Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1899-08-31
THE IDEAL. ARMY RATION.

THE IDEAL ARMY RATION.
The ration OF the army today con-
SistS of the following constituents;
Fresh beef, or mutton when the cost
does mot exceed thar Of beef, 20 ounces.
or pork or bacon, II ounces; or salt
beef, ~ ounces, or, when meat can
not he furnished, dried fish. Is ounces;
or corn meal 20 ounces, Baking
powder for troops in the field whom
necessary To enable them 10 bake their
own bread, 1925 ounce, Roaas or peas,
20 ounces, OF rice or huMiny, | S.6
ounces. Potatoes. Ii ounces; or no
mtocs L. - ounces, and onions, 3 is
oUaeeS; or potatoes, II t-o ounces, or
canned tomatoes, As ounces. or l-5
ounces of other fresh vegetables. not
canned, when they can he obtained In
the vicinity OF the post or transported
IN n wholesome condition from dis
lance Coffee, green, &-5 ounces, OF
roasted coffee, lI-25 ounces, or tea,
green or black, S-g5 ounce, Sugar,
2-5 ounces; or molasses or cane
syrup, 1925 gin, Vinegar, $40 gill;
SAT-, l6-@5 ounce; pepper black. t-95
ounce.
\ proper diet for the tropics, ohvl-
ously should he ot vegetable char
actcr. This would supply the ele-
mcnts OF energy, without mduly heat
Ing the body, This Is just what the
ideal rather should accomplish II
should accommodate Kself to the needs
Of tho individual everywhere. In the
north II should supply him with the
abundance of producing elements
demanded by tho colder climate, while
In the south 1t should limit that supply
and provide him with the diet suited
to his new environment, II should,
further, IN southern or tropical cam
paigns. when hnrrael or camp life is
abandoned for active work in the field.
readily adapt Itself to the increased
demand Of the system for heterogeneous
elements; for field work with IT'S
greater activity, requires greater
food than does tho
quieter life In barracks. This was H.
Illustrated IN several regiments that
visited Porto Rico, notably In one oi
The artillery regiments which landed
about the same time as did my own,
the FIRST United States volunteer en-
glneers. This particular regiment saw
the hardest kind Of work from the very
moment OF its arrival until. upon the
signing Of the protocol 1t was sent
north, During Its stay on the island
about six weeks the troops sub
sisted almost entirely upon the travel
ration" (mueh worse than the field
ration when viewed from the stand
point OF the ideaD, but they had COM
paratively little sickness, the effect
OF the excess OF the heterogeneous ele-
ment having been neutrulized by the
tremendously active life tho men had
been compelled to lead.
In order to reach the ideal, then,
the prcRtnt ration should be radically
changed. The beef and salt pork com
pOncnt should be cut In two, and far
inaceous food and hsh substituted.
There would be plenty of meat left
oycn then, for the old theory that
meat alone makes Drawn md muscle
has long since been exploded. Beef
has been beaten time and again on the
athletic field. ana on the plains OF
Marathon, In the great International
games recently held in the presence
Of the king and assembled thousands,
tho victorious champion ln the 81
mile foot race was he who had not
tasted Il single ounce Of meat In his
long course OF training. Sailed ra-
lions should also be issued but once,
or Mt most. twice during the week,
and fresh supplies should be provided
from beef on the hoof at the point
where Issued or the cereals, one OF
The best Ia homlny, which IL not only
nutritious and easily dlgested. but is
rcllshed by the men as well, Equally
valuable Is the rice component. and Its
present Issue should be quadruplod In
quantity. The black or red bean
(frlIol) Of the tropics should be SUBJ
stituted, in southern ATTITUDES, for the
white bean OF this country, and dried
fruits, especially apples and prunes,
should DO added 10 tho ration.--Dr.
Louis l.. Seaman. in Leslles Weekly.