Occasionally we had to investigate possible cases of cholera among
troops coming from India. One day we received a telegram to proceed to
a certain place about ten miles away and report on the sanitary
surroundings and particularly on the water supply of a place where an
old Frenchman had died with "choleric dysentery." We found the place
after some search, and discovered that the old man had died a month
before, and that the suspected water supply, unboiled, had been used
ever since by a certain headquarter staff without ill effects.
Needless to say that was the best proof obtainable that the water
supply was safe.
The use of raw milk was forbidden in the army, and condensed milk was
issued instead. Sometimes "blown" cans of this were sent in for
examination and found to be infected with gas producing organisms.
Whenever such occurred, the report would be forwarded back through the
system to England and the manufacturer would be apprised of the fact
and checked up on his methods. Canned foods of various sorts were also
brought in for examination, but nothing of a harmful character ever
discovered. The food supply of the British Army, as a matter of fact,
was of the highest quality and had been subjected to rigid examination
by the Government inspectors during its preparation; practically none
of it was ever found to be bad.
Pages:
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185