16. CAMP TRAVIS, TEX. Camp Travis lies to the northeast of San Antonio, Tex., a railroad center of about 100,000 inhabitants. The city line includes nearly all the camp buildings. The elevation is 740 feet above sea level. The natural physical conditions and the conveniences of water supply and sewer connections give the location unusual advantages as a site for an Army cantonment. During November the weather at Camp Travis was dry and warm with 22 clear days and a minimum temperature of 41° on the 20th. In December it was still dry but cooler, a minimum of 19° being reached on the 30th. There were 14 clear days. There was no snowfall in either month and rainfall was far below normal. To Camp Travis were called from civil life, the following contingents: Sept. 5-10.. Oct. 27-Nov. 1.. Total..... Men. These men were from the States of Oklahoma and Texas. The territory included Oklahoma City (65,000), Muskogee (25,000), San Antonio (100,000), Dallas (95,000), Houston (85,000), Fort Worth (75,000), El Paso (50,000), Galveston (40,000), Austin (30,000), Waco (28,000). Taken as a whole the territory from which Camp Travis draws is 23 per cent urban, ranking fourth from the last in order of urbanity. Polygon of weekly strength of Camp Travis measured by scale on the left. [Increments are indicated by dotted rectangles of which the unit, 1,000 men, is represented by the smal rectangle above the polygon.] 40.000 [3-1000 Men -30.000 20,000 -10,000 7 14 21 28 5 12 19 26 2 9 16 23 30 7 14 21 28 The strength of the camp at different dates is shown in Chart 25. After the induction of draft contingents, the population rose to 30,000 and remained nearly constant to the end of the year. This camp had the greatest number of negro troops of any camp in its November to December population, namely, 7,600. The leading diseases at Camp Travis are given in Table 33. TABLE NO. 33.-Admissions and deaths, infectious diseases, Camp Travis, 1917. 1 Figures in parentheses indicate number of colored troops in venereal disease only. Disease admissions ran high at Camp Travis, as might be expected rom the low rate of urbanity of the regions from which the men vere drawn and the crowding of the cantonment. Measles totaled ,813 cases in November and December, after which the epidemic bated. The division surgeon reports: With the first increment sent to this camp by the various local boards were a number f men who were physically unfit to perform the duties of a soldier. These men were aturally more susceptible to disease than were the physically fit. This error was ter corrected by sending a board of medical officers from this camp to various parts the States of Texas and Oklahoma for the purpose of giving instructions to the local oards in the proper method of examination of recruits before sending them to this mp for military service. The beneficial results of this instruction, it is thought, ill have its effect in bringing a better class of recruits in the future so far as physical ondition is concerned. Many cases of pneumonia followed measles and mumps, articularly the former disease. The cases of pneumonia, as well as influenza, were ot localized in the camp but occurred generally throughout the entire camp. The neumonia epidemic was general throughout the State. Civilian physicians informed e that they had never had so many cases of pneumonia in their practice in previous ars. A special board of medical officers visited Camp Travis on Decemer 27 to consider the epidemic of measles and pneumonia. They ecried the failure to differentiate between measles and German easles. A previous attack of one disease does not give immunity the other. The measles was so widespread that practically all w comers contracted it and the diseases began to die out by the iddle of December. As quarantine had become irksome, the board commended the withdrawal of many of the quarantine restrictions. The most serious condition the board found was the prevalence of pneumonia. As at other camps there is some uncertainty as to differentiation between lobar pneumonia and broncho-pneumonia and as to the precise number of cases secondary to measles, but it appears that while the majority of cases of pneumonia, and nearly all those of broncho-pneumonia, are related to measles, a considerable amount of pneumonia, this being predominantly lobar, occurs independently of measles. A certain number of cases of pneumonia occurred before the outbreak of measles. The fatality from pneumonia of all forms during the month was 20 per cent. It is much higher in the pneumonia following measles than in straight lobar pneumonia. While pneumonia is much more likely to be a sequal of true measles, it has been observed in several instances after German measles, but exact figures upon this point are not available as the two forms of measles are not separated. Infections with the pneumococcus are not limited to the occurrence of pneumonia. There have been many cases of pneumococcal conjunctivitis, five cases of pneumococcal meningitis disassociated from pneumonia, several cases of pleurisy due to this organism without pneumonia and a good deal of the prevailing sore throats and tonsillitis are attributed to the same germ. Pneumococcus infection is. therefore, widely distributed in the camp. While overcrowding did, according to the recommended standards, not exist in the barracks at the time the board met, the opportunities of close contact were so numerous in the camp that it was suggested that