Sepoy Diet.-Dr. Goodwin has calculated the diet of a Hindu, such as a Sepoy servant, to consist of 4.387 oz. of albuminates; 1.278 oz. of fat; 18.584 oz. of carbo-hydrates; and .64 oz. of salts-total_water-free food, 25.113 oz. It is thus a really better diet than that of the European soldier. The principal articles were 24 oz. of attar (ground wheat), 4 oz. of dholl (pea), and 1 oz. of ghee (butter). In other cases rice is more or less substituted for wheat. The Hindu diet consists of wheat, or of some of the millets (cholum, ragee, cumboo-see Millets), rice, leguminosa (Cajanus indicus), with green vegetables, oil, and spices. If any kind of diet of this sort has to be calculated, it can be readily done by means of the analysis of the usual foods previously given. For example, a Hindu prisoner at labor in Bengal receives, under Dr. Mouat's dietary,' the following diet during his working days :— In some Bengal prisons, 2 ounces of fish or flesh appear to be also given. In the Looshai expedition the Sepoys received-rice, 1 b; flour, 1 b; ghee, 2 oz.; salt, 1.5 oz." The nutritive value, if the ghee is calculated as butter, is 178 grains of nitrogen and 6,080 of carbon, which, though deficient in nitrogen, would appear to be a good diet in respect of carbon. Probably some peas were added. SECTION III. THE CLOTHING OF THE SOLDIER. The structure and examination of fabrics have been already given. Regulations.-No specific instructions are laid down in the "Medical Regulations" respecting clothing, but the spirit of the general sanitary rules necessarily includes this subject also. When an army takes the field, the Director-General is directed to issue a code for the guidance of medical officers, in which clothing is specially mentioned; and the sanitary officer with the force is ordered to give advice in writing to the commander of the forces, on the subject of clothing among other things. 'See Mouat's elaborate report On the Diet of Bengal Prisoners, Government Return, 1860, p. 49. The chittack is reckoned as the bazaar chittack, viz., .1283 lb, or about 2 ounces avoir. Some useful information on prison and coolie diets will be found in a memorandum prepared by Surg. -Major I. B. Lyon, F.C.S., Chemical Examiner to the Government at Bombay, May, 1877. 2 Indian Med. Gazette, March 1, 1872. Formerly a certain sum, intended to pay for the clothing of the men, was allotted by Government to the colonels of regiments. This was a relic of the old system by which regiments were raised, viz., by permitting certain persons to enlist men, and assigning to them a sum of money for all expenses. The colonel employed a contractor to find the clothes, and received from him the surplus of the money after all payments had been made. A discretionary power rested with the service officers of the regiment, who could reject improper and insufficient clothing, and thus the interests of the soldier were in part protected.' The system was evidently radically bad in principle, and since the Crimean war, the Government has gradually taken this department into its own hands, and a large establishment has been formed at Pimlico, where the clothing for the army is now prepared. This system has worked extremely well; the materials have been both better and cheaper, and important improvements have been and are still being introduced into the make of the garments, which cannot fail to increase the comfort and efficiency of the soldier. At the Pimlico depôt the greatest care is taken to test all the materials and the making up of the articles; the viewers are skilled persons, who are believed to be in no way under the influence of contractors. In January, 1865, a warrant was issued containing the regulations for the clothing of the army, and several other warrants and circulars have since been promulgated. They are now consolidated in the "Regulations for the Supply of Clothing and Necessaries to the Regular Forces," 1881 (vol. ii., "Revised Army Regulations"). When a soldier enters the army he is supplied with his kit; some articles are subsequently supplied by Government, others he makes good himself. In the infantry of the line a careful soldier can keep his kit in good order at a cost of about £1 per annum. The following are the articles of the kit supplied to the infantry recruit: 66 ' But this safeguard was not sufficient. Officers are not judges of excellence of cloth; for this it requires special training. As Robert Jackson said sixty years ago : Soldiers' clothing is inspected and approved by less competent judges than those who purchase for themselves." 2 By a Circular, November, 1865, flannel shirts only are ordered to be supplied to the recruit. The kit is divided' into the surplus and the service kit. The former, consisting of 1 frock, 1 pair of socks, 1 shirt, 1 towel, 2 brushes, and such articles for the hold-all as are not wanted, is carried for the men. The service kit is supposed to be carried by the man, either on his person or in his knapsack. Certain articles are also issued free of expense at stated intervals. For the particulars of these reference must be made to the "Regulations," 1881, where they are stated in detail. The following are the articles issued to the line infantry soldier at home :— In India and the West Indies, and other Tropical Stations, light clothing of different kinds is used-drill trousers and calico jackets, or in India complete suits of the khakee, a native gray or dust-colored cloth, or tunics of red serge, and very light cloth. The khakee is said not to wash well, and white drill is superseding it. The English dress is worn on certain occasions, or in certain stations. Formerly the home equipment was worn even in the south of India; but now the dress is much better arranged, and also differences of costume for different places and different times of the year are being introduced. During Campaigns extra clothing is issued according to circumstances. In the Crimea the extra clothing was as follows for each man :— 2 Jersey frocks. 2 Woollen drawers. 2 Pairs woollen socks. 2 Pairs woollen mitts. 1 Cholera belt. 1 Fur cap. 1 Tweed lined coat. To each regiment also a number of sheepskin coats was allowed for sentries. The "Regulations" of 1881 order the following articles of clothing to be issued to each man proceeding on active service in cold, temperate, or hot climates : 1. In Cold Climates. Sheepskin coats (for 100 men) Woollen comforters, Fur caps Jerseys, blue ... (per man). 8 Drawers, flannel (per man) pairs.. 2 1 Cholera belts, flannel, pairs.... 