Health of Troops in the East At any earlier period
of history campaigns such as those which have been fought in the Middle East would undoubtedly have been attended by severe losses from disease among the troops. Even in the last war, when already many medical precautions were taken, sickness took a heavy toll of life in the hot climates—not taking into account that grave epidemic of influenza which swept across Europe in 1918. But, in spite of a trying summer in Africa and in Syria, the senior British medical officer in the Middle East Command reports that the health of the troops has been extremely good. As compared with the last war, malaria cases have dropped from 3.5 a thousand to .58; typhoid from 1.89 to .07; and there has been no typhus. The troops have been taught to wage war on flies at their breeding-grounds and to take other preventive measures. We are told that men fresh from temperate climates are standing up magnificently to the heat. Not only is the training of men in all units designed to keep them fit, -but more attention is given than ever before to health conditiens. The results are reassuring.
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