The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-08-28
LESSON NO. 8.
MARCHING AND CARE or FEET.

MARCHING AND CARE OF FEET.
Preceding Lessons: !, Your
Post of Honor. 2. Making Good as
Soldier. g. Nine Qualities of a
Soldier. 4. Getting Ready for Camp.
5. First Days in Camp. Q. Cleanli-
ness in Camp. Z. Your Healthy
The new soldier seldom under
stands how important it is for him
to learn to march and to develop his
muscles so that he can easily carry
his arms and equipment. Marching
constitutes the principal occupation
Of troops in campaign" Unfantry
Drill Regulations, paragraph 623O
Modern trench warfare in Europe
has for the time being reduced the
amount of marching required in
campaign; yet it remains just as
important an element in the soldiers
training as 1t ever was.
In order to march for long dis
taflces the soldiers feet must be in
good condition. AS has been aptly
remarked, 1.-The infantTyman's feet
are his means of transportation"
Special attention should be paid to
the fitting of shoes and the care of
the feet. Marching shoes should be
quite a little larger than shoes for
ordinary wear Sores and blisters
on the feet should be promptly dress
ed during halts. At the end Of the
march feet should be bathed and
dressed; the socks, and If practicable
the shoes, should be changed"
Infantry Drill Regulations, para
graph 627.)
You will learn in time the practical
rules for taking case of your feet
that are followed by experienced SOL
diers. You will avoid considerable
discomfort, however, If you learn
some of these rules now and put
them into practice from the very
beginning:
/. See that your shoes are large
enough. They will at first look and
feel unnecessarily loose. This is
needed because it has been found
that feet swell and lengthen on
marches, especially when carrying
packs. But shoes fitted this way
will give you no corns, burions.
they will cure any that you may al
ready have.
2. Take pains to keep your shoes
IN good condition. 1t is q good idea
to apply a light coat Of neat's-foot
oil, which will both soften the leather
and tend to make them waterproof.
Don't neglect to smooth out wrinkles
in the lining of the shoe. Break in
new shoes before wearing them on
long marches.
8. Wear light wooden socks. such
as will be issued to you. See that
you have no holes or wrinkles in
them. If hole has been worn and
can not be mended at once, change
the sock from one foot to the other
so that your foot will not be irritated
more than is necessary. 81
4. Keek your feet, socks, and
shoes clean. When on the march try
to wash your socks at night and put
on clean pair every morning. Battle
the feet every evening, or at least
wipe them off with q wet towel.
S. Keep your feet scrupulously
clean. A foot bath can be taken,
when other facilities are not at hand,
by scrapirg a small depression in the
ground, throwing a porcho over 1t
and pouring water into this from
your canteen. Even a pint of water
will do for a foot bath. You can
battle all over by making or finding
a depression of suitable size and
using your poncho as for a foot
bath.
8. Keep your toe nails trimmed
closely and cut them square across
the ends. This will tend to prevent
ingrowing nails. BY all means avoid
the common error of rounding the
corners of the nail and cutting it to
a point in the center.
Z. In case a blister Is formed while
on the march, open the edge Of the
blister with the point of knife or a
needle that has been heated in a
match flame. Be sure TO squeeze all
the fluid out of the blister. To leave
any in 1t may make it worse. Do
not pull off the loose skin but press
1t back. Then put on an adhesive
plaster, covering the skin we'll be-
You'd the edges of the blister. putting
Is on as tightly as possible without
wrinkles. In the same way put an
adhesive plaster over any red OF
tender spots.
8. In case any tendons become In
famed or swollen CASUALLY due &c
lacing the logging or shoe too tight
ly or to some other unnecessary
pressure), soak the foot in cold
water, massage the tendon, and pro-
tect 1t as much as possible by strips
| of adhesive plaster. You should re-
port to a medical officer at your