The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1896-01-16
a CONCENTRATED ARMY RATION
Why Experiment is Have Resulted in
Failure.

Inc TSceHI en- perHUenLS OF tnP united
States government to test the value of
a concentrated army ration have quite
naturally proved a failure They were
instituted by the secretary of war with
view to'reducing the bulk and weight
of food without impairing it's nutritive
functions. This appeared to be necessi-
tated by the fact that the American
army is more in need of possible I'M
provements in this line, in view of the
heavy, tedious and long transportation
of supplies across the plains and
through districts that are incapable Of
affording the proper amount and quail
ity of food in times of emergencies.
The German army, for example, when
moving in small bodies always pur-
chases supplies on the march as want
ed. The same is true of the French,
Russian, Austrian and other European
armies, but at the same time the sol
diera usually have IN their knapsacks
what is called an emergency" ration,
generally sausage or preserved meat
of some kind The soldiers of the jap
anese army in the late war with China
carried an emergency ration of rice in
little tin case strapped to the top of
their lsrapsacks.
The reports made by the different
military departments to which the
questions were referred are interesting
as bearing upon the value of food prod
ucts generally and on the physiologi-
cal questions involved in the digestive
and nutritive processes more particu-
larly. theoretically speaking, it
would appear that the problem had
been solved regarding the amount of
food necessary to sustain life and the
varieties of sustenance that gave in
minimum compass the greatest amount
of nourishment.
All the observers agree, however,
that the old-fashioned ration of bacon
and bareback in suitable bulk is the
most practical that has ever been sug-
gested. The quantity of food neces-
sary to keep soldier in good conGi-
lion is fixed at % ounces. The latter
amount is increased for obvious rea-
sons to 26 ounces.
When the theories were put to prac-
teal test the result was as might have
been anticipated. Various concern
trated food tablets were employed in
Colorado, but more than half the men
who were victims to the experiment
became candidates for hospital treat
ment. The following extract from the
report speaks very significantly on
some very essential and striking facts:
"a company of the Seventh infantry,
at Fort Logan, near Denver, was de-
tailed and furnished with condensed
rations, consisting of coffee, soup,
bread and bacon. The coffee and soup
were in small tablets, which, when
placed i'll boiling water, were ready for
consumption in two minutes. The
bread was in small, fiat cakes, the
weight and hardness of brick, but
when moistened swelled out like q
sponge. The bacon was compressed
and only needed to be warmed IN fry.
ing-pan. The soldiers started out with
ten days rations, but the campaign
was brought to an abrupt end after
four days of 15-mile marches. The
food no. only did not satisfy the hunger
or give strength, but seemed to irritate
the stomach. After the first meal, two
of the enlisted men had to be placed
under the surgeons care. At the eEd
of the second day so of the 10 men in
the company were ill, and on the fourth
day the whole command went into
camp, and couriers were sent to town
for hard-tack and ordinary coffee and
bacon. Some of the soldiers were seIi-
ously i'll with stomach complaint, and
were confined to the hospital for sew.
eral days"
All this goes to show that not only
very much is to be learned regarding
laboratory feeding, but that we are also
far from the proper appreciation of
natures complex requirements in food
taking. Thus far the human labora-
tory, with its multiple, interdependent,
and complementary Methods, has
monopoly of its own in fixing the
proper standards for digestion, assim-
ilation and subsequent growth. There
is a natural law pervading the whole
that must not be violated by too radical
attempts at modification or improve
ment.
The stomach pouch is constructed
with certain capacity for food which
cannot be gainsaid by any chemical
formula which mere human ingenuity
may create or theoretical reasoning de-
wise. Each of the varied and subtle
processes of digestion must necessarily
adapt itself to the construction ard
functions of an organ that has purely
vital as well as merely chemical duty
to perform.
The stomach must earn it's living in
its own way, as by such purely physio-
logical effort in bringing each and all
of it's mechanical, vital and chemical
functions into play, it can best main
tain its health, activity and usefulness.
No prepared or concentrated food can
relieve it of any or all of i6 activities
in that gradual conversion of a legjti-
mate quantity and quality of food that
constitutes natural and perfect di-
gestion.
In such an aspect moderately full
stomach is something more than a feel
ing. It's work must be distributi>e
rather than restrictive. 1t must be
haa1+hf,,Ilxy x,,;tb fonJ L,,l;-,.