DEATH IN THE FRENCH ARMY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7606, 16 January 1903, Page 2

DEATH IN THE FRENCH ARMY.

WAR MINISTER'S STARTLING

ADMISSIONS.

"I am forced to declare that the mortality in the French 1 Army is nearly four times greater than thafc in the German Army ; the number of deaths in the French Army is, on the average, 2174 per nnnum, against 741 in tho German. Army." This startling declaration was niade in the Senate on Nov. 25 by General Andre, Minister for War. Ifc was made in answer to a question on the health, of the Frerit'h Army by Senator Gptteron. According to the statistics quoted, France los<!s live times more soldiers every year by sickness than Germany; or, as the writer put it, since the Treaty of Frankfurt, Germany has lost by disease 13,000 alien, the effective of a division on a Avar footing, while France in- the same period has lost ,99,000 men, the effective of three army Coi'ps.

The Minister for War, in his reply, admitted the deplorable condition of "health existing in the French Army,' amd, after stating that the military surgeons were in no way responsible for the high mortality* attributed, the large number ot" deaths principally to typhoid fever, scarlatina, tuberculosis aiid affections ■of the respiratory organs. The gravest question was how to combat tha ravages of tuberculosis, the "inalarlv of IVaix-e."

C-eiiei-.tl Andre concluded with the remark that he- mV-d it 'to tlie Senate to let them know the whole truth, however painful that might be.