Health hints for warm climates : for all personnel proceeding to the tropics and subtropics / issued by authority of the Air Member for Personnel, Air Ministry.

Date:
1943
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Health hints for warm climates : for all personnel proceeding to the tropics and subtropics / issued by authority of the Air Member for Personnel, Air Ministry. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    playing on the abdomen. Such chilling may lead to acute diarrhoea and so lower the resistance of the gut as to precipitate an attack of dysentery if the germs are present. Keep your abdomen covered and never sleep in a direct draught (g) Personal Hygiene: (i) Washing.—In countries where you sweat a lot it is a good thing to wash as frequently as possible, but you must dry yourself with the greatest care, otherwise you are liable to develop certain skin diseases as the result of infection from the floor or shoes or from dust blown against the moist surfaces of the body. Such infections include dhobie’s, or washer- man’s itch, sweat rashes, foot rot and athlete’s foot, all of which are due to fungi. It is particularly important to dry thoroughly the ears, armpits and crutch, also between the toes, as these moist places are the favourite sites for fungito grow. Dusting with talc powder materially helps to keep these parts dry, while under- clothes must be carefully washed and sunbaked to rid them of infection. Do not walk about bare-footed at any time, but always have a pair of sandals or slippers beside the bath or shower for use as soon as you have thoroughly dried your feet. These sandals or slippers should be exposed to the sun for at least an hour daily to help kill off any fungus. You should examine your armpits, crutch and toe-spaces when you dry them, and, if there is any inflammation or abnormality, you should report it to your medical officer. These fungus infec- tions are most easily cured if treatment is started early. If you have had discharging ears at any time you should consult your medical officer before indulging in sea-bathing. Many fresh-waters abroad are infested with a minute worm which causes a disease called bilharziasis (Bill Harris), so you should only bathe in officially sanctioned waters, whether it be for ordinary washing purposes or for swimming. These waters will have been examined for purity and treated if necessary before they are authorised for use. There is no danger of becoming infected with bilharziasis from sea-water bathing. (ii) Bowels.—Constipation is common in warm climates because much of the moisture that would normally keep the motions soft is lost in sweating. Do not let yourself become constipated, for if
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