November 2, 1943 Lt. Col. STONE, Xedieal Se&ion, NATOUSA Prom P.L+ SOP`ER Representative Rookefellar Health Comrniasion in North Africa Civil Affairs Seation SubJeot I Dire&ions for USCJ of LOU~~ Powder in group delousing of Army person.ne, prisoners of war and refugee camps. In aooord with your verbal request, I am submitting below suggested direotions for the use of Louse powder in group delousing programs, based on the experience of our groupr brhioh iar, as you know, relatively quite limited. arther experienoe may be expeoted to lead to modifioations of these dire&ions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ..~.............. The appliaation of louse powder (U.S. Army "Powder for Body Crawling Inseots") by hand dusters ia a rapid simple method of oontrolling body lioe with readily portable materials, The removal of olothing from the body and special bathing at the time of delousing are unneoessary with this methcd. Hateriala. The only materials required are the louse powder and a auitaae hand duster. 1. The present U.S. Army "Powder for Body Crawling Inasots" is obtained through the @artormaster in t;O pound oacles (6 oartona of 10 pounds each). This pow- dor kills lioe end other iaaects but is not poisonous for msll unless taken by mouth. (Powder should never be stored in nor about the kitohen where it might accidentally be Dixed with food). 2, The "Suporbilt Rand Duster" made by the Dobbin6 tJfg. Co. whioh oan be obtained through the Quartermaster has been found best among the small hand dus- ters testeL. The i-!elivery tube of this duster is straight and inflexible and is too long for ear;; manipulation. In praotice, it has been found advantageous to saw the tube in two equal lwqfhha. The two tubes thus obtained are half length, one ha vi ng a nozzle for spreading the powder, the other having an unobstruated opening. 3. In %,o abaenoe oi' hand dusters, powder may be applied by sifting from a tin oan. In prqotiwe, a oylindrioal oan , not over 3 ;I; inrrhas in diameter -with one or more rows of small holes punched in the aide wall of the oan parallel and close to the bottom of the oan has been found u~~eful. This method is satisfactory if olothing is removed from the body. 4. 'fhe louso powder now being used takes several hours to kill and does not knook out the lice immediately. However, it rmmina effeotive for some weeka af- ter a liberal application. The active principle is not soluble in water and some insecticidal action generally continues in spite of washing of clothing. The powder does not kill the louse e&s, and small lice ,.,.., c::Y!.:II:`~? i-l-- be found on dusted clothing for a week or longer after dusting. These small lice die soon after they begin to crawl around on the dusted clothing. Proaedure for powdering a man The powder oompartment of the Suporbilt Duster i8 filled about 3/4 full of Louse Powder. The delivxy 0:' powder should be tested in the opts &.th the duster so rotated that the delivery tube is on the uppor side. Unless a heavy aloud of powder and a9r is obtained in t;*ia position, the duster should be examined for atopp4ge both at the noszle and at the outlet holes leading from the powder ohamber to the delivery tube . Either the nozzle or the straipht tube may be used e& aaoording to the work being done and the preference of the operator. '. ! In using the duster, the operator should remember that powder should bn distributed on the inner aurfaaes ot the inner garments a&. on the skin ftsolf. Those Aoing the work for the first time should have the olothing removed fror:! the first peraonn powdered to observs the results obtained. If properly done, the entire inner garments should be,more or less completely covered with powder and there should be visible powder on the body hairs of the oheat, baok, thighs, armpits ax-d of the pubicr and perineal regions . Sinoe body lioe are most ofton found in the seaqs of the olothes abxt the neok, armpits , waistl shirt tail and orotoh of the pants, these areas are particularly important ones to be powdered. The dusting of individuals should Follow a oertain routine to avoid missing some parts of the clothing as must omur at times %+fhere caoh person is hand- led differently. The following routine has been found useful t 1. Dust inside of hat and replaoe hat on head. 2. Nith ar?ns extended at shoulder height at the sides (not in Mrcr :?ront) of the body insert d&ivory tub up first the right and thm the left sleeve and pump powder in between the skin and the innermost ~rmont, Powder shoulc1 reaoh well into the armpit and the position of the gun should be shifted to get powder all about the shoulder, In uase the subject is wearing more than one layer of clothing, dust should be applied between his underwear tid shirt CM well as between the under wear and the skin. 3. The delivery tube is next inserted at the baok of the nook and a li- beral charge of powder shot *?own the baok, oar% being taken to dust the neokhin;! it- self. `i . The tube is next inserted inside the clothing frol:h in front and powder sprayed first on one side, then on the chest and lastly on the other :>i.de speoial awe being taken to again reach the armpits. 5. The tube is next inserted?rl aftor the trousers are loosened, inside the innermost garment and a good dose of powder delivered to the orotoh and pubio area. With the tube still in contact with the skin, thz unferalothing is powdered, :;pecial attention being paid to the .!nist and si:ie seams. * br With the trousers. &ill 10018, the tube is inserted down the rear of the panta next the skin and powder is shot down over the buttocks ati rear of the orotoh. Note : If more than one layer of clothing is beinp worn, steps 3. 