The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1898-08-20
THE ARMY RATION.
DxpeFirnouto 70 Produce . CON.
SIS oon4xatOd Food 80

lxpsrirneuts 20 Produce . Com
oon4ratod Food
MseAAne HsanA - faas - r1ass e sAs
Oa1.1asAioo6d RaHion q Dasea
anA HArdtaek In suita-
able Bulk.
Ths recent experiments OF the United
States government to test the value OF
. concentrated army ration have quite
naturally proved faianrel They were
instituted by the secretary Of war with
. view to reducing the bulk and weight
OF food without impairing ita nutritive
functions. This appeared to be necessi-
lated BY the fact that the American
army In more In need Of possible sm-
provements in this lima. in view Of tho
heavy, tedious and lon& transportation
Of supplies across the plains and
through districts that are incapable OF
afording 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 i true Of the French.
Russian, Austrian and other European
armies, but ut the same time the sol
diers usually have IN their knapsa<ks
what il called m emergency" ration.
Renerelly 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 ries In
= little tin case strapped 70 the top OF
their knnpsacks. 8.s
The reports made by tho different
military departments to which the
questions were referred are interesting
- bearing upon the value OF food prod
ucts generally and on the physioloRi-
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 nouvishment.
All the observers agree, however,
that the old-iashioned ration OF bacon
and hard-tack in suitable bulk Il the
most practical that has ever been sug-
gested. The quantity Of food neceS-
sary to keep . soldier in good condi-
zion is fixed at - ounces. The latter
amount IN increased for obvious rea-
sons to 26 ounces.
When the theories were put to prnc-
tical test the result was a. might have
been anticipated. Various concen-
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.
1t 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 in boiling water, were ready Tor
consumption In two minutes. The
bread was in small. fat cakes, the
weight and hardness Of . brick. but
when moistened swelled out like
sponge. The bacon was compressed
and only needed to be warmed in . fry
ine-pan. The soldiers started out with
ten days rations, but the campaign
wav brought 70 IN 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 end
Of the second day 30 Of the 20 men In
the company were i'll, and on the fourth
day the whole command went into
camp, and couriers were sent to town
for bareback and ordinary coffee and
bacon. Some Of the soldiers were se1i'
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 II TO Be learned regarding
laboratory feeding, but that we are alAe
tar from the proper appreciation Of
natures complex requirements IN food
taking. Thus far the human laboia'
tory, With its multiple. lnterdependent
and complementary methods, haa
monopoly OF It's own In fixing the
proper standards for digestiou. assim
ilation and subsequent growth. Their
u natural law pezvading the whole
that must not be vjolated by too radica
attempts at modification OF improve
menk ati
The stomach must earn its living II
its own way, ~ by such purely Physio
logical effort in bringing each and nj
Of it, mechanical, vital and chemlca
functions into play, it can best man
tain It's health, activity and usefulness
No prepared or concentrated food e&'
relieve it Of any or all of it, activite
in that gradual conversion Of leg'ti
mate quantity and quality Of food tha
constitutes . natural and perfect di
eestion.
In such IN aspect . moderately ful
stomach 10 something more than feel
ing. Its work must be distributis
rather than restrictive. It must b
BEAUTIFULLY distended with food bulk,,
enough to occupy spare places; Other
wise, Its most important function
hampered. while for lack Of mechan'
cal stimulus the intestines becom
staonated into almost helpless inaetav
ity. II
| Hence Il - easy to see how, the ex
periments failed and the victims Pei
the penalty Of outraged physiologica
/ e.