THE CONTROL OF HUMAN LICE 321 



a. For an establishment fully equipped with rotary washers and dry 

 tumblers, we recommend the following cleansing formula : 



1. Wash goods 30 minutes in new, distilled, or clarified benizole, 

 naphtha, or gasoline, having a specific gravity not less than 56° Baum6 

 by hydrometer test ; using one gallon of cleaning fluid to every two pounds 

 of goods, two ounces of standard dry cleaning soap to every ten pounds 

 of goods, one ounce of 26 per cent ammonia to every twenty-five pounds 

 of goods. 



2. Extract 3 minutes. 



3. Rinse 15 minutes in new or distilled fluid. 

 4<. Extract 3 minutes. 



5. Dry in tumbler 30 minutes at a temperature not less than 160° F, 

 at point of discharge from tumbler. 



6. Iron. 



In case drying rooms are used in place of tumblers follow the first 

 four steps and then: 



5. After thoroughly drying and deodorizing, hang in dry room at 

 temperature of not less than 160° F. for 30 minutes, 



6. Run in dust wheel 20 minutes. 



7. Iron. 



b. In case the dry cleaning establishment is not equipped with 

 modern machinery, the following method will be practicable: 



1. Soak in benzole 3 hours. 



2. Wring out and dry. 



3. Iron thoroughly. 



This modified process is too long for army practice but will do for 

 small commercial trade. 



c. Dry cleaning establishments equipped with Barbe system machin- 

 ery in which hot gasoline is used in the wash, have a thorough insecticidal 

 process in every step. 



3. Steam Sterilization 



The process of sterilization most commonly used in army practice in- 

 volves the use of steam in some form. There is probably more danger to 

 clothes from the use of steam than from any other method of treatment. 

 Unless properly applied, steam will shrink, wrinkle and discolor woolens. 

 It is probably by a few minutes the quickest process of sterilization, but 

 steam does not cleanse or remove stains. When we consider that a uni- 

 form must often be subsequently treated either by laundry or dry clean- 

 ing to make it look presentable, we can readily see the advantage of 

 using one of these processes for the entire operation of sterilization and 

 cleansing. There is a proper way of handling each of the steam pro- 



