When the guy with TB (forget his name) searches the villagers' hut and finds the salt, he goes apesh!t crazy for it, like it was steak or something. Later on, when he shares his salt cache with the other 2 soldiers, they kiss his ass in gratitude. Is there some Japanese cultural thing, salt as a food of the gods or something? Remember they were low on water too, why were they so happy to find salt?
shareI have gotten impression that it was common to think that lack of salt would lead to death so maybe it's because of that.
In addition to that salt prevent's muscle spasm's so it's good to have daily dosage of it for that reason too.
There could be additional reasons but i have no more guesses. Maybe salt also was to them like tobacco.
Thing is aside from starving, they were low on water too. It could only start a spiral where they'd need more water they didn't have. I guess when ur starving every decision is a Sophie's choice.
shareSalt is an important nutrient that's kind of taken for granted in our day and age. Right now salt is almost universally and cheaply available due to our industrialized methods of production and distribution, so a lot of people don't realize just how important it is. But in the past, and whenever it has been scarce, it's been highly prized. Countries have gone to war over salt just as they now do over oil. The human body needs a certain amount of salt intake to survive, and the starving Japanese soldiers in the Philippines weren't getting that minimum intake, so that's why they were so excited to find it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_in_biology
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_salt
Thx for the education. Talk about cultural & generational differences - I can't imagine ever lacking for salt! The explanations put this strange obsession into perspective I guess.
sharethe sweating
share