introgenous waste of the system amounts to about this quantity. The standard diets call for a larger proportion, but it is questionable whether this is not a concession to meat-eating habits rather than a necessity of the system. The emergency ration above recommended gives close upon the quantity needful to repair muscular wastes. Should there be a deficiency it could be made up by meat issues when the emergency is at an end. The board is called upon to report upon the minimum amount of articles of food necessary to sustain a soldier in health and activity while in active service in the field for a limited period. In considering this subject the board recognized that the wear and tear of the human machine involved in the mere act of living, i. e., in keeping up the vital processes and in sustaining the heat of the system at its normal degree, required the expenditure of a certain amount of energy. To supply this energy a corresponding amount of food must be introduced into the system, and this amount is usually spoken of by physiologists as subsistence diet. The quantities are stated somewhat differently by different authors. The lowest figures are those of Playfair, who calls for 14.5 ounces, of which 2 are protein, 12 starches, and 0.5 fat, containing 138 grains of nitrogen, 2,975 of carbon, and having the available energy of 1,758 calories. The board believes, from the evidence before it, and as the outcome of its discussions on this subject, that men in well-fed and healthy condition at starting can undergo the ordinary fatigues and hardships of an active campaign for at least ten days on the equivalent of a subsistence diet, such as that given by Playfair, and without any impairment of health resulting from the temporarily restricted diet. Hence, if the emergency should require economy in the use of the emergency ration, the men could be put upon a limited dietary. Even if put on half rations they would have a full subsistence diet, so that in the direst emergency, rations for five days might be made to last for ten. The troops would individually suffer loss of weight by having to supplement their deficient dietary from their own tissues, but repair in sound men would be effected by a few days of rest and full diet. The board considered from its experiments that emergency rations for five days should be the maximum number of rations to be carried on the person of the soldier. In emergencies of less than five days the troops should be required to carry the full ration for the number of days stated. In emergencies of longer duration the commanding officers may direct economy in the use of the ration, so that the five days' rations may be made to last for any number of days not exceeding ten. From their character as issued the articles of the ration are susceptible of accurate subdivision, by which means they may be used with any degree of liberality between a minimum of subsistence diet and a maximum emergency or hard labor diet. Respectfully submitted. CHAS. SMART, C. A. WOODRUFF, dent. Major and Commissary of Subsistence. E. A. GARLINGTON, Major and Inspector-General. Captain, Sixth Cavalry. W. C. BROWN, First Lieutenant, First Cavalry, Recorder. WAR DEPARTMENT, SURGEON-GENERAL'S OFFICE, Washington, May 5, 1896. SIR: I have the honor to forward herewith the summary of proceedings of a board of officers convened by paragraph 3, Special Orders, No. 74, Headquarters of the Army, Adjutant-General's Office, March 28, 1896, "to consider and recommend a proper ration for troops operating in emergencies." Accompanying this will be found the daily record of proceedings and its appended papers. CH. SMART, Respectfully, Major and Surgeon, U. S. A., President. WAR DEPARTMENT, October 6, 1896. Respectfully referred to the Major-General Commanding the Army, for remark. DANIEL S. LAMONT, Secretary of War. [Second indorsement.] HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, Respectfully returned to the honorable the Secretary of War. The report of the board as contained in the summary of its proceedings is approved, and the adoption of the recommendations contained therein is advised. NELSON A. MILES, Major-General, Commanding. HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, From the Major-General Commanding to the Adjutant General for publication, with the orders and instructions to carry it into effect. General Orders,} No. SAML. BRECK, Assistant Adjutant-General. HEADQUARTERS OF THE ARMY, 1. The following order has been received from the War Department: WAR DEPARTMENT, Washington, December 5, 1896. Under the authority vested in him by section 1146, Revised Statutes, the President hereby establishes an emergency ration for troops operating for short periods under sons. circumstances which require them to depend upon supplies carried upon their perIts component parts are as follows: Bacon, 10 ounces; hard bread, 16 ounces; pea-meal, 4 ounces, or an equivalent in approved material for making soup; coffee, roasted and ground, 2 ounces, or tea, one-half ounce; saccharin, 4 grains; salt, .64 ounce; pepper, .04 ounce; tobacco, one-half ounce. DANIEL S. LAMONT, Secretary of War. 2. The Secretary of War directs that this emergency ration be resorted to only on occasions arising in active operations when the use of the regularly established ration may be impracticable; that, although its nutritive qualities permit its use on half allowance, it will not be so used except in cases of overruling necessity, and never for a longer period than ten days; and that not more than five days' emergency rations be carried on the person at one time. 3. By direction of the Secretary of War, the Subsistence Department will provide tough paraffin paper for wrapping the bacon; will furnish hard bread in grease-proof packages, the pea meal in cylindrical packages, and the coffee, tea, saccharin, salt, pepper, and tobacco in suitable packages. By command of Major-General Miles: GEORGE D. RUGGLES, Adjutant-General. |