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THE ROCKEFELLER FOUNDATlON
     49 WEST 49TEI STREET
     NEW YORK, N. Y.

September 2nd 1943.

Brigadier General Leon A. Fox,
Dire&or United States of Amerioa
Typhus Cotission.

Dear General Fox:

        I was sorry to learn that you had been through our fair oity a
few days ago without getting in touoh with our group to get and give what news
there is in the field of typhus researah and control. However, I have just learned
that direct oonnsotions oan be established through Dr. Reek50 and am taking advant-
age of it to hand you herewith a oopy of the preliminary report on results here up
to the 24th of August..... Additional Information is now available on oounts made
on August 26th and 27th on prisoners in Groups 1,2, and 3. only one louse, an adult,
was found in Group 1 (GRB) and none were found in the two MTL groups...At the same
time an offer was made to the numerous prisoners of group four who were in the cram-
pound at the time oounts were made on the 26th of one oigarette for eaoh louse
whioh oould be produoed from their own olothin  .
ooourred although oigarettes       f  No exuhange of oigarettes for lice
                               ,  and espeuially% gar&tes are most highly prized!

        Although attempts have not yet been made to work in the native vii-
lages here, those who know the local mores insist that it will be aompletely impos-
sible to powder the native population by removal of all garments.  To meet this sit-
uation and also tith the idea of speeding up the appaiaation of powder to those who
are quite will ing to disrobe,
made about two$veeks ago.    initial tests of an agrioultural dusting machine were
             This rnaohine is one devilred for spreading a fine small
oloud whioh should settle slowly on the leaves of the plants to be dusted and has a
stiff though Pleldble delivery tube. These tests showed that,although the machine
used delivers powder too sluwly for rapid use, thatdtk&ribution of powder on the
inner surfaces of the garments oan be gotten tith relative ease by inserting the
delivery tube up the sleeves down the baok up the legs and down the neck. Lt. Col.
Stone has been advised of these results and has promised to have a knepsaok Paris
green duster here for testing by the md of thia week. In the meantime, aomparative
tests on the killing effect of hand and machine dusting have been started at the
prison where we are working and a request has been sent to the United States to
make tests on different types of dusters to be had there.

dire&ion.

Please remember us all to the group working on typhus under your

Sincerely yours

Fred