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SCIENCE 



[N. S. Vol. XLVII. No. 1221 



the great part played by athletics in our na- 

 tional life, relatively few of our soldiers 

 were athletes. The first requisite therefore 

 was to create a body of well-muscled men. 

 If you could see the great bodies of these 

 men as I have seen them, you would agree 

 that this aim is being rapidly achieved. 

 The average soldier has gained both in 

 weight and in height (a part of the latter 

 is mere straightening up, but not all). 

 Flabby muscle has given way to sinewy 

 muscle. Fat has been reduced in many, 

 and its place taken by active tissue. Such 

 a change requires good food and, in the 

 muscle-up period, a plentiful amount of 

 muscle-forming materials, the best of which 

 in the world is beef. 



To gain a fighting spirit also requires 

 good food — and plenty of it — to make the 

 soldier contented, to make him feel well fed 

 and "full of fight." This objective, also, 

 I am sure, is being attained. Does any one 

 grudge the soldier an abundance of food, 

 even a little superabundance to be on the 

 safe side, if these objects are being at- 

 tained? I shall speak later of the element 

 of waste which I know has been in your 

 minds. 



Army regulations define the ration as the 

 allowance for subsistence of one man for 

 one day. You will be interested in certain 

 facts regarding the history of the ration as 

 thus defined. The first legislation fixing 

 the components of the army ration is dated 

 November 4, 1775. The Continental Con- 

 gress fiLsed at that time one pound of beef 

 and one pound of bread as the allowance 

 for each man per day, ' ' 3 pints of beans or 

 peas at a price not to exceed $1.00 per 

 bushel, one pint of milk, half a pound of 

 rice or one pound of Indian meal per week, 

 one quart of Spruce beer or cider for each 

 man or nine gallons of molasses for each 

 company of men per week." The ration 

 also included candles and soap. The ration 



fixed July 16, 1798, is in some respects the 

 same as we have to-day. At that time the 

 allowance of beef was raised to li pounds 

 or 20 ounces, the allowance of bread or flour 

 to 18 ounces, rum, brandy or whiskey one 

 gill, and the other items the same as in 

 previous rations. In 1799 the issue of rum 

 was placed at the discretion of the com- 

 mander. In 1802 a provision was made for 

 the conversion of strong liquors into wine 

 and beer, otherwise the ration was the same 

 as above. This ration continued through 

 the War of 1812. 



From time to time there was much con- 

 troversy over the liquor component. In 

 1818 the following recommendation was 

 made: "in a southern climate give molasses 

 in lieu of whiskey or beer, and only one 

 half pint of peas, beans or rice." Cal- 

 houn who was Secretary of "War at this 

 time, recommended that the liquor com- 

 ponents of the ration be discontinued. This 

 was concurred in by General Lovell, who 

 was Surgeon General of the Army at that 

 time. Congress, however, failed to act, and 

 the liquor continued as a component of the 

 ration until 1838. 



During the "War of 1812 there was much 

 agitation on account of the failure of the 

 contractor system. This system had pre- 

 vailed previously, although much trouble 

 had been experienced with it. In 1814 it 

 broke down completely and the House of 

 Eepresentatives asked Monroe, then Secre- 

 tary of "War, for suggestions concerning a 

 revision of the method of provisioning the 

 army. A new system was worked out, but, 

 peace having been signed with England, 

 Congress adjourned and left the bill on the 

 calendar. In 1817 the Seminole Indian 

 outbreak in Georgia gave still another op- 

 portunity to show the weakness of the con- 

 tractor system. Andrew Jackson, who was 

 Commander of the Army, became so im- 

 patient with this system that he finally or- 



