Army manual of hygiene and sanitation, 1934 / [War Office].

Date:
1941
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Army manual of hygiene and sanitation, 1934 / [War Office]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    14/310 (page 16)
    clothing is hotter because more heat is absorbed and less is’ reflected, whereas white clothing is cooler because less heat is absorbed and more reflected. Khaki colours are 1-ot, but not so hot as dark colours. In hot weather or when hard work is being done the evaporation of heat from the body can be assisted by having the neck, arms and knees bare, and by correct fitting of the clothing. Clothing must be of a good fit, not only for the sake of appearance, but also to allow free movement of the chest, abdomen and limbs and to prevent chafing. The proper fitting of boots is essential for good marching © and should be carried out with the soldier wearing his full load. Socks should not be too big nor too small; they must be kept in good repair and clean. Sun helmets are required in hot countries to protect the head and nape of the neck from the sun’s rays; the Army pattern is the Wolseley helmet, which can be improved by the Vero head band, which allows of free ventilation, and the Crowden aluminium foil lining, which reduces the temperature of the air inside the helmet. Attention must be paid to the cleanliness of clothing. Underclothing soon becomes foul smelling from the accumula- tion of sweat and grease from the skin. When free circulation of air round the body is prevented, dirt and germs accumulate on the skin and give rise to sores.and boils. Dirty clothing also becomes infested by vermin. Underclothing should be washed thoroughly once a week and parts of the outer clothing which come in contact with the skin should be cleaned fre- quently. Verminous clothing must be disinfected. Bedding and blankets require regular cleaning and exposure to the sun. Blankets are usually washed only once a year, but sheets and pillow slips should be washed at least once a fortnight. Clothing or bedding which has been used by a man suffering from infectious disease must be disinfected and must not be returned to store until this is done (King’s Regulations, 1928, para. 1290). Equipment is considered in Chapter IX (Hygiene of the March). Climate Man is able to withstand diverse conditions of climate provided his mode of life is adapted to the particular climate. The body, however, takes time to adapt itself to the climate and it must be given every facility to become acclimatized and to adjust itself to the altered conditions. The climate of -a country is determined largely by its temperature and rain- fall, which are in turn dependent on many factors such as latitude, altitude, proximity to the sea and prevailing winds. ~