New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-04
BIG MEN VS.. LITTLE MEN.
SUPERIOR ENDURANCE OF THOSE OF
SMALL STATURE
From The Washington star.


When the war is all over and the Army and
Navy medical departments set down to gather
ing and comparing statistics on fatalities
caused by disease and wounds" said naval
surgeon Of great experience. who is now III
Washington on furlough, y am confident IL Will
be found that the small. slight men who have
been through the campaigns, both by field and
HOOD VIII be found to nave been the best en-
durers Of hardships. This is Il fact that | have
often observed The big hard-musCled well de
velOped men go To pieces under severe hardship
and succumb much quicker TO epidemic diseases,
as well as 10 the ordinary diseases OF he than
do the small, fran looking chaps. or COURSE. 10
really fran men get into the Army or Navy
hut the service has always been filled with
plenty Of men under ordinary size whose APP
pearance with their clothes on causes men not
familiar with the subject TO wonder how they
ever passed the physical examinations required
by The Army and Navy. These understood but
perfectly sound men, both in the Army and
Navy, are Che best for hard service They may
not he atic 10 % such big things. Tut for long
service full az trouble ard worfimcnt and gen
vine haidshlps they are inCompaTably better
than the hig fellows, who look as II they might
be able TO outlast any three of the smaller men,
I've often noticed that in practice marches 10y
naval landing parties the ht;le fellows have
invariably the best Of the argument when II
comes 10 heavy douhc-t me work unCcr hot
tropical suns. I've seen huge sailors and ma
rncs drop out Of lire in sets Of fourS under such
and sea soldiers stand 10 the game through
everything. and rarely ran 20 the rear. Army
surgeons ieI me. 700. mat IN rough campaign
ing n thc West the smaller men have invariably
shown tht nsrlves 90 BE- better lcSiStors of hard
ship than the big fellows They say shat
among the douehhoys. or infantry men when =
big practice march rs in progress the men #
big stature and hc-h and muscle ar" always
anon. th' FRS % throw Up their hands and
ask foi Transportation ln ooHiulssaTy and quar-
tcrmastcr wagons. while the small men trudgo
on doggcdly.
Another thing the Army surgeons tell me
that might seem peculiar to those who haven't
been IN any military service is that tho sol
dIcys recruited from the cities are invariably
better endurers ~ hard campaigning than tho
soldiers recruited from the country districts. II
might naturally be- thought that ccUri fNmcu.
used to opcn-ar work and hCUI.nE over fui
ro""d h'Ids would prov" th'nls".t"s away
ahead OF thc city ia's when Z cam" q kc'pin-
IN line on FORTY mica day marches u.tT W'Hf.
crn country. INT the Army surgeons fdy mat
The country men are tho first "a CONT ain - sore
feet ana g. cast thor Eyes louEluEl' upon IN"
wagons and anlhUlancrs At tne rear i q rather
have command ~ company Of Bowery beys
and city wharf rats at any time fald one -
n hi-oLt - biz. raw lads just ~ thu fa-u.
II the country hnfF =" soy" tines DON 49,
closed at'ut 1t ana wait FOR mon sorcn''s g.
Pass ~. rut they break f'r The f.ck report
night away The city LADS get their teen down
hard and grin and hear d.
Aboard ship ia she Navy I've noticed ever
sncr nrst went % sea- wh!'h was matter y
NEARLY thirty years ago, that when . t.p blue
Jacket gets down SICK .n th' . bias ard
smaller man Ir token with 'hc fau.c iio.iI.
tnat ails tn big man fhc s..ali,f chap luvar.a-
biy becomes ,orra.osoc.t long rcfrrc The b.g
man begins o. rr.Hd
"lu cases whoi" ships I have tocu atia. bed
to have hc.oa' afflicted with "pld~u,.cs and
half 81 ships cong any nave gone down Iv' OBJ
served ihd' the chances Dl "a" small men rc'ny-
eIing have always teen almost twIC" ~ great
ne Tho chances az The tg mon This is paftiru-
lsry fIu. - fine f-v'f- THAT Dir ships conn 4riee
.n tropical waters 4 ir1rr. heavy man Is twice
ar ..atic tn r.t fhc l's'r hicHu -e coast f"t.r'
for ,NaIul.. as "a small man. and rr .- twice
ae liable 900 die from 2. too For cAdiaI .'. about
aUrcn years ago the old nav WIND. idmW,r
] was attached "a was working nor way up INC
coast a. central America. when pretty nearly
all hands got the coast l'.cr The big men
were tho first 90 got into re sick bay. but the
disease vas of q peculiarly violent character on
.;laf eccaeion and within q week after the
disease came over the SIDE about ihrcc-quar-
tors ~ the ships company, fore and aft. boys
and men. were co The fia;s q thc.r backs.