WINTER CAMP.

Marlborough Express, Volume LI, Issue 96, 25 April 1917, Page 3

WINTER CAMP.

j . . ...-—*; r FOR MOBILISATION OF REGRUITS.

TAUHE&ENIKAU SCHEME

SEGREGATING THE JBSN

TO STOP SPPJ3AI> OF MSEASE/

An important, tJsjpnrture has been decided-on regarding the mobilisation of recruits for the Reinforcement drafts during the coining winter months (states the Post). In effect it h:is hpon resolved to establish four separate oncampmenta at Tauherenikiiu. in which the recruits from the respective military districts (four in number) will be kept segregated during the first month of their training, ahd will then be passed on to the other camps to complete the remaining period of their instruction. Experience in the past has shown that recruits on entering camp are

more susceptible to contracting infee- j fcious diseases than in the later stages of their, training! This, it is explained, has been due to change of # enyironmentj the totaJly new conditions under, which they' live, and to being brought into more personal contact with others. Afterwards they become morp accustomed to camp life, and, becoming seasoned, are more able- to resist such complaints as they come in contact with. It has been decided accordingly to make a change this winter in the running of the New Zealand Reinforcement Camps. During the coming winter months the recruits arriving will be equipped at Trentbam. and will be passed as quickly as possible on to <Tauherenikau, where they will be quartered in four separate encampments set apart for the recruits from each military district. Thus the Auckland men will go to the Auckland encampment, the Wellington men to the Wellington encampment, and so on. The object of this 13 to keep tho recruits from the different districts apart as much as possible during the first month of their training, and thereby lessen the chances of the spread of infectious disease which they may bring in. The recruits at Tauherenikau will be accommodated in new canvas tents with boarded floors, eight men being allotted to each tent, which ordinarily is capable of holding ten with comfort. Each of the four encampments will have» its own cookhouse and sani^ tary conveniences. Arrangements ;ii • are now in progress to secure huts for the amusement of the men when off duty, the intention being to still keep the men from the different districts apart so that they do not come into contact with each other. Further, provision has been made for an isolation camp in the immediate neighborhood where contacts ,with infectious diseaso cases can bo kept, iinoer close observation and without mixing with 'and endangering the other troops. It is hoped by restricting the number of men in a tent to oight and by establishing what aro to all intents and.purposes segregation camps for ihe recruits from each particular district i» reduce the danger of infection t«> a minimum and thereby to preserve th<? health of the men. Arrangements are also being made- to detf ct cases of diseaso at tho earliest | possible' moment. , "The F'catherston ■ laboratory with ah expert bacteriologist in charge will enable bacteriological examination to bo carried cut on iho spot and without delay. In addilion a new infectious diseases hospital is in process of in the neighborhood of the present Foatherston Camp Hospital for the treatment of any infectious' diseases cases occurring. 4 dded .to this, arrangements are being made as far* as possible to have the throats of all- recruit^ examined and swabs taken before they leave iheir respective districts for camp. This will not be possible in all cases, but the examination of a certain number will as the work of the camp medical officers. ' ' • The new system of segregating recruits in canvas camps .at Tauheror'ikau will be introduced .with the 30th Reinforcements mobilising at the end of May, and will be continued as long as it is found necessary. This will cover the period*in which most of tho trouble in the past has been experi onced.