446 
Combating Lousiness 
(1) Fresh air inlets entering the hut in the form of two six-inch pipes 
running beneath the floor and opening beneath the centre of a large 
brazier; the pipe openings are protected by guards against the infall of 
ashes from the brazier; the external openings of the pipes should have 
movable bent heads protruding 2 feet 6 inches above the ground. The 
bent, heads can be orientated according to the wind so as to guard against 
gusts and excessive draught. (2) A ventilator in the roof, louvred or 
otherwise, prevents the air that is confined between the roof and ceiling 
from becoming overheated. (3) Two regulatable foul hot-air outlets are 
placed high up in the walls; they produce a much better air circulation 
in the heated chamber than when the opening is placed centrally in the 
ceiling. (4) A small plate glass window for reading the thermometer from 
the outside should be placed 4 inches from the floor. (5) Two tiers of bars 
or thick wire (Figs. 9, 10) run at right angles to the length of the hut, 
leaving a clear passage 4 feet 6 inches wide down the centre, the lower 
tier is placed 4 feet 6 inches above the floor so that a 7-foot blanket, hung 
thereon, does not come nearer than 1 foot from the floor. An interval of 
8 inches should separate the bars of each tier. The bars of the upper and 
lower tiers should alternate, i.e., not be superposed (Fig. 10). A foot 
length of bar is reckoned per blanket. Sliding hooks on the bars serve 
for suspending uniforms, etc. (6) The brazier is placed in a well sunk 
6-12 inches below the floor level. The floor and well beneath the 
brazier should be of firebricks or fire clay. It is an advantage in respect 
to heating to have the brazier as low as possible. (7) The floor can be 
made of concrete on sleeper walls with an air-space, or better still of coke 
brieze covered with f-inch flooring and protected by a sheet of iron oppo¬ 
site the door to guard against falling embers. This kind of floor econo¬ 
mizes fuel and time in working, for the hut heats more rapidly if the 
floor be non-conducting. 
Working capacity, etc. A hut of this kind, measuring 14 x 14 x 9 
feet high (1764 cubic feet) containing 60 iron rods 4 feet 8 inches long 
in two tiers, admits of a load of 300 blankets or their equivalent being 
treated at one time. Each blanket is folded lengthwise over a rod and is 
drawn slightly together along it, so that the blanket surface is puckered 
whereby 5 blankets are accommodated on each rod without being unduly 
crowded. The blankets of the lower tier should not approach closer than 
1 foot from the floor as the lice may survive near floor level. It is there¬ 
fore important in removing disinfested articles from the wires, that they 
should not be allowed to come in contact with the floor upon which lice 
may have dropped and remained alive. 
