of these striking statements which are advanced are derived mainly from Dr. Andrew Smith's Medical History of the Crimean
of
stage when the absence of
hospital
in
of
These
have robbed
likely, under hospital arrangeimproved commissariat, sanitary ments, to occur again. Lord Wolseley's complaints regarding the want of whisks and mosquito curtains in the Army Hospitals at Cairo indicate very clearly we
were
same
into five period of four months, thus
and
that
troops, in the
state
a
and
utilized and stereotyped in many ways, and such a disaster as befel the British army during its first winter's service in the
in
The
experiences yielded
Crimean
were
British
the
it of the keen interest with which it used The
time,
other
the British troops were French troops in the same same time were healthy; and
Crimean War.
somewhat remote,
time and other and later
same
In
when
troops
the French
the second.
co-chirurgical pendant 1854-56". He divides
of
the
the
at
during
and decent
Sept. to Dec., 1854 Jan. to April, 1855 May to August, 1855 Sept. to Dec , 1855 Jan. to April, 1856
2,373
The results contrast
88,250
923
"5.75? 137.750 125,250
463
218
These figures do wounds or cholera.
not
are
is sustained
49,150
7.389
include deaths
1.857 7,666 10,545
8.473 J7.,29
caused
by
sufficiently remarkable, and the by comparing the two winters,
the sickness of the armies, and the sickness caused by special diseases such as scurvy and typhus. In
commenting
on
the
causes
of these contrasts
Professor Longmore lays stress on the absence, the British side, of preparedness for war?of
organized hospital arrangements,
corps,
of suitable field
of suitable field
on an
hospital
hospital transport,
of
CURRENT MEDICAL TOPICS.
}uly, 1883.] suitable field
equipment adequate
call
at
ready
in amount and
The men's health and
service.
for
by residence in the notoriBulgaria ; they had to bi-
stamina had been lowered
ously unhealthy villages landing without tents of
vouac on
ground
; then
"
the
came
or cover on
damp
the
winter troubles
exposure to cold and the want of rest in the
"?"
the
trenches
picquet duty at night ; the ill-suited clothing, tight coatee and closely-fitting trousers of that
and
on
the
time; the
want of
fuel;
the want of
means
of
personal
the excessive overwork increased
cleanliness;
as
the
numbers lessened among those who remained ; the want of nutriment, all hygienic rules outraged in
sufficiency, quality, variety and cooking of the food?the ration consisting almost exclusively for
respect a
to
considerable time of salt
vegetables."
and biscuit without
meat
Add to all this the hurricane of November
and the wreck of the Prince with her of
clothing, mortality are
and
precious freight
and the main factors of sickness
warm
told.
They fall into two categories preparedness on the one hand and the neglect of even the elementary teachings of sanitary
?"
the
science
want of
on
the other."
The tale of distress reached
England,
and the heart of the nation
roused.
No
and
cost
and the
defaults,
spared
was
winter attested the
The French army
was
and
food, cooking
remedy
defects
of the efforts which were
of the first.
errors
at the
dition in much better form
touched and
health of the second
splendid
success
made to correct the
was
to
as
beginning
of the expe-
regards transport, shelter,
clothing.
Hence their better health
the first winter; by the time the second winter came their numbers had increased without corbut
during
responding augmentation similar
which
to that
of
resources.
came from
No response
England was
made to
suffering which toil, fatigue and privation caused. The old soldiers got exhausted, the young wanted stamina. Enfeeblement of constitution and dethe cry of
fective conservancy caused them to become an easy prey to infection, and typhus became rampant. France had not the money mortal decay seized start
with, but
detrimental seemed the
or an
at the
staying power of Britain, and army healthy and well found to end so crippled by influences
health, that only remedy.
to
the cessation of hostilities
The incidents thus sketched constitute,
as
Miss
Nightingale has remarked, a hygienic experiment on a colossal scale, and Professor Longmore has done well
to
place
them, on
prominent
and separate record.
19"/
freshness and
a
interest.
new
which
point
His theme
invest "
that
is
it with the
a
British
part of. the allied force before Sebastopol was remarkably unhealthy during the first period of the siege, and as remarkably healthy during the second part of the siege ; while a precisely opposite state of things existed in the French part of the force, which was in a generally good condition of health during the first period, but in an extremely condition
unhealthily words, very
at the period unhealthy, the
place
and
when
the British
health, the
'xEhe Indian
Jtttbical (gazette.
JULY, 1883. THE SANITARY CONTRASTS OF THE
CRIMEAN
General T. Longmore, c.b., has published a very interesting little book, in which a very instructive comparison is drawn ?
