ration should be given the soldier as will best prepare him for the work required of him, and it should be applied to that purpose alone. It is well known that the 18 ounces of soft bread furnished the soldier is not more than three-fourths of the nutritive value of the ration of flour. In relation to the nutritive value of the established ration, attention is invited to the inclosed analysis, dated Fort Leavenworth, Kans., March 5, 1875. It will be observed that from the conclusions arrived at by various physiological experiments on the quantity of anhydrous food necessary to maintain an adult man in health while in activity, our ration is certainly insufficient. On page 5 an increase and modification of the present ration was recommended. It was believed necessary to recognize by competent authority, in the standard ration that an antiscorbutic was essential to the preservation of health. The quantity of potatoes, or other antiscorbutic equivalent, might be reduced to 6 ounces, if the reforms suggested in regard to the kind of expenditures to be made from the company fund were carried out. Having carefully noted the remarks of Maj. M. R. Morgan, chief commissary of the department, I heartily commend them as containing suggestions worthy of thoughtful consideration. The increase of the ration of beans at posts where no vegetables can be raised, would be practicable and in the direction of proper nutritive value, although it does not answer the needs of an antiscorbutic. An increase of the ration, by 8 ounces of beef, 4 ounces of flour, 1 ounces of beans, for troops on a campaign of more than ten days, would be sufficient to develop the physical energy required at ordinary temperatures. It has been suggested that should the company fund exceed a specific sum the surplus should be turned over to the Subsistence Department. I concur in the remark "that no enlisted man be permitted to make any sale of subsistence stores at or near any station occupied by troops." G. PERIN, Surgeon, U. S. A., Medical Director. Respectfully returned to the Adjutant-General of the Army. Having carefully read the papers herewith, I find no reason for changing the views expressed on this subject in my indorsement of June 1, 1881, returning the report of Surgeon Joseph R. Smith, United States Army. In within letter it is observed that the writer recommends that the flour ration be increased by 4 ounces, although admitting (page 6, manuscript; page 2, printed copy) that at present one-third of the flour is abstracted by the post bakery. So long as onethird, or any portion, of the flour ration is regularly abstracted by the post bakery, and is taken to increase the post fund, it would seem that it should not be seriously asserted that the flour ration is insufficient for the soldier. As stated in my indorsement of June 1, 1881, above referred to, I concur in the recommendation of Surgeon Smith-1st, "That existing regulations and orders be so modified that the soldier may receive the whole of his authorized ration of flour, either in the shape of flour or bread; and 2d, That the soldier receive the whole of his ration, or the product of its barter in the shape of food." As also stated in that indorsement, "In my opinion, no part of the savings from the ration should go to the post fund, but all to the company fund; that no part of the savings should, as now allowed, be expended for post schools, post libraries, gymnasiums, chapels, or for any purpose or articles whatever, other than articles of food." R. MACFEELY, Commissary-General of Subsistence. APPENDIX C. VIEWS OF GENERAL A. B. EATON, COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF SUBSISTENCE, ON THE SUBJECT OF THE ARMY RATION. WAR DEPARTMENT, OFFICE COMMISSARY-GENERAL OF SUBSISTENCE, General W. T. SHERMAN, U. S. Army, Present : * * I would remark that the Subsistence Department issues flour (not soft or loaf bread) to the troops, and that this flour is made into bread by the troops (under the control of the post commander at the post bakery), and not by the Subsistence Department. The soldier is justly entitled to all the bread that is necessary for his full subsistence, even if it takes all the bread that can be made from his ration of flour (18) ounces), after deducting the trifling quantity necessary to pay the expenses of baking. The trouble arises not from insufficiency in the ration of flour, but from the effort to make the post bakery a money-making machine, for purposes foreign to the soldier's subsistence-for support of bands, libraries, &c. It is believed that if properly managed, wholly in the interest of the soldier's subsistence, the 18 ounces of flour actually issued for him by the Subsistence Department would give the soldier all the bread necessary for his reasonable subsistence, and that, looking simply to the subsistence of the soldier, no increase is required in the flour ration. What is required is that the soldier's mess shall get the full benefit of the ration now issued for him by the Subsistence Department, and that no part of it shall be diverted from its legitimate purpose by the unjust contrivance called the post fund. Very respectfully, your obedient servant, * A. B. EATON, Commissary-General of Subsistence. * REPORT OF THE SURGEON-GENERAL. WAR DEPARTMENT, SURGEON-GENERAL'S OFFICE, Washington, October 1, 1881. Sir: I have the honor to submit the following statement of finances and general transactions of the Medical Department of the Army for the fiscal year ending June 30, 1881: FINANCIAL STATEMENT. Appropriation for the Medical and Hospital Department, 1877: Balance from previous fiscal year... Disbursed during the year.. Medical and Hospital Department, 1878, and prior years: Balance from previous fiscal year.. $1,029 46 1,029 46 1,421 59 Appropriated by act of March 3, 1881 1,072 30 Refunded during the year.... 56 00 2,549 89 Disbursed during the year. $1,072 30 Carried to the surplus fund. 1,477 59 This entire amount will be required to meet obligations for which contracts were made prior to July 1, 1881; $53,929.28 of which has been disbursed since June 30, 1881, in fulfillment of said contracts. |