NOTES AND COMMENTS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIV, Issue 13494, 22 May 1907, Page 6

NOTES AND COMMENTS.

ARMY SANITATION. The statistics of mortality due to disease in the South African war, when compared with the losses more recently suffered by the Japanese from the same causes, demonstrated only too clearly that in the matter of sanitation there was in the British army considerable room • for improvement. It is, therefore, satisfactory to'find that the matter has been thoroughly taken in hand by the Army Council,: and a series of regulations issued, which should bear good fruit in our future campaigns. Under the direction of authority, a manual of sanitation has been prepared, the contents of which the combatant officer will not only have to be acquainted with, but will have to submit to have his knowledge therein tested by examination. At the Royal Military Academy and the Royal Military College the subject of sanitation will be included in the curriculum and in the final examination of cadets in the senior division. At the Staff College a course of lec- : tures will also be annually given. Further, ! after March lj 1908, all lieutenants will be required to pass in sanitation before promotion to the rank of captain. In order that the necessary knowledge may be gained, general officers commanding-in-chief are to arrange for at least one annual course of lectures to be given, for preference by the command sanitary officer,; while company officers will give instruction to • their N.C.O.'s and men. -In addition, at the School ;of " Army Sanitation, Aldershot, there will be formed(a) Officers' classes, each extending over ■-• four weeks and embracing all the subjects mentioned in the manual; (b) classes for regimental N.C.O.'s and men to form regimental .; sanitary , sections on active service, the number to be trained for these duties being laid down as one N.CO. and eight men per battalion; (c) classes for N.C.O.'s and men of the R. A. M. U., who are to be instructed in practical sanitation in the field and in the duties of water sterilisation. On the outbreak of war, there will be formed for service in "the field a committee, consisting of a Combatant field officer as president, with a field officer R.B. and a field officer R.A.M.C. as 'members. '*. This . committee will 'act; under'the orders' of the general * officer commanding-in-chief, and its duties will be to ascertain that sanitary appliances and materials of all kinds required for the army are , forthcoming, - and that an adequate reserve is maintained; to assist general officers and \ the medical service in their efforts to maintain the health of the army by co-ordinating, not only the work of the different '; military" branches," but ; also ■ the ! military and the civil sanitary organisations I of the country or area occupied; to initiate schemes and to serve as a board of re-ference-for the solution of' sanitary problems ; to visit and inspect stations occu- | pied by troops, at the same time advising local authorities regarding necessary sanitary measures, and furthering in every way the maintenance of satisfactory sanitary conditions. - ; : - t •