Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: TRENCHES AND THE BATTLEFIELD. SANITATION OF TRENCHES. The average trench is 7 feet deep by 1 meter wide, and the sides are lined with wooden uprights braced by cross- pieces. Trench life is very monotous and trying. On the Western front the men occupied trenches for from three to four days in all weather, and were then relieved for a period of recuperation. Latrines.—Latrines should be situated in dugouts a short distance to the rear of the trench, and connected with the latter by a few meters of the connecting trench. The dugout should be deep enough to protect against any missiles except high explosive shells. Here a pit is dug and covered with a latrine seat. Incineration is impossible for lack of fuel, and because it would give the range to artillery. The method adopted has been to collect excreta in small buckets, empty gasoline tins and similar receptacles. These are tightly covered and carried to the rear by the troops when relieved, and clean cans are brought forward and put in place by the new troops. The cans containing the excreta are preferably burned in an incinerator at the rear when fuel is available, but when this cannot be done the cans are buried in deep pits and well covered. Lime or iron sulphate or crude oil may be used to cover the excreta. Iron sulphate is a good deodorant. As the dugout is lighted only by a candle or lantern, flies are not attracted in great numbers, but the latrine box should be made fly-tight. IMPROVISED LATRINE FOR FIRST-LINE TRENCHES (FLY-PROOF) LID HINGED WITH LEATHER METHOD OF REMOVAL FOR. EMPTYING SECTION Fig. 9- Urinals.—A urine absorption pit may be made as follows: Fill a pit of 4 to 6 feet deep and 4 feet square with stones or clinkers, covering over the top with sod except in the middle, where a...