Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1898-09-20


the uplands are seldom met with IN
large areas.
mo camp is to be considered Ideal
unless 1t has am ample supply Of pure
water, a condition rarerly met
with in camps covering large areas.
The same is true as to running water
for camp purposes. "A serious objec-
tion to the assembling Of large bodies
Of men together is found in the facili-
ties afforded, through exchanging
visits, for the spread Of disease among
the men. During the damp weather
sputa and other germ-laden matter ac-
cumulates on the campus. When dry
weather ensues the grounds become
covered with dust, which is carried
about with winds, thus scattering the
disease germs. Excretions from the
body are liable at all times to find
their way into the sources OF water
supply, communicating the ssme. The
difficulty OF maintaining discipline, Sc
curing compliance with necessary sani-
tary rules, and carrying out thorough
inspection, increases with an increased
ratio as the size of the camp is IN
creased. The famous epidemic disease,
grippe, is said by some writers for
the press to have first appeared in Rus
STA, under conditions spoken OF here.
The excessive accumulation OF filth,
during the long Winters in cities 10
Gated on the rivers, was, during the
ensuing Spring, washed Gown and de-
posted along the lowlands. where the
foul conditions brought about the new
disease germs.
Disease would not cause our soldiers
so much trouble were II not for the
fact that they do not always live on
sanitary diet. Excessive coffee and tea
drinking, the use OF toSacco, badly
cooked foods and bad kinds OF food,
each and all contribute to prepare the
soldiers for the reception of disease.
Coffee interferes with the action OF the
gastric juices. Tea combats
the saliva in its work. Tobacco works
INJURY to the nerves. a prolific source
of diarrhoea, and other diseases OF the
alimentary canal, are the un-
wholesome methods of cooking
starch foods especially. Starch foods
49,. .,,o4,1,, dio,o,4od l,ry t1,a olfva PAW
starch cannot be digested by the saliva.
Poorly cooked starch foods are with
difficulty digested.. The starch gran
ules must be cooked under great heat
before they will be properly prepared
to receive the action OF the saliva,
which lis required in digestion. Bread
should be sliced and toasted dry and
crisp, brown through and through, be-
fore ii can be said to VI in an Ideal
condition for the average stomach.
The zwieback breads and Granose
breads solids by grocers are mentioned
as among the most sanitary kinds OF
bread. Oatmeal should be cooked for
two or three hours so that the starch
granules are thoroughly tisintegrated.
Warm breads, and soft breads in gen
eral are unwholesome and tend to de-
velop dyspepsia. When indigestfble
foods are eaten, residue after each
meal remains in the stomach where II
ferments. Chronic diarrhoea among
soldiers is largely due to this fact. The
diarrhoea is resorted to by nature as
means OF expelling from the system
undigested food which is rotting in the
stomach. It is said that 10000 Span
ism soldiers have died in CUBA during
the Cuban war from chronic diarrhoea
due to bad food and bad water. Starch
foods generally, when cooked in grease
are indigestib,e, for the reason that th'
grease so surrounds the starch gran
hles as to prevent the action OF th'
saliva. The grease is only digestioN
by the pancreatic juice and the bile
and so these undigested starch particles
are carried to the intestines in an un
digested form. The soldier who fries nj
bareback in grease makes work TOT TN
doctors"