| US ARMY DISINFESTATION
METHODS |
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| Extracts from the MEDICAL FIELD MANUAL: FIELD
SANITATION published by the United States War Department.
Washington D.C. 1940, taken from chapter 9 Control of
lice |
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"168: CONTROL MEASURES:
(2)
Disinfestation of clothing and equipment.
b. Lice and their eggs are killed in one
minute when subjected to dry heat at a temperature of 155°F [68°C] or
in five minutes at 131°F (55°C], immersion in boiling water for thirty
seconds will kill both adults and eggs. Dry heat will not injure leather, felt,
or webbing but will harm woollen fabrics. Boiling water will cause shrinking of
wool but steam causes very little shrinkage.
171: MOBILE DISINFESTORS:
These are of the four-wheel trailer type
and are usually steam pressure disinfestors although a current steam
disinfestor is manufactured (thresh type). The pressure type consists of a
horizontal steam chamber around which there is an outer jacket which is
assembled as a unit with a boiler, After the clothing is placen in the
disinfestor a vacuum of 10 to 15 inches [254 to 381 mm of Mercury] is created
after which the steam is turned on until a positive pressure of 15 pounds [6.8
kg] is attained [corresponding to a water temperature of 165 °C], this
being held for about twenty minutes. At the end of this time the steam is
released and a vacuum of 10 to 15 inches is produced in order to dry the
clothing. This vacuum is held for about five minutes. Clothing should be placed
loosely in order that the steam may penetrate.
172: SERBIAN BARREL:
a. (Summary) here clothes placed in a
galvanised garbage can or similar with wire mesh in the bottom are disinfested
by having steam from boiling water underneath passed through them for forty
five minutes.
173: IMPROVISED HOT AIR DISINFESTORS:
Clothing and equipment maybe placed in
ovens, boxes or cans and subjected to dry heat Small buildings or dugouts may
be converted into hot air disinfestors by installing heating apparatus which
will heat the air to 160°F(71°C]. Clothing should be hung loosely and
exposed for about thirty minutes.
175: HOT WATER:
Cotton, linen or silk clothing maybe
disinfested by immersion in boiling water for one minute Or in water having a
temperature of 135°F [57°C) or more to) live minutes. In order to
disinfect as well as disinfest, the clothing should be subjected to a
temperature of at least 160°F [71°C] for fifteen to thirty minutes.
Woollen clothing can be disinfested by this process, but considerable shrinkage
will occur. Leather, felt or webbed articles are damaged by exposure to hot
water.
177. CHEMICALS:
a.
Chemicals such as acetic acid (vinegar), kerosene, gasoline, cresol or
naphthalene may be applied to the person or clothing of the infested
individual. Most of these substances will not kill the eggs however.
b. (Summary) a 5% solution of cresol in
water or a 2 % solution that can be maintained at a temperature of about
100°F [38°C] for thirty minutes.
c. (Addendum of December t943): Methyl
bromide bag fumigation using a special bag already containing an ampule of 20
cc. The time of exposure varies according to the temperature of the clothing:
at 55°F (13°C] or above, three quarters of an hour. For each 10°
[5-6°C] drop below 55°F, half an hour is added to the fumigation
period, giving one and a quarter hours at 45° F (7°C). one and three
quarter hours at 35°F [2°C] and two and a quarter hours at 25°F
[-4°C)." |
These extracts from the US Army recommendations on field
sanitation show the different delousing methods that can be used according to
the effects to he disinfested.
Paragraph 171 makes it possible to
undersand the working of the three autoclaves in the Birkenau Zentral Sauna and
the function of the two gauges fitted on the southern doors: one for
temperature, the other for pressure.
The principle of methyl bromide
bag fumigation is that of a small gas chamber. In Auschwitz, the bag became a
brick or concrete gas-tight room and the delousing agent was hydrocyanic acid.
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