THE CONTROL OF FLIES IN THE EGYPTIAN CAMPAIGN. 



305 



Units of the Mobile Desert Force carried portable incinerators of a type designed 

 by Major Lelean, R.A.M.C, on the sanitary camel. These were very useful for 

 small units and detachments. Brick or stone incinerators were built when possible, 

 and burnt refuse was either buried in pits near the incinerators or removed to a dump 

 on the outskirts of the camp. 



A very efficient portable incinerator for use in the field was designed by one of 

 my N.C.O.'s. It was made with sheets of corrugated iron (fig. 4), and this type was 

 much used by units of the Division. 



An incinerator is readily made with ration biscuit tins filled with sand forming 

 the walls, and iron bands from tibbin bales as fire-bars. These materials were 

 available in plenty from units of the Camel Transport Corps. 



The incinerated refuse was buried in pits near the incinerator, all burnt tins, etc., 

 being kept for making soakage pits. It is very necessary to ensure that the refuse 

 is thoroughly burnt before being put into the pit. I have often found flies breeding 

 in these pits owing to the presence of unburnt refuse. Before filling them in, they 

 should be liberally treated with crude tar oil, or sprayed with 5 per cent, cresol 

 solution. 



Fig. 5. Earth incinerator in side view section : a, fire pit ; 6, draught chamber 

 leading through underground channel (c) to fire pit ; (d) surface of ground. 



The following type of incinerator (fig. 5), which is suitable where the ground is 

 hard, was used ona" sabkit " near El Arish. It is very easily made and, for a short 

 stay, is quite satisfactory, very little material being required. It consists of two 

 square pits connected by a channel under ground. A piece of corrugated iron (or 

 fire-bars) is placed at the bottom of the larger pit (a), which is made about 4 ft. cube 

 and in which the fire is started, refuse and manure being then added. The smaller 

 pit (b), which is about 2 ft. square, forms a draught shaft which fans the fire through 

 the connecting channel (c). 



Sanitary conveniences and incinerators were always erected at Railheads, Supply 

 Depots, or other public places, and these areas were scavenged daily by native labour. 



(C419) h 



