| Show must be well shod all military men are agreed that the 0 feet of soldiers must bo be in condition in order that they can fulfill their dutley efficiently no troops tho the feet of members generally aro are not sound are able to carry oa a long campaign successfully napoleon wellington and many other celebrated generals have halo insisted upon the necessity of soldiers being suitably shod indeed good food and good feet are two most essential points lu determining tho the issue of a war ar tho japanese according to all reports la Is in almost every respect an ideal soldier ile Is 1 brainy enduring strong and moreover lg Is abl abla to thrive on a diet which would mean almost starvation to fanaticism and as la Is well known fanatics have ever boon most redoubt redoubtable abla fighters but ho he has a we weakness aness and in tae opinion of dr martignon Martl gnon late resident physician to tho the french embassy in pek in a fatal wea weakness kriess his are detective defective tec fec tive his body is ot of iron but his feet are of clay the british medical journal may alay 14 jc referring ferring to this matter gives an apropos quotation from rudyard kipling that writer in my lord the elephant put into the mouth of one of his cha characters meters the witty irishman these words 1 11 I bad had a boot g gall all but I 1 was all for keepin up wid the pigment rig ment meat and such like foolishness so I 1 finished up wid a it holo hole in my heel lidel that you yoe cud ha ahre darew a tent peg into faith how often have I 1 preached that to recruits since for a warning to them to td look after their feet our dochtor who knew our business as a well as bis his own he aez to me in the middle of the tangi pass it was sheer damned carelessness aez ho he how often have I 1 told aou ou that a marchia marchin man Is no stronger than his feet bis his teet feet bia his leet I 1 I 1 act he the feet of the japanese are not naturally weaker or worse than the feet of other orientals probably better tut but the authorities in their zeal to copy accurately tho the equipment of european infantry have shod their soldiers in thick heary heavy boots and have hae in this respect overshot the mark the japanese have been accustomed cus tomed for generations to wear san dais paper shoes or those ni do of a soft material or to go barefooted thus to put persons not used to having their thele feet restrained into heavy leather boots was an not altogether in accord with the high in telli gence displayed by tle japanese authorities in all other matters relating to war medical record |
