Insecticides
In testing and discussing the value of insecticides with soldiers it is extremely interesting how often the personal factor creeps in. There is not a single preparation sold, be it powder, pomade or body belt, but what has is upholders and decriers and from the soldiers' point of view the merits of the preparation do not matter so long as it clears him of lice - or so long as he think it does. But from many experiments carried on over months at all zones of the front, using such materials as mercury powders, cresol, phonol, mineral oils, essential oils, soft paraffin etc., it is the writer's opinion that all such insecticides have only a minor and expedient function. The only places where their use is justified are the trenches. Results indicate: 
- Eliminating Napthalene, now unprocurable, no powders are of much utility.
- Ointment insecticides are effective more by reason of their greasiness than by their chemical properties. They act as "suffocating poisons" i.e. they mechanically block up the spiracles of the insects.
- It follows that for the best results with ointments it is imperative to reach as many of the insects as possible. This is secured by annointing the whole body from neck to feet to defeat wandering lice, and by smearing the seams, to trap lurking specimens and also newly hatching young.
- With materials procurable at the front the following recipes were made up and proved as good all round as any other ointment insecticide.
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