The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1896-01-25
THE ARMY RATION,
Experiments to Produce q Con-
ceutrated Food.
Nothing Found to Take the Place Of the
O1d-Fashioned Ration Of Bacon
and Hardtack In suite-
- able Bulk.

0Ot0A08 V0Qn0 60 x0k0 tho E1AC0 OF the
Old-Fashioned Ration Of Bacon
and Hardtack In suita-
able Bulk.
The recent experiments of the United
States government to test the value of
a concentrated army ration have quite
naturally proved failure They were
instituted by the secretary of war with
view to reducing the bulk and weight
Of food without impairing its. nutritive
functions. This appeared to be nccessi-
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 qual-
ity of food in times of emergencies.
The German army, for example, when
moving in small bodies always pnr-
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
diers usually have IN their knapsat}s
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 lznapsachs.
The reports made by the different
military departments to which the
questions werc referred are interesting
as bearing upon the value of food prod
ucts generally and on the physiologi-
cal questions involved in the digestive
and nutritivc 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 tie
varieties of sustenance that gave IN
minimum compass the greatest amount
of nourishment.
All the observers agree, however,
that the old-iashioned ration of bacon
and hard-tack in suitable bulk is the
most practical that has ever been sug-
gested. The quantity of food neccs.
sary to keep a soldier in good coDdi-
rion is fixed at % ounces. The latter
amount is increased for obvious rea.
sons to 26 ounces.
When the theories were put to prcc.
teal test the result was as might have
been anticipated. Various concen
trated food tablets were employed IN
Colo RADIO, but more than half the mcl
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:
ga company Of the Seventh infantry
at Fort Logan, near Denver, was de-
tailed and furnished with condensed
rations, consisting of coffee, so'ip
bread and bacon. The coffee and SOUP
were in small tablets, which, when
placed in boiling water, were ready fol
consumption in two minutes. The
bread was in small, fat cakes, the
weight and hardness of a brick, but
when moistened swelled out like 9
sponge. The bacon was compressed
aud only needed to be warmed in Try
ing-pan. The soldiers started out will
ten DAYS rAkions, but the campaign
was brought to an abrupt end after
four days of 15-lnile marches. Iht
food no- only did not satisfy the hunger
or give strength, but seemed to irrltat<
the stomach. After the first meal, two
of the enlisted men had to be placed
under the surgeons care. At the ere
of the second day so of the 20 men il
the company were Ill, and on the fourth
day the whole command went nte
camp. and couriers were sent to tow
for hard-tack and ordinary coffee ant
bacon. Some of the soldiers were sell
ously i'll with stomach complaint, ant
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 alst
far from the proper appreciation o
natures complex requirements IN 1000
taking. Thus far the human laboln
tory. with it's multiple, interdependent
and complementary methods, has
monopoly of it's own in fixing In
proper standards for digestion, assim
ilation and subsequent growth. Their
is a natural law pervading the whole
that must not be violated by too radica
attempts at modification or improve
mcnt.
The stomach must earn it's living j
it's own way, as by such purely phys'o
logical effort in bringing each and al
Of it's mechanical, vital and chemlca
functions into play. it can best man
tain it's health, activity and usefulness
No prepared or concentrated food cal
relieve it of any or all of it's activit'e
in that gradual conversion OF Q leg5t'
mate quantity and quality OF food tha
constitutes q natural and perfect dl
gcstion.
In such an aspect q moderately ful
stomach is something more than feel
ing. It's work must be distributis
rather than restrictive. It must b
healthfully distended with food buls.
enough to occupy spare places; othc1
wise it's most important function !
hampered, while for lack Of mechan1
fa1 stimulus the intestines beconl
stagnatcd into almost helpless inacti'
ity.
nerIments failed ana the Victims psi
the penalty Of outraged physio'oglcs
laws So far, At least, there y not sun
cient reason, because = man becomes
Ax~ - IL .&<avxa = .h nlrtn1fA5 n