The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-04-21
KATIONS ~ THE TROPICS.


troubles of the digestive and other
organs due to neglect or ignorance of
correct dietary.
RATIONS IN THE TROPICS.
According to the regulations of the
army, our men in the tropics are fed
just as are the soldiers at home, or in
China. The law gives them the same
rations whether they are at the poles
or on the equator. A large quantity of
meat is supplied to them, while there
is but little light food. 1t is an unwtse
way to treat them. Nature herself sup,
plies in the tropics a vast amount OF
heat. and the men should be fed on
light foods. When nature has enough
heat for the body in the climate, she
rebels against too much heat being sup
piled to the body through foods The
only device by which she can protect
herself is through some form or
diarThoea. catarrh, or something similar
And it is in this way that our soldiers
suffer and have suffered.
conclusive proof of the correctness
OF this position is afforded by the CON
dition of our soldiers in China. They
are given the same rationS as the men
at Manila, but in China these rations
are suited to the climate China is a
much colder country. around Pekin, than
is the Philippines, the temperature for
the month Of February ranging from 80
degrees Fahrenheit to degrees below
zero. 1t is perfect JOY tC see the con-
dition Of our men in China. They are
all cIear-eyed and jovial, happy just to
be alive
The vital statistics for our troops at
PeFin on Feb. Is showed that out of
1851 soldiers, officers and men, but eighty
were in the hospital and of these only
three were suffering-and they only
Il
is remarkable showing. The men also
have good water and everything possible
is done to preserve their health We
have six distilling plants in Pe+Iin, al
though there is scarcely use fer more
than one of them. To this pure water
also can be ascribed in part the health
and happiness our men are enjoying
and their freedom from typhoid fever
which has seriously affected others CT
the allied army
The troops have gained weight and
are very much healthier in every way in
emma than they were in the Philippines
One company that may be taken as a
type, weighed on Feb. 10, thirteen pounds
TO the man more than it did when 1t
left Manila eight months before And
Yet congress just a few weeks since de-
clded not to change the army ratiois in
any particular.
1t Is radically wrong to give our men
such food as we do in Cuba, Porto Rico
and the philippines. Nearly all the sick
ness that exists among the troops is due
to preVeEtable diseases, and nearly all
the fatalities in the Spanish war were
due to the neglected ignorance Of the
persons who had to do with the matter
of army rations,
OUR SOLDIERS IN CHINA.
"OIr troops in China are the onlv SOL
diers there not quartered III houses, but
our men seem to enjoy their tents. The
weather has veen very cold there lately.
but the United States soldiers have lined
their tents with felt. They keep them
closely covered around the bottom. ard
inside they have little Sibley stoves. The
men are happy ana seem the most con-
tented troops in China
Gen. Chaffee is the idol of his men.
and is probably the most influential and
popular soldier in Pekin. He is a strict
disciplinarian, but is q man of honor in
every sense The men of all the allied
armies, and particularly the Chinese
themselves look up to him. [ was pres
ent at the reception given him when he
was made a major general. and / know
the intelligent people in China congrai-
ulate us most heartily upon having such
q representative in Pekin. Gen. Chaffee
has been very careful to see to it that
Cur men were not concerned in the loot
ing that has been going on at such ;,
fearful rate in China, and ceurt-uoartfal
proceedings would have been Instituted
al once II the general were to find anJ