requirements will be one pint or more per hour per man. This is best taken at 20- to 30-
minute intervals. As activities or conditions become more severe, the intake increases
accordingly. When water is in short supply, significant water economy may be achieved
by limiting physical activity to the early morning, evening, and night hours when the heat
load is less and sweating is reduced. The optimum temperatures of water for drinking is
60F + 10.
b. The belief that men can be taught to adjust to decreased water intake is
incorrect.
Quarts per man per day for
drinking purposes (a guide for
planning only) WBGT or WB
index*.
Less than
Greater than
ACTIVITY
ILLUSTRATIVE
80
80
Light
Desk
6
10
Moderate
Route march
7
11
Forced marches, stevedoring,
entrenching, or route marches
Heavy
9
13
with heavy loads or in CBR
protective clothing.
* 80 WBGT or WD index is approximately equivalent to a dry bulb temperature of
85 in a jungle or 105 in a desert environment
Table 4-3. Water requirements.
4-16. SALT
While significant quantities of sodium chloride may be lost by sweating, no
special salt supplements are routinely required as a heat injury countermeasure. The
quantity of salt normally consumed with meals will satisfy most requirements.
Individuals should be cautioned against self-administered salt supplements (that is, salt
tablets) as salt overload in the digestive tract quite commonly causes gastrointestinal
illness which may result in vomiting, dehydration, and electrolyte imbalance.
4-17. ACCLIMATIZATION
a. Training programs for personnel who are unseasoned to heat should be
limited in intensity and time. A period of approximately 2 weeks should be allowed for
acclimatization with progressive degrees of heat exposure and physical exertion. If men
are required to perform heavy physical work before being properly acclimatized, the
work is poorly performed, development of the capacity to work effectively is retarded,
MD0008
4-15