DRINKING WATER FROM SEA WATER — CONSOLAZIO, ET AL. 159 



The modified Permutit method resulted in a briquet of silver zeolite 

 slightly smaller than the size of a package of cigarettes. One had 

 but to drop a briquet into a collapsible bag containing sea water. The 

 new processing bag contained a built-in filter with a sucking tube just 

 below the filter. With a little manipulation the briquet was disinte- 

 grated whereupon the chemicals proceeded to react with the salts as 

 described. Twenty minutes of manipulation removed as much of the 

 salts as was necessary to produce potable drinking water. The pre- 

 pared water was drunk by sucking on the protruding tube at the bottom 

 of the bag. To do this required 3 to 5 minutes. 



In February of 1943 the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery authorized 

 the Naval Medical Kesearch Institute to conduct sea trials under simu- 

 lated conditions of survival on life rafts in the Gulf of Mexico. 3 The 

 primary objective was the testing of various methods of producing 

 drinking water from the sea. The secondary objectives were ob- 

 servation of the suitability of a new tablet ration, methods for preven- 

 tion of sunburn, and, in general, of the performance of life rafts and 

 equipment, such as signaling devices, water-collecting devices, fishing 

 gear, and clothing, as well as a study of available space and the physi- 

 ologic phenomena of shipwreck survival such as water requirement, in- 

 cidence of seasickness, and conservation of body water. The following 

 water-making devices, all in a rather well-developed state, were tested : 

 the Naval Medical Research Institute method, the Permutit method as 

 modified by the Naval Medical Research Institute, the Delano solar 

 still, and the Safety fuel still. 



From July 7 to 11, 1943 (2) , 21 men,* ages 19 to 44, spent 97 hours on 

 a restricted regime with the daily fluid intake limited to 500 milliliters, 

 and a dietary intake of approximately 330 calories in the form of tablet 

 rations in which chewing gum and vitamin concentrate were included. 



Sixty-one of the 96 hours, including 2 nights, were spent floating in 

 rafts 10 to 20 miles offshore in the Gulf of Mexico, near Pensacola, Fla. 

 The remaining time was spent on the escort vessel. Rafts included 

 Navy one-man parachute rafts, Navy four-man rafts, and a special 

 seven-man raft supplied by Transcontinental and Western Airlines. 

 Each was captained by one of the staff members of the Naval Medical 

 Research Institute. 



3 Plans for these sea trials were made with the cooperation of the Liaison Committee 

 on Emergency Rescue Equipment of the Office of the Coordinator of Research and Develop- 

 ment of the U. S. Navy. 



4 The following were the men who volunteered as subjects for the foregoing raft trials : 

 Lt. P. H. Futcher (MC), U. S. N. R., Lt. W. V. Consolazio, H-V (S), U. S. N. R., Lt. N. 

 Pace, H-V (S), U. S. N. R., J. D. Blackburn, PhMlc, T. C. Watson, PhMlc, C. N. Crouse, 

 PhM2c, N. L. Krueger, PhM2c, J. N. Shaner, PhM2c, C. N. Saracco, AMM2c, L. L. Nullmyer 

 AMM2c, M. C. Wallace, AOMlc, S. Olexen, AMM2c, H. A. Schramm, AOM3c, J. B. William, 

 AMM3c, M. H. Smith, ARM3c, Lt. (jg) D. V. Kirchberg, A-V (N), U. S. N. R., Lt. (jg) 

 G. E. Pantano, A-V (N), U. S. N. R., Dr. D. Blaine, U. S. P. H. S., Lt. A. L. Budlong, 

 U. S. C. G. R., W. G. Henry, W. H. Hall, J. J. Walters. 



