Distributional records for Aedes mosquitoes from the U.S. Air Force ovitrapping program-1992

During 1992, ovitrapping to sample populations of container-breeding Aedes was conducted at 28 U.S. Air Force installations in North America. Aedes albopictus was collected at 19 installations. The collections of Ae. albopictus at Goodfellow Air Force base (AFB), TX, and Moody AFB, GA, represent new records for Tom Green and Lowndes counties, respectively. Six installations were positive for Ae. aegypti; 13 were positive for Aedes triseriatus.

[The problems of the field water supply for the troops and for military medical installations]

The article discusses the questions of the improvement of field water supply of troops. There is a proposal to create the Service of field water supplies as an element of the Logistic Command subordination, increase the water ration, improve the system of quality water control, create a unique system of expert control, reinforce the units of water supply in field hospitals and hospital bases, make regulations for water regimen of personnel in hot climate regions. There is a conclusion that the problem of water supply needs to be considered by the Command and Research establishments of the Ministry of Defence of Russia.

[The hygienic characteristics of the working conditions for marines during a landing operation]

The article discusses the questions of the marines' activities during the mounting and staging of naval assault operation. The authors describe unfavourable factors of environmental conditions and limitations of manned objects of military technique. There are data concerning the health status and operational ability of the marines depending on characteristic features of various climatic zones, and stages of naval assault operation. The article emphasizes the role of sanitary-epidemiological control over water supplies, meals, and accommodation of servicemen in field conditions.

[The efficacy of the health and hygiene measures in the cleanup of the consequences of the accident at the Chernobyl Atomic Electric Power Station]

Sanitary-hygienic measures which were carried out in units during liquidation of the Chernobyl disaster consequences have assured favourable hygienic conditions and promote the accomplishing of their mission. Questions of accommodation, water supply and meals were efficiently resolved. Most complicated were the problems of territory clearing, personnel decontamination, as well as bath and laundry service in field conditions at radioactive contamination zones. Basic trends of prophylactic work were as following: hygienic normalization and regulations, sanitary-epidemiologic control and anti-epidemic measures.

[An epidemiological assessment of the results of laboratory research on environmental objects]

On the basis of the experience in antiepidemic protection of troops several methods were worked out to make epidemiological estimation of laboratory researches which were conducted in order to disclose the risk factors that provoke infectious diseases. The main attention was focused on the problem of intestinal infections. It was stressed that the practical evaluation of fecal pollution index of water had to be done taking into account the level of infectious morbidity. In unsatisfactory indices of colimetry a threat of diseases in troops is much higher in the regions with frequent intestinal infections. In unfavourable regions with high viral intestinal infections the studies of water must be done after its purification and decontamination in order to reveal the presence of coliphages. On the basis of catering objects the article gives methods for differential estimation of the results of colon bacillus tests depending on epidemiological signification of environmental objects.

[The tasks of the health inspection of the working conditions for the personnel of military pharmacies]

The article deals with the occupational problems of pharmacies, discloses the main limitations in the organization of prophylactic measures, stresses the basic trends for the practice of physicians-hygienists. The authors propose to enhance the efficiency of the current control regarding the personnel. Besides all it is necessary to made an object classification of all military pharmacies, and estimate the hygienic and sanitary conditions of personnel. The article stands for the unique method which could estimate these conditions and proposes to make the analysis of the health state of personnel, taking into account age specific rates, sex, conditions of daily life and job performance.

[The prediction of the temperature conditions in mobile installations of ground radio electronics systems]

The method cited in this article gives the possibility to estimate (prognosticate) the temperature of air in the working zone at the mobile objects of the ground radio electronic complexes. This method is based on formulas which take into account the lineal dependency of the air temperature inside the manned sectors from the outside temperature, sunlight intensity, type of a mobile complex, ventilation regime, and the grade of heat diffusion made by radio electronic equipment. The proposed formulas could be used for estimation (prognostication) of temperature conditions of the mobile objects at the stages of their development or during operating periods.

[Health and hygiene support for the troops]

As for prophylactic work, the main efforts of medical service were oriented to the reduction of non-combat medical losses. Prophylactic and current control was conducted taking into account the environmental conditions of the area. The authors make a conclusion that medical service at the initial stage of its activities was not properly ready to accomplish a variety of hygienic missions. It was especially difficult to carry out prophylactic measures aimed at the prevention of diseases and health states which were caused by specific environmental factors.

[The prevention of intestinal anthroponoses among military personnel]

In the 40th Army the hepatitis A and typhoid morbidity in enlisted personnel of the 1st year service period was 2.5 times higher than in enlisted personnel of the 2nd year service period. The greatest number of these sick cases took place in autumn and winter periods. The seasonal up-grade of shigellosis and acute intestinal infections of non-dysenteric etiology had its beginning in April-May and ended in November-January. Some garrisons had achieved a considerable efficiency in prophylaxis of hepatitis A by 2-3 ml immunoglobulin injections 2 months before the expected up-grade (morbidity reduction by 3-4 times). The experience has shown that the struggle against intestinal anthroponoses had to be executed using a complex approach to its prophylaxis. This work must be done not only by physicians, but also by the representatives of the rear service.

Evaluation of Army field sanitation during Blazing Trails '87

US medical personnel serving in Ecuador analyzed how the field sanitation procedures of troops employed in Blazing Trails '87 had impact on living conditions and overall health of the troops. Such a situation allowed evaluation of USAR troop training and preparedness in field sanitation. Results indicate that field sanitation training needs to be improved at the unit level.

Selection and testing of a glove combination for use with the U.S. Coast Guard's chemical response suit

A study was sponsored by the U.S. Coast Guard to select a glove system for its chemical response suit that could meet or exceed the chemical resistance performance of the suit's base material. Three different protective glove combinations were evaluated for their permeation resistance to 28 chemicals. The glove combinations were based on three materials--Viton, butyl rubber, and Silvershield. The test chemicals were selected for one of two reasons. First, no single glove material could be identified to be resistant against the chemical of interest, or second, no permeation test data were available for judging glove material performance for the specific chemical. As can be expected, the permeation resistance of the glove combinations greatly exceeded that of the single glove material components. The butyl rubber/Silvershield glove combination was found to provide permeation resistance greater than 1 hr for all but one of the chemicals tested.

The evolution of military medical services 1854 to 1914

A contemporary examination of the response of British and United States military organizations to the increased manpower wastage occasioned by the diseases and weaponry of war during the period 1854 to 1914 and the resulting changes in how these respective medical services were organized and employed.