DISINFESTATION 65 



Where several people in the same house, or 

 in a class of a school, or an army unit, require 

 disinfestation, the whole process should, as far 

 as possible, be carried out at one and the same 

 time, or the uncleansed may reinfest the cleansed. 

 Every effort should be made to persuade the 

 infested to report their condition to the proper 

 authorities. Soldiers in the field or in training 

 should be instructed to inspect themselves. The 

 author has seen men in hospital with the pubic 

 and axillary hair swarming with lice, and their 

 invariable remark is that they knew nothing of 

 it, and this was the case, as their real disgust at 

 the revelation revealed. The merest glance at 

 themselves, however, would have shown them 

 their condition. Ignorance of their own state 

 is a poor excuse. 



Lastly, it cannot be too strongly urged that 

 the louse problem in civilian life is not the same 

 as in the armies, though the remedies are the same. 

 It is simpler, in that cleanliness is more easily 

 attained ; that contact of people is less close ; 

 that disinfestation disorganises nothing of any 

 importance and need not be hurried. It is more 

 difficult, in that there is less control over the 

 individual, and the unclean pestiferous person, 

 if he can avoid institutions, may spread his vermin 

 far and wide. For these reasons it is better not to 

 pay too much attention to the tales of the return- 

 ing soldier about the impossibility of getting rid 

 of lice. The problem in the armies is hedged 



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