The soldier’s shoes must be of proper construction, well fitted to
the man and the leather kept soft and pliable. The shoe now issued to
our army is good and with proper care in fitting leaves little to be
desired. The fitting of the shoes is an important duty of the company
commander and should never be slighted. The rules prescribed for this
should be carefully followed. Every captain of infantry should have
and carefully study the little book “The Soldier’s Foot,” by Lieut.
Colonel Munson, Medical Corps.
No matter how well a shoe may be fitted if it becomes soaked with
water and dries, without proper care, it will become hard and stiff
and sore feet are apt to result. The men’s shoes in campaign should
be kept oiled. Neatsfoot oil should always be carried in every
company’s baggage and officers should see that it is used as needed.
There should also be a supply of talcum or foot powder.
[Sidenote: Socks for marching]
The socks are of nearly as much importance as the shoes. They, too,
must fit. If too large they wrinkle, if too small they are apt to
bend and injure the toes; in both cases the result is sore feet.
Woolen socks are much better for hard marching than cotton, they keep
the feet dryer and afford more of a cushion and consequently better
protection from injury. If the man finds that wool next his skin
produces too great irritation he should wear woolen socks over a pair
of cotton or lisle thread.
[Sidenote: Care of abrasions]
After a day’s march the feet should be washed and any blisters and
abrasions should receive proper attention. Adhesive plaster should be
applied to all such, even to spots that are sore and the skin not yet
broken; properly applied it is a great protection.
Rather than have the men treat their own feet it is much better that,
after the day’s march and camp has been made, a reasonable time be
given the men to wash their feet and prepare for inspection. Captains
should then carefully inspect the feet of all their men and send
every man with the slightest injury to the regimental infirmary at
once and have the injuries properly treated.
Men should be taught to do this for themselves but as it can be so
much more surely and better done as above described the men should
be permitted to do it themselves only in emergencies where sanitary
troops are not available.
[Sidenote: Protection of head and neck]
In marching in very hot weather the men must be instructed in the
importance of protecting the back of the neck from the direct rays of
the sun. It would be well if our men were issued a small piece of
cloth of suitable color with some means of readily attaching it to
the hat to afford this protection. The Japanese soldiers used such an
attachment in Manchuria with good results.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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