The college boys gobbled the salt tablets and guzzled

The college boys gobbled the salt tablets and guzzled
quarts of cool water. For lunch they drank cola drinks
with ham and cheese sandwiches. We rested a half hour
after lunch and then continued our rugged hike across
the red hot blazing sands. Soon things were beginning
to happen to those strong, husky college boys.
First, 3 of them got violently ill and threw up all they
had eaten and drunk for lunch. They got dizzy and turned
deathly pale and great weakness overcame them. They
quit the hike immediately! They were driven back to the
Furnace Creek Ranch in poor condition. The hike went
on with 7 college athletes continuing. As we hiked, they
drank large amounts of cold water, soft drinks and took
more salt tablets. Then suddenly 5 of them got stomach
cramps and became deathly ill. Up came the drinks and
their lunch. These 5 had to be driven back to the ranch.
That left but 2 out of 10 hikers. It was now about 4
pm and the merciless sun beat down on us with great
fury. Almost on the hour, the last remaining salt tableteating
athlete collapsed under that hot, burning sun and
had to be rushed back to the ranch for medical care.