458 
Combating Lousiness 
lid. With an adequate supply of steam from an annexed boiler, the 
effects within the barrels attain a temperature of 105-108° C. in at most 
35 minutes, and the clothing is dry on removal. The barrels are used in 
groups of 25 capable of disinfecting the effects of 500 men at a time. The 
size of the “battery” can be varied according to requirements, and 
reducing the length of the spiral pipe serves to lower the temperature 
attained within the barrel. The barrels may be mounted on a platform 
adjoining a railway station, on railway trucks, or on wagons; in the 
latter case extras may also be transported, i.e. water tanks and shower- 
bath sprays projecting at the sides where soldiers can cleanse themselves 1 . 
Fig. 15. Riscbbieter’s improvised apparatus for disinfection with superheated 
steam. For description see text. 
Box steam disinfectors. Yago (1916, p. 240) devised a simple apparatus 
wherein steam under pressure was led into a disinfecting box and Risch- 
bieter (1916, p. 30) describes and figures an improvised disinfector of a 
cheap and simple form that has been found useful at the German Eastern 
Front (see Fig. 15), superheated steam being employed. 
This disinfector is used in the open and consists of two parts, (a) the 
steam generator and (b) the heating chamber. The generator is a brick 
structure with a chimney and fireplace, the latter containing two open 
1 The huge wooden barrels and vats, figured in German illustrated papers, measuring 
ca. 10 ft. across, the vats being provided with square doors fitted at the ends may serve 
either for steam disinfestation or louse destruction by gases, I cannot say which. They are 
shown resting on one side either on motor trucks, or, when on the ground, alongside what 
appear to be factory buildings. This form of disinfector is familiarly called a “ Lausoleum.” 