some simple instruction be given to the men as to the risks of such contact and how to avoid them. As at other camps, measles was a prime factor in the causation of pneumonia, but the continuance and even temporary increase of the pneumonia indicated that this is not the only factor. Other factors to be considered are the dust, not as great here as in some camps. but still considerable when the wind blows, the changing climatic conditions and exposure to cold with thin clothing, although the men were supplied with woolens, overcoats and blankets, and perhaps in some instances, lowered resistance from such causes as hookworm and chronic malaria. The cerebrospinal meningitis was particularly fatal-24 cases with 10 deaths. There were also several cases of pneumococcus meningitis (without pneumonia). No two cases of meningococcus meningitis have come from a single company and in only one instance have two cases come from a single regiment. The cases of typhoid were brought in from outside sources. The triple vaccine afforded general immunity. The number of cases of gonococcus infection admitted to sick report was abnormally augumented at this camp by the induction of 7,500 negro troops. 17. CAMP WADSWORTH, S. C. Camp Wadsworth is located at Spartansburg, S. C., a railroad junction point of about 20,000 inhabitants. The surrounding region is agricultural. Swampy ground and poor drainage rendered the camp site unsanitary at first, but this defect was remedied by proper ditching. The disposal of waste presented a problem requiring eternal vigilance, because it was impossible to make a contract with one individual for the removal of manure and garbage. Instead it was necessary to divide the material among the neighboring farmers, most of whom were irregular in hauling away the waste. In poor weather Army transportation had to be provided. Nevertheless, this method of garbage disposal proved satisfactory for the most part, and resulted in a decided conservation of material. Weather conditions during the last two months of the year were severe at Camp Wadsworth. It was the coldest December and, with one exception, the coldest month recorded for South Carolina. In December the temperature ranged from 70° on the 4th to 1° below zero on the 30th. Rainfall in both months was far below normal. There was recorded one heavy snowfall, 9.5 inches. At the base hospital there were crowded quarters with practically no bathing or sewage facilities. The unusual cold rendered inadequate the stoves temporarily installed. For several periods of four to five days water connections were frozen and no water was available in wards or mess halls. The population of Camp Wadsworth consisted of seasoned troops, mainly from the region of New York City. The strength of the camp at different dates is shown in Chart 26. Numbers increased regularly through September, attaining a maximum of 35,000 on October 12. On October 26 the strength stood at 29,000. After November 9 it remained at 30,000 for the remainder of the year. The leading diseases and consequent deaths at Camp Wadsworth are given in Table 34. Polygon of weekly strength of Camp Wadsworth measured by scale on the left. 40.000 nos litan Inair -10.0000 21 28 5 12 19 26 2 9 16 23 30 7 14 21 28 Sept. Oct. CAMP WADSWORTH CHART NO. 26. TABLE NO. 34.—Admissions and deaths, infectious diseases, Camp Wadsworth, 1917. 1 Figures in parentheses indicate number of colored troops in venereal disease only. The effect on the health of the Army of urban origin, with its consequent high degree of immunity from epidemic diseases, is evident from inspection of the figures. Measles, which caused admissions even into the thousands in camp populations drawn from rural regions, appeared only occasionally and totaled only eight cases in four months in an average population of nearly 30,000. German measles caused 88 cases and pneumonia 51 cases during the same period. Venereal diseases ran higher, causing 835 admissions. Nearly all of these cases were contracted prior to arrival at Camp Wadsworth and occurred in regiments that had been on guard duty in scattered detachments, generally so far separated as to prevent proper medical supervision. On November 26 all cases of venereal disease were ordered to the base hospital and kept under guard until cured. 18. CAMP SEVIER, S. C. Camp Sevier lies about 4 miles northeast of Greenville, S. C., a city of some 20,000 inhabitants. Its entire area contains approximately 1,900 acres, many of which were densely wooded on the arrival of the troops and thickly covered by dense underbrush. The camp is situated on a low flat ridge which runs from northeast to southwest and whose northern and southern slopes afford ample drainage from any part of the troop-covered area. Several brooks and rivulets make the natural drainage most effective. The temperature was much lower than usual. The year 1917 closed with the coldest December on record and with but one exception the coldest month in the history of South Carolina. The temperature ranged from 78° on the 7th of November to zero on the 30th of December. The precipitation also was exceedingly slight during this period. The moderate snowfall was confined to a period of a few days. The water supply for the camp is collected in five reservoirs from the watershed on the east side of Paris Mountain. Analysis of the water showed it to be badly contaminated by Bacilli coli. The source of contamination is undetermined. The entire water supply |