142
MEDICAL AND SANITARY REPORT OF THE NATIVE ARMY OF BENGAL,
Subsequently, however, it being found that the men were in the habit of selling a portion
of their flour ration, this was reduced to three-quarters of a seer. The quantity of the other
constituents of the ration was left unchanged. Some goor was also carried by the Commis-
sariat, but as it did not form part of the rations issued, it may be left out of consideration.
Throughout this campaign the sensitiveness of the sepoy to cold has often been the
subject of remark, and in the search for the reason of this I had considered amongst other
things his diet, comparing it with that of the European soldier whom cold has affected much
less.
The following may be taken as a fairly accurate statement of the amount of albuminates,
fats and carbo-hydrates in the sepoy's present ration:—
In 28.8 ounces (1¾seers) of flour (wheaten) are contained—
3.16 ounces of albuminates.
0.57
„ , , fats.
20.24
, , carbo-hvdrates.
In 4.8 ounces (4¾ chtks.) of dhal (pea) are contained—
1.05 ounces of albuminates.
0.09
„ fats.
2.54
, , carbo-hydrates.
In 1.2 ounces (11/7 chtks.) of ghee (butter) are contained—
.00 ounces of albuminates.
1.09
, ,
fats
Thus the sepoy has in his daily ration—
4.21 ounces of albuminates.
1.75
„ fats.
22.78
, ,
carbo-hydrates.
The European soldier's ration here is as follows:—
Ib. oz.
Bread
.
.
.
.
.
.
. 1 4
Meat
.
.
.
. .
. . 1 4
( w i t h b o n e ) .
Potatoes .
.
.
.
.
.
. 0 12
Rice
.
.
.
.
.
. .. 0 4
Sugar
.
.
.
.
.
.
. 0 3
Tea
.
.
.
.
.
. . 0 ¾
Salt
.
.
.
.
.
.
. a sufficiency.
The amounts of albuminates, fats and carbo-hydrates in this dietary are respectively :—
In 20 ounces (11/5 seers.) of bread—
1.60 ounces of albuminates.
.30
, , fats.
9.84
„ carbo-hydrates
In 16 ounces (151/3 chtks.) of meat (without bone)—
2.40 ounces of albuminates.
1.34
„ fats.
In 12 ounces (111/8 chtks.) of potatoes—
0.18 ounces of albuminates.
0.11
„ fats.
2.80
„ carbo-hydrates.
In 4 ounces (3¾ chtks.) of rice—
0.20 ounces of albuminates.
0.03
„ fats.
3.32
, , carbo-hydrates.
In 3 ounces (21/2 chtks.) of sugar
—
2.89 ounces of carbo-hydrates.
Thus a British soldier has in his daily ration here—
4.38 ounces of albuminates.
1.78
„ fats.
18.85
, , carbo-hydrates.
Absence of
animal food
In addition to this he has ¾ ounce of tea and a rum ration.
The only remarkable disparity between these two dietaries is in the amount of carbohy-
drates: the native soldier receiving, even with the present reduced ration, 4 ounces more than
the European. There can be little doubt, I think, that natives eat an excess of carbo-hydrates,
more than can be digested. I entered with some detail into this subject in the Annual Sanitary
Report of the 41st Native Infantry for 1876. There can be no doubt that the undigested
excess is injurious; it undergoes chemical changes in the intestines, and at last putrefies. The
products of putrefaction not only act as local irritants upon the alimentary canal, causing
dyspepsia, diarrhœa, colic, &c., but by absorption give rise to a febrile condition of heaviness
and malaise.
Absence of animal food. —Although the amount of albuminates in both the Native and
European dietaries is almost the same, until we know that vegetable and animal albumens have