The prevention of disease in tropical and sub-tropical campaigns / by Andrew Duncan.

  • Duncan, Andrew, 1956-
Date:
1888
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The prevention of disease in tropical and sub-tropical campaigns / by Andrew Duncan. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    that they are mostly of a communicable type. Humboldt's iso- thermic line of 77° both north and south of the Equator marks out the region of the tropic zone as regards temperature. The sub-torrid zone is included in the adjacent temperate. In the tropic isothermic zone we have China, Malay, India, Afghanistan, Persia, Arabia, Abyssinia, the Soudan, Ashanti, Mexico, North Australia. Within these limits of temperature the British army has fought the campaigns of China, Abyssinia, Looshai, Ashanti, Sunghie-ujong, Malay, Duffla, Afghanistan, Egypt, Soudan, and Aka. And, finally, within these limits are to be found the worst forms of malaria, bowel affections, cholera, yellow fever, simple fevers, ophthalmia, beri-beri, guinea-worm, filaria sanguinis homi- nis, enteric fever, typhus, relapsing fever, &c. And, moreover, the higher the temperature the greater is the rate for malaria, bowel complaints, yellow fever. Lastly, as we merge into the sub- tropics, we find the continued forms of fever giving place to intermittent. This relation of temperature to disease has lately been ' brought out as regards pneumonia by Dr. Sanders, of the United States, in a most complete and thorough manner, com- pletely upsetting our preconceived notions. Now, the geographical distribution of disease must perforce be a most important element in campaigning; but, by knowing what to expect, we are in a certain measure fore-armed. Nevertheless, although there is this undoubted geographical distribution of disease, yet it is important to remember that, so far from being unable to cope with it, we can act in antagonism to it. Take the class of bowel complaints: by ensuring wholesome food, solid and liquid, we can remove all causes of irritation from within; by ensuring a rational dress, we can remove irritation from without. Again, in the matter of conservancy, by ensuring the absence of putrefaction from the camp, and the burning or disinfection of excreta, we cut the ground away from the feet of cholera, enteric fever, yellow fever, and bowel complaints. The Army Sanitary Commission relative to the rate of invaliding in Madras distinctly states, in its memo- randum of March 13, 1880, that much of the loss from invaliding in Indian climates is due to the continued action of eating, drinking, and clothing directly opposed to the requirements of the climate. In every one of these particulars improvement can be made. Finally, with regard to the nosological element, it must be borne in mind that all diseases, however trivial otherwise, become serious in the tropics. I have now considered the factors of temperature and moisture, Fatigue, and the factor of nosology as applied to hot climates. There are nourishment, two remaining great elements—viz., fatigue and insufficient nourishment—to guard against. In has been indeed held that climate per se is secondary to these; doubtless, as regards tem- perature and moisture, this is the case, for if a man be properly fed, and not overworked—that is, if his mechanical work be pro- portioned to his individual powers, and his food in accordance with his proportioned work—the factors of temperature and