By such means a good deal of practical educational work
was done, and the danger of men drinking raw water thereby reduced.
Reports of all samples were sent to the A.D.M.S. of the division
concerned, who forwarded them to the medical officers of the units,
with more or less caustic remarks should the samples be bad. The M.O.
in turn would get after the man in charge of the water cart, who
usually had some more or less plausible excuse.
The water details of the first Canadian Division were the best trained
lot of men we ever ran across. The very first day we took samples from
their water carts they were all sterile, and there were no complaints
about taste. It was an excellent example of what training could
accomplish, for they had all been carefully trained in their duties in
Canada and England.
As the water details of any division were constantly changing, the
efficiency of the treatment depended to a great extent on the constant
supervision of the problem by the A.D.M.S., medical and sanitary
officers.
We have found divisions coming into our area for the first time with
only 25 per cent. of their water carts chlorinated, whereas before
they left they would have 90 per cent. or more chlorinated, and the
division thoroughly educated as to the necessity for sterilizing their
drinking water properly.
Wells, springs, creeks, and ponds used as sources of supply were also
examined, and not infrequently samples from "springs," encountered
while digging new trenches, were sent in to be tested.
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