2 1 Mittens, lined with lambskin or Boots, knee, brown leather, pair.. 1 Pilot coat, each mounted man. 2 1 Queen's Regulations, 1881, section 12, par. 47. 1 1 Frock coat, of serge or tartan, when not supplied as ordinary clothing of these climates.. Cholera belts, of flannel, when not part of the sea kit.. Capes, waterproof (for 100 men). 3 1 1 2 10 For India, a drill frock, drill trousers, and a white cap cover are issued. SECTION IV. ARTICLES OF CLOTHING. 1. Underclothing, viz., vests, drawers, shirts, stockings, flannel belts, etc. The soldier, as a rule, wears as underclothing only a shirt and socks. He is obliged to have in his kit two shirts. There has been much discussion as to the respective merits of cotton and flannel. Almost all medical officers prefer the latter, but its cost, weight, difficulty of cleaning, and shrinking in washing, have been objections to its general adoption. General Sir A. Herbert solved the difficulty by issuing a shirt which is partly wool, partly cotton; it is lighter and cheaper than wool, as durable as cotton, and does not shrink in washing. It is of soft even texture, and weighs 19 ounces. Under the microscope, Dr. Parkes counted from 45 to 47 per cent. of wool. In time of war, shirts may be partially cleaned in this way: The soldier should wear one and carry one; every night he should change; hang up the one he takes off to dry, and in the morning beat it out and shake it thoroughly. In this way much dirt is got rid of. He should then carry this shirt in his pack during the day, and substitute it for the other at night. If in addition great care is taken to have washing parades as often as possible, the difficulty of cleaning would be avoided. For hot countries, the common English flannels are much too thick and irritating; flannel must be exceedingly fine, or what is perhaps better, merino hosiery, which contains from 20 to 50 per cent. of cotton, could be used. The best writers on the hygiene of the tropics (Chevers, Jeffreys, Moore) have all recommended flannel. The soldier wears no drawers, but in reality it is just as important to cover the legs, thighs, and hips with flannel as the upper part of the body. Drawers folding well over the abdomen form, with the long shirt, a double fold of flannel over that important part, and the necessity of cholera belts or kummerbunds is avoided. Cholera belts are made of flannel, and fold twice over the abdomen. The soldiers' socks are of worsted; they should be well shrunken before being fitted on. It has been proposed to divide the toes, but this seems an unnecessary refinement. It has been also proposed to do away with stockings altogether, but with the system of wearing shoes, it is difficult to keep the feet perfectly clean. The boots get impregnated with perspiration. Some of the German troops, instead of stockings, fold pieces of calico across the foot when marching; when carefully done, this is comfortable, but not really better than a good sock kept clean. And 2. Outer Garments.-The clothes worn by the different arms of the service and by different regiments in the same branch, are so numerous and diverse, that it is impossible to describe them. In many cases taste, or parade, or fantasy simply, has dictated the shape or the material. diversities of this kind are especially noticeable in times of peace. When war comes with its rude touch, everything which is not useful disappears. What can be easiest borne, what gives the most comfort and the greatest protection, is soon found out. The arts of the tailor and the orders of the martinet are alike disregarded, and men instinctively return to what is at the same time most simple and most useful. It will be admitted that the soldier intended for war should be always dressed as if he were to be called upon the next moment to take the field. Everything should be as simple and effective as possible; utility, comfort, durability, and facility of repair, are the principles which should regulate all else. The dress should never be encumbered by a single ornament, or embarrassed by a single contrivance which has not its use. Elegant it may be, and should be, for the useful does not exclude, indeed often implies, the beautiful, but to the eye of the soldier it can be beautiful only when it is effective.' Head-Dress.-The head-dress is used for protection against cold, wet, heat, and light. It must be comfortable; as light as is consistent with durability; not press on the head, and not to be too close to the hair; it should permit some movement of air over the head, and therefore openings, not admitting rain, must be made; it should present as little surface as possible to the wind, so that in rapid movements it may meet the least amount of resistance. In some cases it must be rendered strong for defence; but the conditions of modern war are rendering this less necessary. As it is of great importance to reduce all the dress of the soldier to the smallest weight and bulk, it seems desirable to give only one head-dress, instead of two, as at present. Remembering the conditions of his life, his exposure and his night-work, the soldier's head-dress should be adapted for sleeping in as well as for common day-work. Another point was brought into notice by the Crimean war; in all articles of clothing, it much facilitates production, lessens expense, and aids distribution, if the different articles of clothing for an army are as much alike as possible; even for the infantry, it was found difficult to keep up the proper distribution of the different insignia of regiments. Head-Dress of the Infantry.-The present head-dresses are the bear-skin caps for the Guards, a smaller and rather lower kind of seal-skin for Fusiliers, the Highland bonnets and shakoes for the Highland Regiments, and helmets for the Artillery, Engineers, and Line, and forage caps for all. The bear-skin weighs 37 ounces; the Infantry helmet, made of cork and cloth, 144 ounces. It is for the professional soldier to decide if the rapid movements and the necessity of cover in modern war are compatible with the retention of the bear-skin. If not, no one would wish to retain it on sanitary grounds; it is heavy, hot, gives little shelter from rain, and opposes a large surface to the wind. The Glengarry Scotch cap, now adopted as the forage cap of the army, is very soft and comfortable, presses nowhere on the head, has sufficient height above the hair, and can be ventilated by openings if desired; it La tenue, dans laquelle le militaire est prêt à marcher à l'ennemi, est toujours belle.-Vaidy. |