4, 5 and 6 above aro repeated for tho second la:Ter from the skin. 3* How to powder without dust gun If' no duat 8x1 ia available, powder may be shaken on to olothing with the ahaker deaoribed above but it ia neoeasary to remove the clothing from the body. To treat a man* powder his hat , than remove hi8 croat and la* it on a table, The garment should be flat, spread wide open 80 that the whole inside and armholes an be seen. the seams Powder the inside of he coat, taking partioular oare to get powder alang and down the arins. Next ia y the trousera on top of the ooat with the front open 80 that the seat is seen from the inside. Powder the region of all smmsl parti- oularly at the orotoh , and shake powder down both legs. The shirt is next adder! to the pilo of olothing, powdered in the same manner as the ooat. Finally, the underwear is added3 this should be powdered inside and out. Shoes are not powdered. '&en all the clothing is powdered, g%vsn several hard blows to fluff the powder the pile of clothes is folded up and about , then the clothes are h~~Ied baok to their ovmcr and immediately put on again. Prooedure for powdering extra olothing blankets and bedding Although probably 95 7; of all lioe are generally to be found on the per- son and the olothing in use, extra clothing and bedding m y be infested and may be a serious souroe of reinfestation. In dustin? extra o1othL.g and b&ding with the hand duster, the delivery tube tlhould always be between two of the surfaoes to be dusted thua speeding up the work and avoiding waste of powder. Clothing is dusted without turning inwi,:e out with delivery tube well inside the garment. it and dusting betwean the two. A m&tress is duster1 by plaoidg a blanket over (Cars should be taken to dust sides and seams of mat- tresses). blankets are dust& by piling one on top of another between two layers of fabrio. , or by folrling and dua*ing Y&x-e plenty of help is available, folded blankets may be held in the air# but wham help is limited, blankets are folded twioe, piled on& on top oft he other and dusted betwet:n oaoh layer. The larger Pieoes of bedding are d:xted. ?irst and all of the powdered pieoos piled up to&&her. Xx-n finishejd, this pile is given several hard blows to fluff the pnwder about in the, blankets, into seamsr patohea, etc. When the hand duastsbd ir not available, the shaker tin is used to shake powder down on suooessivo layera of bel'inp, and blankets , ths powdered upper sarfaoe of on8 blanket powdering by oontaot the untler surfase ~fthe next. Lhen Xnished, the pile should be beaten to equalize the distribution. the dust gun". Pxtxa clothing is d.lated aa desoribed above under *'How to powder without ed. Shoes, oanvaa packs, rnusette bags, boaos and similar objecrts are not dust- Amount of powder needed The powder required for Justing a person varies with the a ount of oloth- ing worn0 About l-2 ounoes is required for the average edult male in fall or winter dresa and 2 ounces per man ~3.11 often be used. Those stipervising dusting should cons- tantly check the amount of powder being used and insist on an adequate amount ragej. 4. The powder used on bedding likewise varies with the type and amount of bedding. Hith men equipped for camp life, it may equal or exosed the amount required for their clothing. In making preliminary estimates , one oaae of powder (60 l&s;: should be allow& for each 250 men* Bate of dusting Where the men to be dusted are under disoiplfne , ,? a team of two men xzith hand dusters oan dust about 35 to 40 men and their bedding per hour, with the help of the men themselves in handling their bedci.ing. Uninistrative prooedure The administrative prooedure for powdering will vary with the s%1~;de of the group to be dusted, the layout of tt oamp or dwellings and the opportunity of bring- ing its members and thefr bedding together. The applioation of powder is so simple that wherever a large group is to be dusted; members of the group itself oan be easily trained to work under supervision. Where cronditions warrant it, dustinp, can ba oarried out in barraoks or tents eaoh man and his bedding being d:lated at the same time. absent members of the group This affords an easy cheek on , whose names should be reoorded for later dusting. It is very important to dust all members of a group, in order to avoid group infestat=- Other uses of louse powder The louse powder is primarily provided for the sl&iination of the body louse. It is also a poison for head lice, crab lice,, flaka and bed buf:s. For head 1' LCU, powder the soalp thoroughly especially above and behind the / earsI Do not negleat the hat. For Drab lioe, body. dust thoroughly all hairy parts of the Although fleas are not suah intimate and constant parasites as lice, the annoyancze from them oan be greatly reduced by powder.;ng both olothing and bedding. '#here don or cat pets are a souroe of fleas both the animals and their beds may be dusted. For bed bugs, powder the bedding and nearby ctraoks in the bed an1- walls where they may be hiding. The dusting of bedding will prevent infestation by fleas, bed bugs ami other pestif'crous inseots. This dusting needs only be repeated at 2 or 3 weeks intervals. Intervals between dustings As stated above, the present 7.S. Army "Powder for B&y Crawling Inseots" is a persistent poison which remains aotive for some tixe on duste3 fabrias. `tiers troops or Mhers are working in oontaat with infested populations, monthly applioations should be adequate to prevent any serious infestation. Where native laborers are working ;.in contact sitI: trq<>>; Sxt I::i:irr' i r~lr ni.t:i: heavily infested native populations c>- -- rL,> from becoming , a monthly dusting should prevent auon laborers i a8 much of the c 7. ortant souroes of othi g as possible. infestation. This monthly ilusting should include The interval between dustings in a prison camp or in any other relatively isolated group will vary with the completeness of the initial work and the degree of reinfestation whioh ooours. Before the redustinf of such a group is ordered , careful examination of the inner surfaces of the clothing worn next to the skin by a number of indi9iduals of the group should be ri3ade. neck waist and tiSpe0.i.d attention is n,iven to t,he seams of tht? arm, orotah. &hero any degree of lousiness is revealed by this arm its, searc i: inan aprjretliable pcroentage of those examined , the entire rTroup should be redusted.