“ Being on the defensive we would not have profited by their weakness, whereas they, being on the offensive, might profit greatly if the allied troops were weakened by sickness of this kind. This is one of the chances against which no amount of pains or forethought could safeguard us. ”

“ In the peculiar situation it is conceivable that the Allies might get the worst of it. If the German army is suffering sufficiently to delay its attack it need only lie back and await recovery. There is no danger of a general offensive by the Allies. ”

“ Both the hospital admission and non-effective rates in the guard and national army camps increased for the week, with pneumonia generally prevalent. Among the guardsmen there were 342 new cases of pneumonia, and in the national army 340. The meningitis situation continued to improve in both the guard and national army, while measles continued to decline in most camps. Epidemics of German measles and mumps prevailed in many camps, with scarlet fever increasing in the national army and decreasing in the national guard. ”