Investigating, etc., of infectious disease.

Appx. XIX.

   By co-operation with veterinary officers, early information should
be obtained of diagnosed and suspected cases of anthrax among
animals. Infected animals should be destroyed, and their carcases
burnt or deeply buried after being freely coated with quicklime;
special care must be taken to prevent the ground being fouled by
blood and discharges. Infected ground should not be camped on.
(See K. R., paras. 1453, 1454).

   Abrasions of all personnel engaged in attending animals of infected
units must be protected.

   Shaving brushes before being taken in stock should be soaked for
four hours in a 10 per cent. solution of formalin.*The solution should
be kept at a temperature of 110⁰F. and the brush agitated so as to
bring the solution into contact with all hair and bristles.

   Bacteriological examinations should be made of suspected shaving
brushes or tooth brushes. If proved to contain anthrax spores, they
must be destroyed, and the D. M. S. in India notified by telegram.

CEREBRO-SPINAL FEVER.

   7. Spread.— Is closely associated with overcrowding; conveyed
by " droplets " emitted by a carrier in coughing, sneezing or breathing.

   The causal agent is a diplococcus found in the nasopharyngeal
mucosa, and present in a definite small percentage of the general
population, without necessarily implying any individual pathogenic
significance. Recruits and young soldiers are peculiarly liable to
attack. There is definite seasonal incidence. In temperate latitudes
the maximum incidence occurs during the humid months of spring and
in autumn; in the tropics in the " cold " season when overcrowding
is greatest.

   8. Preventive measures .—Avoidance of overcrowding: and free
ventilation. Disinfection should be carried out as indicated in para.
554. Isolation of the patient, segregation and bacteriological exami-
nation of contacts, segregation of attendants on the sick: gargling
or spraying the throats of troops.

   Experience has shown that the disease will not occur in armies
if the established peace-time allotment of accommodation is not
departed from, if judicious spacing is maintained in sleeping rooms,
if men are prevented from over-crowding recreation rooms, dining
rooms, lecture halls and canteens, and if ventilation is established
and maintained in all rooms, more especially in sleeping rooms. In
cold weather, in the presence of an outbreak, a generous supply of
blankets should be issued to permit of thorough ventilation of sleeping
rooms. The temperature of the air affects the viability of the diplo-
coccus which has but a short life in cold freely moving air.

CHOLERA.

   9.Spread.— By water, milk, cream, butter, uncooked vegetables,
salads, fruits, mineral water, etc., when any of these have become
infected by the discharges from a carrier or case of the disease.

*Formalin is a 40 per cent. solution of formaldehyde.

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