Manual for Noncommissioned Officers and Privates of Infantry of the Army of the United States, 1917 Part 7

(b) Breathing in certain germs which float in the air. In this way one may catch pneumonia, consumption, influenza, diphtheria, whooping cough, tonsilitis, spinal meningitis, measles, and certain other diseases.

(c) Taking certain germs in through the mouth in eating or drinking.

Dysentery, cholera, typhoid fever, diarrhea, and intestinal worms may be caught in this manner,

(d) Having certain germs injected into the body by the bites of insects, such as mosquitoes, fleas, and bedbugs. Malaria, yellow fever, dengue fever, and bubonic plague may be caught in this way.

(e) Inheriting the germ from one's parents.

Persons may have these germs sometimes without apparently being sick with any disease. Such persons and persons who are sick with the diseases are a great source of danger to others about them. Germs which multiply in such persons are found in their urine and excretions from the bowels; in discharges from ulcers and abscesses; in the spit or particles coughed or sneezed into the air; in the perspiration or scales from the skin; and in the blood sucked up by biting insects.

Those who have taken care of their health and who have not become weakened by bad habits, exposure, and fatigue are not only less liable to catch disease, but are more apt to recover when taken sick.

Knowing all these things, the soldier can understand the reasons for the following rules and how important it is that they should be carried out by each and every person:

Stay away from persons having "catching" diseases.

It you have any disease, don't try to cure it yourself, but go to the surgeon. Insist that other soldiers do likewise.

Typhoid fever is one of the most dangerous and common camp diseases.

Modern medicine has, however, discovered an effective preventative for this disease in the typhoid prophylactic, which renders the person immune from typhoid fever. The treatment consists in injecting into the arm a preventative serum. The injection is given three times at 10-day intervals.

a.s.sociation with lewd women is dangerous. It may result in disabling you for life. It is the cause of a disease (syphilis) which may be transmitted by a parent to his children. Soldiers with venereal diseases should not use basins or toilet articles used by others, as the germs of these diseases if gotten into the eye very often cause blindness. Likewise, if they use the same drinking cup used by others they may give others the disease. They should promptly report their trouble to the surgeon, that they may receive the best medical advice and attention.

Should a soldier expose himself to infection by having intercourse with an unknown woman, he should report as soon as possible afterwards to the regimental infirmary for prophylactic treatment, which, if taken within a few hours after intercourse, will prevent to a large degree the liability of contracting any disease.

Cooked germs are dead and therefore harmless. Water, even when clear, may be alive with deadly germs. Therefore, when the conditions are such that the commanding officer orders all drinking water to be boiled, be careful to live up to this order.

Use the latrines and don't go elsewhere to relieve yourself. In open latrines cover your deposit with dirt, as it breeds files and may also be full of germs.

Flies carry germs from one place to another. Therefore see that your food and mess kit are protected from them.

All slops find sc.r.a.ps of food scattered about camp soon produce bad odors and draw flies. Therefore do your part toward keeping the camp free from disease by carefully depositing such refuse in the pits or cans used for this purpose.

Urinate only in the latrines, or in the cans set out for this purpose, never on the ground around camp, because it not only causes bad smells but urine sometimes contains the germs of "catching" diseases.

Soapy water thrown on the ground soon produces bad odors. Therefore in camps of several days' duration this water should be thrown in covered pits or in cans used for this purpose.

As certain mosquitoes can transmit malaria and yellow fever, use your mosquito bar for this reason as well as for personal comfort.

Keep your mouth clean by brus.h.i.+ng your teeth once or twice a day.

It helps to prevent the teeth from decaying. Decayed teeth cause toothache. They also lead one to swallow food without properly chewing it, and this leads to stomach troubles of various kinds.

Food left around and between the teeth is bad for the teeth and forms good breeding places for germs.

Keep the skin clean. Through the pores of the skin the body gets rid of much waste and poisonous matter. Therefore remove this and keep the pores open by bathing once every day, if possible.

If water is scarce, rub the body over with a wet towel. If no water is at hand, take a dry rub. Wash carefully the armpits, between the legs, and under the foreskin, as this will prevent chafing.

The skin protects the sensitive parts underneath from injury and helps to keep out germs. Therefore when blisters are formed don't tear off the skin. Insert a needle under the skin a little distance back from the blister and push it through to the opposite side. Press out the liquid through the holes thus formed. Heat the needle red hot first, with a match or candle, to kill the germs.

When the skin is broken (in cuts and wounds) keep the opening covered with a bandage to keep out germs and dirt; otherwise the sore may fester. Pus is always caused by germs.

Keep your hair short. Long hair and a long beard in the field generally means a dirty head and a dirty face and favors skin diseases, lice, and dandruff.

Don't let any part of the body become chilled, as this very often is the direct cause of diarrhea, dysentery, pneumonia, rheumatism, and other diseases.

Wet clothes may be worn while marching or exercising without bad results; but there is great danger if one rests in wet clothing, as the body may become chilled.

