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CAPT. J. DAVIDSON. 



pupated. The pupae were small and many of them failed to develop into flies- 

 The flies that did emerge were small, ill-nourished specimens. 



It was noticed that in casual deposits on hard ground, such as is found in low- 

 lying depressions in the desert known as " sabkit," maggots did not develop. The 

 hard surface and rapid desiccation of the faeces inhibited development. 



Incineration of excreta. — Box-seater latrines with self-closing lids covering buckets 

 are used. Tibbin or sawdust is kept at each latrine and each man adds a handful 

 to the bucket after use. This absorbs the moisture and facilitates incineration. In 

 most cases, urinals are provided at the latrines, and troops are requested to use the 

 urinal before using the latrine. 



The contents of the buckets are burned in incinerators of the Horsfall type or 

 other patterns. Fuel is generally needed to ensure thorough incineration and dry 

 camp refuse is useful for the purpose. In a few cases the latrine seats are so 

 constructed that the urine and faeces are separated, which facilitates the burning 

 of the excreta. The incineration of night-soil requires most careful supervision, if 

 it is to be carried out efficiently. 



Several companies of the Camel Transport Corps came under my supervision for 

 sanitation and the following method of dealing with the excrement of the native 





(b) 



Fig. 2. Showing native latrine system for incineration of faeces — (a) side view 

 section (&) plan: (a) Kation biscuit tin for faeces; (b) biscuit tin for urine; 



(p) urine pit ; (d) surface of ground. 



personnel, under mobile desert conditions, gave good results. Ration biscuit tins 

 (fig. 2, a) (about 10 inches cube) were placed in a row about three feet apart, being 

 let into the sand about three-quarters of their depth. In front of each tin, another 

 tin (b) was placed, also let into the sand, but with its open top inclined at an angle 

 towards the former tin and set close to it. The bottoms of the tins (b) were pierced 

 with holes and beneath them a soakage pit (p), filled with, old burnt tins, was first 

 made, so that the tins (b) drained into it. 



The natives squatted astride the tins (a) into which they defaecated, urinating at 

 the same time into the tins (b). Each tin (a) was covered with a weighted piece of 

 canvas soaked in kerosene or crude tar oil, which was replaced after use. One native 

 was always on duty at the latrine as policeman. 



The contents of the tins were incinerated in an incinerator made of biscuit tins 

 filled with sand, with wire bands from tibbin bales forming the fire-bars. Camel 

 dung was used as fuel to facilitate the incineration. 



