Diseases of Military Importance

Abstract

Throughout the history of the world, disease has been man’s worst enemy. Probably the most dreadful episode in recorded history was the infamous “Black Death” epidemic of the 14th century, which was responsible for the death of one-fourth of the population of Europe. Other epidemics, though not so dramatic as the plague epidemic, have wreaked havoc upon civilizations and primitive populations as well. When diseases are present in the general population, the hazard is even greater to armies. Because of the large numbers of soldiers who live in close association with one another--sometimes in a hostile environment and with less than desirable facilities-- diseases, once started, can run rampant if they are not immediately checked. Until World War I, disease took a far greater toll of manpower than did enemy fire. Napoleon Bonaparte, though considered a military genius, lost over 400,000 of his. 500,000-man army which invaded Russia in 1812 to disease and cold injury, while only 60,000 were killed as a result of direct battle injury. In a previous expedition in Haiti, he had lost 20,000 of a 22,000-man force to the ravages of yellow fever. The U.S. experience has not been without similar tragedies. During the Civil War, more than twice as many men in both the Union and Confederate armies died from disease as from battle wounds. During the Spanish-American War, more than seven men died from disease (primarily yellow fever) to each man who fell in combat. Improved medical techniques, antibiotics, and research have done much to bring disease, as a military factor, under control; however, hospital admissions due to disease and noncombat injury continue to far outweigh those due to direct battle causes. It is, thus, of the utmost importance that you know and understand the causes and means of prevention of those diseases that are of military importance.