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Posted by joxer on November 13, 2003 at 18:52:09: In Reply to: Re: Indian Meal posted by Kath on November 13, 2003 at 01:13:45:
The main problem with Indian meal was that it required long slow cooking. This was found to be unsuitable if distributed directly to starving people in famine conditions; the starving had neither the fuel,energy or patience required to cook the meal properly.Its consumption therefore led to aggraveted bowel and stomach conditions already there as a result of starvation.Soup was the prefered option.Hundreds could be fed quickly(volatile crowds were some times desperate)It could be nourishing(sometimes).Less blackmarket interference, but difficuld to carry to others, i.e rural areas.The Society of Friends set up many soup kitchens and provided other aid during the period 1845/50.By early 1847 up to three million were being fed every day at soup depots.The main killer was not starvation however but disease. Fever sheds had to be built to supplement existing hospitals as fever of various kinds spread like wildfire through the population,mainly the very poor.
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