Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-07-05
FACTS ABOUT THE
COUNTRY ALONG
The RIO CRANDE
Worry Should Be Relieved as
Regards the Health of the
Troops Doing Border Duty.

A, former resident of Texas writes in
terestingly of geographical knowledge
concerning the country to which our
Maine soldier boys have been called in
response to the President, saying:
Despite the fact that the Mexican
situation has been so long before US,
with the attendant possibility Of the
call for our National Guard, it is sur
prisine how little accurate knowledge
there is of the nature of the life along
the border
When one remembers that the border
is nearly equal in length to the dis
lance from here to Chicago and return,
the possibility of varied conditions is
apparent but on the high table land
which is the present arena of activity,
Of which Ell PaSo is the centre, the
climate is wonderful. l have lived in
it the year round. 1t is true at this
season of the year it is hot; judged by
our thermometer readings, it would
seem unbeara BILE and unlivable, but the
air IS so rare and dry that one is not
conscious of it-eXcept in the sun-as
the moment shade Of any kind is
reached one is always comfortable. In
the years spent there l never heard of
a case of heat prostration. The nights
are always cool. Darkness falls imme-
diately after the sun goes down, and
with it goes the heat A hot night is
unknown, and usually pair of blank
cts is necessary. And such sleep.
Never in any part of this country have
l experienced anything that compares
exhilarated feeling one wakens with,
not one morning but every morning,
while from sheer delight he breathes
deeply to drink in deep draughts Of
the pure fresh air. Particularly is this
the case the mornings of the rainy
season. which is usually from the
middle Of May to the first of July. The
rains generally fall at night, but even
to the soldier sleeping in the open the
dscomfortS are tranSitory, for when
the storm has passed there are no dis
aereea bic conditions such as we have
here in miro and mud and oppressive
humidity.
Natures greatest provision in this
country is evaporation. 1t is the key
note of bodily comfort. 1t is this that
prevents the discomforts and annoy
ances of PRECIPITATION for while the
skin performs it's natural function,
evaporation is instant and complete
and the body is always dry. Though
this minimizes the dangers Of colds
which are extremely rare-this dryness
sometimes causes the skin of the feet
to crack. If so, daily rubbing with
vaseline is advised.
1t is the same provision Of our good
old Mother Nature (evaporation) that
makes it possible to have not only cool
fruits of all kinds. All drinking water
is kept in large porous earthen jars
called oyas, holding from ten to twen-
ty gallons. These are filled each day,
then for immediate household use
smaller quantities are placed in earthen
bottles which correspond to our carafe.
This clay bottle is usually wrapped in
a towel which is kept wet, and the
water gets perfectly cold, in tempera
ture resembling that of good spring.
The same method is applied to fruits,
wrapping in a wet towel. After
eating them cooled in this manner one
concludes that never before have the
perfection and deliciousness Of this ar
ticle Of food been appreciated
Now as to the erroneous idea con-
corning sanitation. The gaunt fear Of
typhoid that is stalking in the homes
of those left behind would disappear If
| could reach the ear Of all thus wor-
ried, From my observation typhoid is
the least probable illness. First Of all
there are few, if any, conditions fav-
orabie to the breeding of germs. While
on the border the Rio Grande will
supply the drinking water, which is
good. This important river has a
sandy bed and is fed by tributaries
from sandy soil, and it is a we'll es-
tablished fact that water running
through sand is filtered and purified.
Refuse does not go through the process
Of decay as we are familiar with it up
here. nor does it give off any disagree
able odors. The dry, hot air forms a
coating, and the sun and heated sands
bake it: then disintegration takes
place.
This action of the rare air is most as
tonishing to strangers in it's effects
upon meats, all kinds of which hang
ont in the open. Evaporation is so
rapid that the surface moisture is alb
sorbed as soon as exposed to the air A
coating is thus formed that hermetic-
ally seals it, thereby preserving the
meat which suffers no deterioration
even when pieces are cut from it, as
with each cutting the process is re-
peated. This is truly a wonderful pro-
vision of nature, the economic value Of
which can he readily appreciated.
The one unpleasant feature that the
soldier in Mexico will encounter is the
which fortunately occur
only periodically, and l would suggest
that each man provide himself with a
pair Of dustproof goggles. which are
absolutely .necessary."-N. Y. Tribune.
+" MARTHA H. GAISER.
New York, June Is, 1916.