Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1900-04-05
THE ARMY RATION.
Present Food 81 Our Soldiers Unsuitable For
the Tropics.


A board of officers at the, War De-
partment in Washington, which has
been listening to reports on the adapta-
bility of the old army ration to serv-
ice in the tropics, has decided to recon-
mend some changes. The ration,
which consisted of bareback, bacon,
fresh or canned beef, and potatoes,
canned tomatoes or onions, was suit
able and ample for campaigning in
the temperature zone. In the United
States bread took the place of hard
tack and the profits of the canteen
We're used to vary the bill of fare. 1t
may be said, without fear of contra
diction, that American soldiers are bet
ter fed than those of any other coun-
try. But the old ration is ill-suited to
service in the West Indies and the
Philippines, although in LuZon our men
have lived almost like epicures for
weeks together when in touch with
Manila. But sometimes when engaged
in chasing the insurgents through the
interior, they have to fall back on
the old army ration with all its i'm
projections. One of the witnesses ex-
amined by the board was DR.. Louis l..
Seaman, of New York, who has served
as regimental surgeon in Puerto Rico
and the Luzon. He told painful
story of sickness among the troops in
both islands. The Montana regiment,
after being on the firing lire in Lu-
Zon, for many weeks was but skele-
ton regiment. At one time only $50
men We're fit for duty. Regular regi-
ments had similar, if not more dis
NAL, experience. Bowel troubles were
the common cause Of disability, and
they were often followed by typhoid
and other fevers. DIR. Seaman was of
the opinion that the intestinal irrita-
ton could be traced to the heating
foods supplied in the ration. No man
can eat much meat in the tropics and
be well, and when that meat is fried
in grease, after the fashion Of the sol
der cook, it has much the same effect
as an irritant poison.
It is plain that the army ration for
the tropics must be more vegetable in
character than the old ration, which
could hardly be improved upon for use
on home stations. Rice will be one of
the principal components. a great deal
of heavy campaigning can be done on
rice alone, but the American soldier
would almost rebel if it were to be
made the staple Of his ration. He will
always demand a portion of meat of
some kind. In the tropics it must be
small portion and free from fatty
matter. This consideration rules ba-
con out altogether. Lean mutton, be-
ing easy to digest and also nutritious,
is probably the best meat he could
have. Reinforced with rice and the
vegetables of the country, it would
make an excellent staple. Australia
could furnish all the mutton required
by our troops in the Philippines, and
at rates with which our sheep-raisers
cannot compete, owing to the higher
freight. 1t is proposed to substitute
cocoa or chocolate for tea and coffee
in the tropics. The idea is good
one, for the campaigning soldier drinks
a quart of coffee three times day If
he gets the opportunity, and the effect
on his nerves and stomach is deplor-
able. at last. But the ration of the fu-
ture which will receive the most at
tention from war departments is the
condensed ration, ten days supply
of which the marching soldier or the
mounted infantryman can carry with
him without impairing his mobility.
There are times in a campaign when
it is much more important that the
soldier shall be nourished sufficiently
to do his work than that he shall en-
joy what he eats.