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.

    140/310 (page 134)
    W ater requirements and water discipline On a 15-mile march in a temperate climate each man has to get rid of about 1,200 Kalories of heat from his body by evaporation of sweat from the skin; this entails a loss of 2 quarts of water from the body, which amount must be replaced or thirst will become excessive and the body will suffer from lack of water. The water requirements on a march are 2 pints a man for every 74 miles; under the present organization 1 quart of water is provided in the men’s water bottles and 1 quart a man in the regimental water carts, so that the normal requirements can be met as shown in the diagram in Fig. 45. The requirements for untrained troops and in hot climates will be greater. With training, strict discipline and good esprit de corps, troops can march 15 miles, or even more, without replacement of water loss but, if real fighting efficiency is to be maintained, an adequate supply of drinking water must be provided. Water discipline must be maintained strictly for two reasons, first, to prevent men obtaining water from unauthorized sources, and secondly, to prevent wastage of water and therefore lack of it when really required. The thirst of imagination requires no quenching, but the thirst of necessity is due to actual loss which must be re- plenished. Thirst can be diminished during a march by keeping the mouth shut, avoiding smoking, sucking pebbles or chewing gum. The use of the water bottle should be allowed only at halts and then only sufficient water should be consumed to replace the loss from sweat ; the drinking of large quantities of water is harmful and does not give any greater relief from thirst. Drinking from unauthorized sources must be strictly forbidden. Halts During the ten minutes -halt each hour all ranks should be taught to rest as completely as possible, equipment being removed (anti-gas respirator excepted) and the men made to lie down, whenever conditions permit. _During long halts equipment can be removed, haversack rations consumed and water bottles and water carts refilled. During these halts rest and food should be available for all personnel; “runners,” signallers, medical and sanitary personnel, who are often required for duty during halts, should be given as much opportunity for rest as possible. A final halt should be made before entering camp to allow men to relieve themselves; this will prevent fouling of the camp area before latrine and urinal accommodation is ready.