Preface
This is the second volume of the history of internal medicine in World WarII. In the preface of the first volume, which contains the reports of themedical consultants, is recounted the story of the development of theorganization that ultimately produced the history. Attention was called to theearly enthusiastic efforts of Brig. Gen. Hugh J. Morgan and Colonels WalterBauer, John S. Hunt, and Francis R. Dieuaide to implement its writing and to thesubsequent formation of the Advisory Editorial Board, early in 1952, under thechairmanship of Dr. Garfield G. Duncan and under the overall direction of Col.Calvin H. Goddard, MC, then Editor in Chief of the history of the "MedicalDepartment, U.S. Army, in World War II" and Director, The Historical Unit,U.S. Army Medical Service. An editorial office was established at The JeffersonMedical College of Philadelphia, and Dr. W. Paul Havens, Jr., of thatinstitution, was made Editorial Director. Col. John Boyd Coates, Jr., MC,succeeded Colonel Goddard as Editor in Chief of the history and Director of TheHistorical Unit.
This volume is concerned with the clinical descriptions of certain infectiousdiseases and brings into sharp focus their impacts on military activities undera variety of circumstances in many different parts of the world. Viral,rickettsial, bacterial, and protozoal infections are discussed, and thesechapters constitute a record of the great and unique experience of our ArmedForces with a variety of infectious diseases in a small block of time. Thechemotherapeutic triumph of the sulfonamides in meningococcal infections isrecorded here. The great diversity of effects of various infections on militaryactivities is described, ranging from the relatively unimportant role ofneurotropic virus diseases to the vast loss of time caused by respiratorydiseases, sandfly fever, and malaria. Again and again, in almost every chapterin this volume, appear the results of investigations initiated either by theArmed Forces or by the various commissions working under their aegis.
Of necessity, there is overlapping of the material containedin this book and in volume I. However, in contrast to the more general aspectsof various medical problems described by the consultants in the first volume,the chapters in this book were based on the observations of many medicalofficers and were written by physicians directly concerned with theresponsibilities for the care of patients and the clinical investigations oftheir diseases. These men, peers in their fields, were able to combine insight,judgment, and experience in such a way that the chapters in this book rank asoutstanding records of clinical achievement. The lapse of more than 15 yearsbetween the experiences recounted here and their publication in this volume doesnot detract from their value or interest. Actually, much of this material has
long since appeared in our medical journals, but this bookserves to bring it together in its proper relationship with place and time inhistory. The delay in publication is not unprecedented, since both the"Medical and Surgical History of the War of the Rebellion" and"The Medical Department of the United States Army in the World War"appeared several years after the termination of the Civil War and World War I.
For those who are concerned with military medical history, it is of interestto note that World War II was the first great conflict in which fewer of ourtroops died of disease than of battle injuries and wounds. In the Civil War,there were among Union troops approximately 360,000 deaths, and of these,about 225,000 were caused by various diseases. Among the Confederate troops, itwas estimated that there were not less than 200,000deaths, and of these, 150,000 were estimated to be due todiseases. Of further interest to the medical historian is the changingimportance of various infections in military activity. Of the three volumescomprising the "Medical and Surgical History of the War of theRebellion," one of them was devoted solely to the subject of the alvinefluxes while the other two were devoted, respectively, to statistics andclinical descriptions of malaria, typhoid fever, cerebrospinal fever, smallpox,and a number of other acute infections. This is also illustrated by comparisonof the mortality recorded for respiratory diseases in "The MedicalDepartment of the United States Army in the World War" and in this volumedealing with World War II.
The editor wishes to express his sincere thanks to the countless medicalofficers who made the material for these chapters available and to thedistinguished authors who have written them. In addition, thanks are due to Dr.Duncan and the entire Advisory Editorial Board for their constant support and toColonel Coates for his many courtesies and vigorous assistance. In particular,appreciation is expressed to Miss Eleanor S. Cooper, whose tireless andpainstaking attention to the preparation and editing of these manuscripts was aninvaluable aid in the compilation of this history.
The editor and the authors are also greatly indebted to Mr. E. L. Hamilton,Chief, Medical Statistics Division, Office of the Surgeon General, Mr. A. J.McDowell, Assistant Chief, and Mr. M. C. Rossoff, Assistant Chief, StatisticalAnalysis Branch, who not only provided essential data but also checked andreviewed all statistical information contained herein.
Finally, grateful acknowledgment is made to Miss Janie W. Williams, Chief,Publication Section, Editorial Branch, The Historical Unit, for performing thefinal publications editing and to Miss Rebecca L. Duberstein, Chief, EditorialSection, Editorial Branch, The Historical Unit, for preparing the index for thisvolume.
W. PAUL HAVENS, Jr., M.D.
