individual measures for insect and malaria control. A man in a foxhole or on the
frontline can protect himself reasonably well if he knows how to avoid infection and
realizes the importance of doing so.
a. Clothing. The combat uniform, when worn loosely with the trousers tucked
into the boots without blousing rubbers and with the sleeves down and buttoned,
provides a large measure of protection to the soldier. A mosquito can bite through most
clothing only when it is worn tightly against the skin. Wearing the uniform in this way
also makes it more difficult for mites and ticks to get under the clothing. It may be
necessary to wear headnets and gloves. Headnets afford excellent protection for the
face and neck. Headnets are particularly useful in areas where mosquitoes and biting
flies are abundant, such as in the Arctic during the summer. Wearing shorts as an outer
garment during the hours from dusk to dawn should be prohibited and no person should
be allowed outdoors without wearing a shirt during this period. This type of control can
be effective only by strict discipline and frequent inspection.
b. Clothing Repellent, M-1960. Uniforms impregnated with clothing repellent
provide additional protection against arthropods such as ticks and mites. These
arthropods crawl into clothing openings in order to gain access to the body. Since the
repellent is mildly irritating to the skin and sometimes causes inflammation, it is not used
routinely nor is it applied to underwear and socks. The medical authority normally
authorizes the use of M-1960 clothing repellent when troops must conduct operations in
areas infested with mites and ticks.
c. Insect Repellent for Personal Application. Individual insect repellent
(DEET) is available in a two-ounce plastic bottle. DEET is applied to the hands and
then rubbed on the face and other exposed skin areas. DEET provides good protection
against disease-carrying mosquitoes and other insects for two to four hours, provided
the repellent is not washed off or diluted with perspiration. More frequent applications
may be necessary for soldiers engaged in strenuous activity. DEET can also serve
effectively as a repellent on clothing. The DEET should be applied around clothing
openings such as the collar, waist, sleeve cuffs, and boot tops and applied to clothing
which fits over the body snugly such as over the shoulder blades and over the buttocks.
d. Insect Bar. The insect bar (bednet) shown in figure 1-3 is a necessity even
in a screened billet. This device is composed of two T-rods and a net. One T-rod is
attached to each end of the bed. When a person is not sleeping on a bed, the T-rods
are stuck into the ground at the head and the feet. The net is suspended from, not
draped over, the T-rod and tucked securely under the mattress or sleeping bag except
for an entrance port. The net is then inspected for holes and repaired as needed. After
crawling through the entrance port, the occupant tucks the remainder of the net under
the mattress and sprays insecticide (paragraph 1-28e below). He must take care not to
come in contact with the net since arthropods can bite through it. The insect bar should
always be carried as personal equipment by all troops entering a malarious area, even
in forward combat areas. There are cases in which 20 percent of the troops have
become ill with malaria as the result of being exposed to mosquitoes for one night
without the protection of insect bars.
MD0535
1-19