'Handbook of Arabia. Vol II. 1917' [‎363] (367/542)

I
HYGIENE AND DISEASE 363
unless they are peeled, or very thoroughly washed, for they are
; v likely to be contaminated with dust, or with handling. When
y obtained from local sources, they are very apt to convey disease,
'vrV since irrigating waters may be infected, while the oriental gardener
t uses human excrement as a fertilizer. Therefore, all native vege-
rt , tables should be cooked, and such fruits as the water-melon should
; never be eaten at all in a cholera district (see further p. 366).
i Fruits, handled by unclean natives, should be plunged for an
st instant in boiling salt water before peeling and eating. This does
not injure the ordinary thick-skinned varieties, and greatly dimin-
ishes the risk of disease from this source.
In the choice of rations, care must be taken that they can be easily
r ai! carried, easily divided and distributed, and easily and quickly
cooked. They must include a sufficient supply of salt, which is
: needed for health in tropical countries. Cheese, bolted, is hard to
! digest ; but cheese thoroughly masticated and eaten slowly, and
1 ! not too much at a time, is excellent food. Chocolate also is excellent
food, but may tend to make a man thirsty. Good bacon is one of
miJ1 the best of all foods, but unless it be tinned it does not keep very
well in the tropics. Tinned foods, of a good brand, may keep for
a 1® a y ear i n the tropics, but are not to be trusted after that. When
iMik the contents of a tin go bad, they tend to produce gases which
tkeclii bulge the tin, and give it a resonant note when it is tapped. Some
firms have a trick of puncturing these 'blown tins', reheating the
getltf. contents, and resoldering the tins. No blown or twice-soldered
tins should be used for food.
^is'rit; For extra rations, for a body of men exhausted by hard work,
linteip Lt.-Col. Melville says, 'In my opinion, the demands imposed by
wMki increased exertion should be met by the special addition to the food
stuff of some foodstuff which needs the minimum of preparation,
to which the soldier is unaccustomed, and which will possess there
fore the advantage of novelty. It is not much satisfaction to a man
a mail % who has lived on tinned beef and biscuit for a fortnight, when he
scoitij arrives very tired at the end of a long day's march, to be presented
isoftkt with an extra half-tin of the former and four more of the latter,
of inteik The thing which really counts is not how much food the man receives
ent, ft from the supply authorities, but the amount of that food which he
isdise® can turn to useful purpose.'
11 0 thai): It goes without saying that any food left exposed to flies is thereby
ve getakls exposed to infection.
be welli Diet should be varied and fresh meat, &c., preferred to tinned
jug articles. ' Do not eat much, but eat many things ; there is safety
eaten mi i n variety, danger in monotony.' (Duclaux.)