Trench Fever.

This is coolbert:

Here is another illness, a disease [?], a malady first observed among the soldiers of the various combatants during the First World War [WW1], and NOW enjoying a comeback!

Trench Fever!

"Trench fever (also known as "Five day fever", "Quintan fever", "Urban trench fever") (Wolhynia fever, shin bone fever, quintan fever, five-day fever, Meuse fever, His disease and His-Werner disease) is a moderately serious disease transmitted by body lice. It infected armies in Flanders, France, Poland, Galicia, Italy, Salonika, Macedonia, Mesopotamia, and Egypt in World War I . . . and the German army in Russia during World War II."

A disease of those persons having to live in rough and dirty conditions, unwashed and filthy for extended periods of time, infected with lice, the illness given to man by the bite of the insect.

An illness, causing an amazing number of casualties, non-combat related, but such a substantial proportion of the fighting force so as to cause grave concern among the commanders.

"From 1915 to 1918 between one-fifth [20 %] and one-third [33 %] of all British troops reported ill had trench fever while about one-fifth [20 %] of ill German and Austrian troops had the disease."

A disease once again, almost one hundred years later manifesting itself!! An affliction found among the homeless, the drug user, etc. Persons living in conditions of fillth and squalor, persons not given over to hygienic conditions to include periodic and regular bathing!!

"The disease persists among the homeless. Outbreaks have been documented, for example, in Seattle and Baltimore in the United States among injection drug users and in Marseille, France, and Burundi.

It is worth remarking that the illness known commonly as "trench foot" also became quite common among during the 1970's and 1980's. Found among American teenagers who were fond of wearing canvas sneakers that became wet and soaked during the winter time, those kids wearing the shoes continually, the constant exposure to the wet and cold resulting in "trench foot". More correctly called immersion foot. A phenomenon that had not been seen by doctors in over sixty years!!

"Trench foot (also known as fat foot) is a medical condition caused by prolonged exposure of the feet to damp, unsanitary and cold conditions. It is one of many immersion foot syndromes. The use of the word 'trench' in the name of this condition is a reference to trench warfare, mainly associated with World War I."

Just being in the trenches of WW1 was dangerous of itself, not even including the peril from enemy combat action!! Death or injury - - non-combat - - was quite common!!

coolbert.