C\AAA\Web Pages\Robbhaas Family Pages\WW2\Documents\CampAdairHealthIssues.txt


Benton County History Minutes
a glimpse at local history prepared by the Benton County Historical Museum, Philomath, OR

Camp Adair - Health Issues

     Poison oak helped make life uncomfortable for many Camp
Adair soldiers.  Oregon State College's School of Pharmacy went
to their rescue in fall 1942.  Its lab cooperated with officers
at the Camp's field hospital to prepare a poison oak extract.
     Using lab equipment, the officers prepared an extract from
plant leaves that was supposed to have a desensitizing effect
when taken orally or in muscular injections.
     Reportedly, it didn't work with all soldiers, but it helped
most of those afflicted.
     Another health issue involving the Camp prompted the
Corvallis City Council to take action.  Although Camp Adair had
its own water purification plant, the camp took much of its water
supply from the Willamette River and, nine miles upstream,
Corvallis was dumping its sewage into the same river. 
Authorities of that day disagreed on whether the nine-mile flow
purified the water by the time it reached the Camp.  In August
1942, the City Council agreed to apply to the Federal Works
Agency for a 100 percent grant to finance the cost of a sewage
disposal plant.

References:  Corvallis Gazette-Times:   August 17, 1942, p. 1
                                        August 18, 1942, p. 1
                                        September 10, 1942, p. 6


     This History Minute was produced by the Benton County
Historical Museum, Philomath, Oregon. E-mail 
     Permission is given for personal use of this information. 
Please note the source.  For commercial use of this information,
written permission must be obtained in advance.  Benton 
County Historical Museum, PO Box 35, Philomath, OR 97370



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Source:  http://www.bentoncountymuseum.org/historyminutes/hm023.htm