!f hese Degenerate Days. 



being seen to, and that our sailors are to have 

 better food, and more meals. 



The decline is apparent in still greater degree 

 in the army. The terrible amount of sickness 

 and disease during the war in South Africa, from 

 exposure, in what might be termed a moderate 

 climate, shows the stamina of our soldiers to be 

 very inferior. 



There was a startling revelation made by 

 Maj. Gen. Sir Frederick Maurice, K.C.B., in 

 an article published in the Contemporary Re- 

 view for January, 1903, dealing with " National 

 Health." He wrote : " During the last seven 

 years it has been one of my duties to visit the 

 Herbert Hospital for the purpose of sanctioning 

 the discharge of men who had been brought for- 

 ward by a Medical Board, as no longer fit for 

 H.M. Service. I very soon found that an alarm- 

 ing proportion of these men had involved the 

 State in considerable expense, but had given no 

 return. As soon as they were put to an average 

 amount of work they broke down in health, had 

 to be sent to hospital, and if after being patched 

 up they were sent back to duty, they broke down 

 again, and on the whole their record showed 

 that they never had at any time become efficient 

 soldiers. . . . 



" According to the best estimate I have been 

 able to arrive at, it has been for many years true 

 that out of every five men who wish to enlist and 

 primarily offer themselves for enlistment you 

 will find that by the end of two years' service 

 there are only two remaining in the army as 

 efficient soldiers 



13 



