The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1902-05-01
SCIENTIFIC MARCHING.
Curious Test in Germany Of the
Effect Of Fatigue on Soldiers.


London Standard: The current mum.
ber OF Nature calls attention to an I'm.
portant investigation into the physical
effects on soldiers Of route marching.
Needless TO say the experiments were
taken In Germany. one of the authors
being Professor Zuntg Of Berlin. the
other Dr. Schumherg Of Hanover. an
authority ON military medical subjects,
for Il Is the habit OF that country 10
submit questions OF experimental tests
In the hands OF competent invest
igators. insteed OF making use OF red
tape or the rough-and-ready process OF
sacrificing n few lives.
The voluminous description of these
experiments has been carefully sum.
married.. and VIC gather that their aim
was 10 ascertain the effect produced
by marching under conditions more or
less severe on the various organs and
functions OF the body. Five members
or the Kaiser Wilhelm academic, the
cadet school for medical students, de-
signed for service In that department
OF the army. volunteered for the expert
ments.
During the three months from May
to July they marched at frequent in
tervals n distance OF about fifteen ana
half miles without altering the route
or the pace. Usually they started at
7 o'clock occasionally at 8 In the morn
Ing, haltlng once for ten minutes and
another time half an hour for break
fast. and they wore the usual service
uniform ami nccouterments--in fact,
the only mnterlnl alteration In the con-
dltions was in the amount Of weight
carried. At first this was light: then
the knarsacks wore loaded up TO -
and progressively to 6s pounds. Then
they sought to ascertain--continuing .
set OF experiments already undertaken
by German war ONCE commission
the limit Of weight which each soldier
could carry without interfering with his
capacity for effective fighting at the
end OF DAYS march. Several Of the
results asccrtaiued would be intelligible
only 10 exports but the more important
can be readily understood.
Some proved that the character OF the
food becomes n very important matter
when heavy marching Is undertaken,
for then. as a result Of respiratory
chances. the consumption. .ef carhohy-
dratcs IL greater tk1n the ordinary ra>
tions can supply, which leaves the fat
OF the body rs the only energy-pro6uc-
pg material So. II men are to be kept
in good condition one day of rest
should follow three OF heavy marching.
to enable the body TO make ND for the
loss IN feeding on itself. The effect Of
experiments on the excretory process
was healthful. and the nervous system
appears 20 have been undisturbed. The
general condition OF the men improved:
/ they got rid ~ superfuous fat. and so
lost weight the amount ranging from
three TO nearly eight pounds
The most important and signlhcant
effects were those connected with the
heart It's action was noticed In the
usual way--hy the sphymograph TO vary
In form with the amount Of weight car
ried. When that was considerable then
Z the hearts action evidently became nor
/ NAL. and. besides the significant change
] In the shape Of the curve the pulse in
I creased 10 40 or even $50 beats o
/ minute. The Investigators attribute
these effects to fatigue In the cardiac
muscle, ana concluded from them that
/ IS pounds e. the heaviest weight which
| can be carried without risk Of doing
| permanent damage to the heart.
They also nscertained that the right
side OF The heart became somewhat
/ dilated. leading TO n stagnatlon In the
yenous circulation This was noticed
in only about half the observations
when the Hight weight was carried. but
II increased TO fully 81 per cent with
the heaviest one Thus the well known
| disordered action of the heart. which is
a frequent consequence OF military
| training and the cause OF consider
able amaunt ot invaliding In the British
army, Is explained.
A summary OF these investigations
put In plain English should find place
in official handhooks for the army. We
may be sure that they will not be
plgconholed IN the German war ofTice.