112 SUPPLIES. 



dent can be corrected by letting the pool or spring stand, or by boiling 

 the drinking water; or, if need be, you can take the mud to get the 

 water. It is wise, however, to consider and guard against these draw- 

 backs, both for yourselves and for your animals. 



FOOD. There is no such thing as a ration suited to all men under 

 similar conditions. There Is no ration suited to one man under varying 

 conditions. The best we can do is to approximate the ration to the 

 requirements. This has been done very closely. A ration suited to a 

 sedentary life would not be suited to mountain forest work. Neither 

 would a ranger's ration be suited to a clerk or book-keeper. 



Climate has a great deal to do in fixing the food best for human 

 beings. In the Arctic regions fat, blubber, candles — in fact anything 

 to produce heat Is welcome and necessary to the system to resist cold. 

 The natives of these frozen districts have their digestive organs perma- 

 nently modified to meet these needs. This modification is fatal to them 

 in the tropics, or even in the temperate region. Inhabitants of tropical 

 countries have also a heavily increased death rate on going, or being 

 taken, into cold countries. It is probable, therefore, that there are 

 both permanent and temporary modifications of the human digestive 

 system to suit both occupations and climates. 



From these points we can see that a winter ration ought not to be 

 the same as a summer one. The essential difference between a summer 

 and a winter ration is the proper amount of heat makers for each. There 

 is besides this also the form of the fat in the food to consider. Much 

 grosser forms are appropriate for cold than for warm climates. 



I have never seen this point much discussed. From personal ex- 

 perience and observation I believe it to be Important. Fat is necessary 

 in the tropics in some form. A summer ration even for one of our 

 most fiery deserts should have some fat in it. Olive oil is the best form 

 of fat for use in warm weather or warm climates. The Greek, Italian 

 or Spanish plain laborers furnish us in their diet a ration that we know 

 supports body and health, and fairly hard and long continuous work. 

 Its defects seem to be in nerve food. In any event, these people lack 

 initiative and energy in their own country and on their own diet, but 

 improve in these respects in this country when they arrive. Whether 

 the stimulus of change and hope for fortune in a new country, or the 

 change in food, has most to do with the increased activity of foreign 

 laborers immigrating to this country, we do not know. Both causes 

 should be looked after. 



I have seen hard work done in both Italy and Spain on a ration 



