Thank you for visiting SNEWPapers!
Sign up free
Story
December 10, 1941
The Ypsilanti Daily Press
Ypsilanti, Washtenaw County, Michigan
What is this article about?
In WWI, childhood diseases like measles and mumps caused more army hospital admissions and losses than wounds, affecting 500,000 troops; advocates appointing pediatricians and applying child prevention methods to reduce incidence.
Clipping
OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
CASUALTIES
In war we think of loss of life from wounds, but now we are told that measles, mumps and other childhood diseases may raise more problems for the Army than battle injuries.
Communicable diseases, in the first World War were blamed for more hospital admissions, deaths and man-days lost than wounds.
This leads to the conclusion that a consulting pediatrician who has had experience in preventing communicable diseases among children should be appointed.
Influenza, pneumonia, bronchitis and tonsilitis caused most of the illness and deaths in the Army of 1918 but half a million soldiers and sailors were affected by the purely pediatric diseases, especially mumps, measles, scabies, rheumatic fever, vaccinia (cowpox), rubella (German measles), scarlet fever, diphtheria, meningitis, dysentery, impetigo, and chicken pox in that order.
These 12 children's diseases affected twice as many men in the Army and Navy as did wounds and half as many as did influenza. This incidence of infectious diseases in troops could be reduced by the adoption of preventive measures which have been found to be efficacious for children. Some of these precautions at present are being used in the Army and Navy, but more of them could be applied to good advantage.
In war we think of loss of life from wounds, but now we are told that measles, mumps and other childhood diseases may raise more problems for the Army than battle injuries.
Communicable diseases, in the first World War were blamed for more hospital admissions, deaths and man-days lost than wounds.
This leads to the conclusion that a consulting pediatrician who has had experience in preventing communicable diseases among children should be appointed.
Influenza, pneumonia, bronchitis and tonsilitis caused most of the illness and deaths in the Army of 1918 but half a million soldiers and sailors were affected by the purely pediatric diseases, especially mumps, measles, scabies, rheumatic fever, vaccinia (cowpox), rubella (German measles), scarlet fever, diphtheria, meningitis, dysentery, impetigo, and chicken pox in that order.
These 12 children's diseases affected twice as many men in the Army and Navy as did wounds and half as many as did influenza. This incidence of infectious diseases in troops could be reduced by the adoption of preventive measures which have been found to be efficacious for children. Some of these precautions at present are being used in the Army and Navy, but more of them could be applied to good advantage.
What sub-type of article is it?
Historical Event
Medical Curiosity
What themes does it cover?
Misfortune
Moral Virtue
What keywords are associated?
Communicable Diseases
World War I
Army Casualties
Preventive Measures
Childhood Illnesses
Story Details
Event Date
1918
Story Details
Communicable childhood diseases like measles and mumps caused more issues in the army than battle wounds during WWI, affecting half a million soldiers and sailors, more than wounds but less than influenza; preventive measures used for children should be applied to troops.