Don't sit or lie or sleep directly on damp ground, as this is sure to chill the body.

When hot or perspiring or when wearing damp clothes, don't remain where a breeze can strike you. You are sure to become chilled.

Every day, if possible, hang your blanket and clothing out to air in the sun; shake or beat them with a small stick. Germs and vermin don't like this treatment, but damp, musty clothing suits them very well. Wash your s.h.i.+rts, underwear, and socks frequently. The danger of blood poisoning from a wound is greatly increased if the bullet pa.s.ses through dirty clothes.

Ditch your tent as soon as you can, particularly a shelter tent, even if you camp for one night only. Otherwise a little rain may ruin a whole night's rest.

Always prepare your bed before dark. Level off the ground and sc.r.a.pe out a little hollow for your hips. Get some straw or dry gra.s.s if possible. Green gra.s.s or branches from trees are better than nothing. Sleep on your poncho. This keeps the dampness from coming up from the ground and chilling the body. Every minute spent in making a good bed means about an hour's good rest later on.

Avoid the food and drink found for sale in the cheap stands about camp. The quality is generally bad, and it is often prepared in filthy places by very dirty persons.

The use of intoxicating liquor is particularly dangerous in the field. Its excessive use, even at long intervals, breaks down one's system. Drinking men are more apt to get sick and less liable to get well than are their more sober comrades. If alcohol is taken at all, it is best after the work of the day is over. It should never be taken when the body is exposed to severe cold, as it diminishes the resistance of the body. Hot tea or coffee is much preferable under these circ.u.mstances.

CARE OF THE FEET.

A soldier can not march with sore feet, and marching is the main part of an infantryman's daily duty in the field. All soldiers should be familiar with the proper methods of caring for the feet. Sore feet are generally due to carelessness, neglect, or ignorance on the part of the soldier.

The most important factor in the care of the feet and the marching ability of the soldier is the shoe. Civilian shoes, particularly light, patent leather, or low shoes, are sure to cause injury and in time will ruin a man's foot. Only the marching shoe issued by the Quartermaster Corps should be worn, and they must be properly fitted to the individual. It will not suffice to order a marching shoe of the same size as one's ordinary civilian shoes, for it must be remembered that a soldier may have to march many miles daily over rough roads and carrying a heavy pack. The pack itself causes the foot to spread out to a larger size, and the rough roads give so much exercise to the muscles of the feet that they swell greatly through the increased blood supply. (For directions as to measuring the foot for the marching shoe see General Order No. 26, War Department, 1912, a copy of which should be on hand in each company.)

Do not start out on a march wearing new shoes. This is a frequent cause of sore feet. New shoes should be properly broken in before beginning a march by wearing them for several hours daily for a week before the march, and they should be adapted to the contours of the feet by stretching them with shoe stretchers with adjustable k.n.o.bs to take the pressure off painful corns and bunions. Such stretchers are issued by the Quartermaster Corps, and there should be one or more pair in every company of infantry. Should this be impracticable, then the following is suggested:

The soldier stands in his new shoes in about 2-1/2 inches of water for about five minutes until the leather is thoroughly pliable and moist; he should then walk for about an hour on a level surface, letting the shoes dry on his feet, to the irregularities of which the leather is thus molded in the same way as it was previously molded over the shoe last. On taking the shoes off a very little neat's-foot oil should be rubbed into the leather to prevent its hardening and cracking.

If it is desired to waterproof shoes at any time, a considerable amount of neat's-foot oil should be rubbed into the leather.

Waterproof leather causes the feet of some men to perspire unduly and keeps them constantly soft.

Light woolen or heavy woolen socks will habitually be worn for marching. Cotton socks will not be worn unless specifically ordered by the surgeon. The socks will be large enough to permit free movement of the toes, but not so loose as to permit of wrinkling.

Darned socks, or socks with holes in them, will not be worn in marching.

Until the feet have hardened they should be dusted with foot powder, which can be obtained at the regimental infirmary, before each day's march. Clean socks should be worn daily.

As soon as possible after reaching camp after a day of marching the feet should be washed with soap and water, and the soldier should put on a dry pair of socks and his extra pair of shoes from his surplus kit. If the skin is tender, or the feet perspire, wash with warm salt water or alum water, but do not soak the feet a long time, as this, although very comforting at the time, tends to keep them soft. Should blister's appear on the feet, p.r.i.c.k and evacuate them by p.r.i.c.king at the lower edge with a pin which has been pa.s.sed through the flame of a match and cover them with zinc oxide plaster applied hot. This plaster can be obtained on request at the regimental infirmary. If serious abrasions appear on the feet, or corns, bunions, and ingrowing nails cause trouble, have your name placed on sick report and apply to the surgeon for treatment. Cut the toe nails square (fairly close in the middle, but leaving the sides somewhat longer), as this prevents ingrowing nails.

CHAPTER V.

EXTRACTS FROM INFANTRY DRILL REGULATIONS.

UNITED STATES ARMY, 1911.