THE CONTROL OF FLIES IN THE EGYPTIAN CAMPAIGN. 



303 



Portable latrine seats. — Under the mobile conditions necessary for troops in a 

 desert campaign, the difficulties of obtaining materials are necessarily very great. 

 Where camels are the only means of transport, every ounce of additional weight is 

 a consideration, and the bulky sanitary stores which one may use in a standing camp 

 are utterly out of the question. 



The northern part of the Sinai desert, from the Suez Canal almost to the Palestine 

 frontier, consists of very soft, rolling sand, with here and there a few palm groves, 

 hods " and extensive sand dunes. It is impossible to use a shallow trench system 



or 



of latrines, as winds and sand-storms would continually expose the excreta to flies. 

 Further, owing to the loose nature of the sand, it is most difficult to localise the 

 latrine area so that it can be satisfactorily treated afterwards to prevent fly-breeding. 

 The number of flies produced from shallow trenches, as indicated above, is enormous. 

 In the Division to which my unit was attached during the advance across Sinai, 

 a portable latrine seat designed by one of my N.C.O.'s was used and proved very 

 serviceable (fig. 3). » 



^b) 



Fig. 3. A portable latrine : a, self 

 closing lid ; b, cresol drum. 



It consists of a light seat with a self-closing lid which fits tightly on a cresol drum. 

 These lids were so made that they packed flat, and it was necessary to have a seat 

 as light as possible compatible with strength. I am reminded that during the trial 

 stage of these portable seats, one pattern which my N.C.O. made was most pleasing 

 on account of its lightness and neatness. During its probationary career, however, 

 it collapsed, much to the inconvenience of the person using it. 



A special camel for carrying sanitary stores was allotted to each unit. Each camel 

 could be loaded with about 16 to 18 portable latrine seats, together with the 

 necessary drums, a portable incinerator, and a small quantity of disinfectant. This 

 portable latrine proved invaluable for small scattered detachments in outpost 

 lines, etc. 



The contents of the drums were emptied into a deep, revetted pit, which was kept 

 covered with canvas soaked in kerosene or crude tar oil. As the drums were emptied 