Under this title
WAR.
between the
Surgeon
sanitary
French
Armies
event is
now
state
during
contemplated. taught by the
and both
campaigns
what
have arrived
expedition
Crimea is
may
at a
be called
serious notice.
lapse to
have
condition of bad health."
War and Dr. T. C. Chenu's Sante des Armies
sur
"
Rapport
been
refinements attracts
provided
Conseil de
au
les resultats du service medi-
Campagne d'Orient
la the
en
of the, invasion
period
:?
French Armt.
British Armt. Period.
be
not
Whisks and mosquito curtains!
and food had been
good
and at
Deaths
Strength.
Strength.
Deaths,
and lessons
The
Crimean army might well have dispensed with these, had circumstances suggested their use, if proper shelter,
clothing,
a
place
sanitary contrasts occurred in allied armies exposed to the same conditions of place and climate, and taking part in the same military operations. The statistical illustrations of these striking statements which are advanced are derived mainly from Dr. Andrew Smith's Medical History of the Crimean
of
stage when the absence of
hospital
in
of
These
have robbed
likely, under hospital arrangeimproved commissariat, sanitary ments, to occur again. Lord Wolseley's complaints regarding the want of whisks and mosquito curtains in the Army Hospitals at Cairo indicate very clearly we
were
same
into five period of four months, thus
and
that
troops, in the
state
a
and
utilized and stereotyped in many ways, and such a disaster as befel the British army during its first winter's service in the
in
The
experiences yielded
Crimean
were
British
the
it of the keen interest with which it used The
time,
other
the British troops were French troops in the same same time were healthy; and
Crimean War.
somewhat remote,
time and other and later
same
In
when
troops
the French
the second.
co-chirurgical pendant 1854-56". He divides
of
the
the
at
during
and decent
Sept. to Dec., 1854 Jan. to April, 1855 May to August, 1855 Sept. to Dec , 1855 Jan. to April, 1856
2,373
The results contrast
88,250
923
"5.75? 137.750 125,250
463
218
These figures do wounds or cholera.
not
are
is sustained
49,150
7.389
include deaths
1.857 7,666 10,545
8.473 J7.,29
caused
by
sufficiently remarkable, and the by comparing the two winters,
the sickness of the armies, and the sickness caused by special diseases such as scurvy and typhus. In
commenting
on
the
causes
of these contrasts
Professor Longmore lays stress on the absence, the British side, of preparedness for war?of
organized hospital arrangements,
corps,
of suitable field
of suitable field
on an
hospital
hospital transport,
of
CURRENT MEDICAL TOPICS.
}uly, 1883.] suitable field
equipment adequate
call
at
ready
in amount and
The men's health and
service.
for
by residence in the notoriBulgaria ; they had to bi-
stamina had been lowered
ously unhealthy villages landing without tents of
vouac on
ground
; then
"
the
came
or cover on
damp
the
winter troubles
exposure to cold and the want of rest in the
"?"
the
trenches
picquet duty at night ; the ill-suited clothing, tight coatee and closely-fitting trousers of that
and
on
the
time; the
want of
fuel;
the want of
means
of
personal
the excessive overwork increased
cleanliness;
as
the
numbers lessened among those who remained ; the want of nutriment, all hygienic rules outraged in
sufficiency, quality, variety and cooking of the food?the ration consisting almost exclusively for
respect a
to
considerable time of salt
vegetables."
and biscuit without
meat
Add to all this the hurricane of November
and the wreck of the Prince with her of
clothing, mortality are
and
precious freight
and the main factors of sickness
warm
told.
They fall into two categories preparedness on the one hand and the neglect of even the elementary teachings of sanitary
?"
the
science
want of
on
the other."
The tale of distress reached
England,
and the heart of the nation
roused.
No
and
cost
and the
defaults,
spared
was
winter attested the
The French army
was
and
food, cooking
remedy
defects
of the efforts which were
of the first.
errors
at the
dition in much better form
touched and
health of the second
splendid
success
made to correct the
was
to
as
beginning
of the expe-
regards transport, shelter,
clothing.
Hence their better health
the first winter; by the time the second winter came their numbers had increased without corbut
during
responding augmentation similar
which
to that
of
resources.
came from
No response
England was
made to
suffering which toil, fatigue and privation caused. The old soldiers got exhausted, the young wanted stamina. Enfeeblement of constitution and dethe cry of
fective conservancy caused them to become an easy prey to infection, and typhus became rampant. France had not the money mortal decay seized start
with, but
detrimental seemed the
or an
at the
staying power of Britain, and army healthy and well found to end so crippled by influences
health, that only remedy.
to
the cessation of hostilities
The incidents thus sketched constitute,
as
Miss
Nightingale has remarked, a hygienic experiment on a colossal scale, and Professor Longmore has done well
to
place
them, on
prominent
and separate record.
19"/
