The Prevention of infectious diseases as presented in the military periodicals Kariškių žodis (Word of Soldiers) and Karys (Soldier), 1919-1923
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2020-10-23 |
History of Pharmacy Section.
ISBN 978-9955-15-669-7.
Bibliogr.: p. 102
Introduction: Infectious diseases were a major problem in the Lithuanian army since its creation in late 1918. In the absence of the necessary preventive measures, the Sanitation Department paid great attention to the education of soldiers about prevention. The military periodicals Word of Soldiers and Soldier played a major role in disseminating knowledge on this topic. Aim of this study: To investigate what preventive measures for communicable diseases were described in military periodicals during 1919-1923. Materials and methods: Historical method and analysis of periodicals. Results: Military periodicals wrote about the prevention of epidemic typhus, typhoid fever, reversible fever, smallpox, dysentery, cholera and venereal diseases. Soldiers were taught that the main preventive measure against epidemic typhus was cleanliness (clothes and body) and against typhoid fever and cholera - clean food and boiled water [1]. There was a prompt to use soap and to wash often: "the more often you go to the sauna - the healthier your body will be, the spirit will be stronger and more alert, the more useful you will be to your homeland" [2]. Soldiers were informed about the most important disinfectants: vapors of hot water, formalin and sulfur, carbolic acid, and alkali [3]. The importance of vaccines was also emphasized [4]. In the case of venereal diseases, which were most commonly described, soldiers were urged to avoid sexual intercourse and report infections to a doctor as soon as possible. In order to make the army more aware about disease prevention, information about pathogens, routes of infection, courses of diseases and treatments was also published [5]. Conclusions: The military periodicals Word of Soldiers and Soldier wrote mostly about the diseases with the highest incidence in the army during 1919-1923. In these journals, hygiene was highlighted as a key tool for the prevention of communicable diseases.