| Place | Oceania: New Guinea1, Papua New Guinea, Morobe Province, Lae |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | ART21288 |
| Collection type | Art |
| Measurement | Overall: 31.1 x 24.2 cm |
| Object type | Work on paper |
| Physical description | watercolour with pen and brown ink over pencil on paper |
| Maker |
Abbott, Harold |
| Place made | New Guinea1: Papua New Guinea, Morobe Province, Lae |
| Date made | October 1944 |
| Conflict |
Second World War, 1939-1945 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain
|
Anti-mite precautions
Description
Troops applying the anti-mite fluid Di Butyl Thallali (DBT), an effective precaution against the bite of the mokka. Infected mokkas were the carriers of Scrub Typhus, a disease that caused many fatal casualties. Using the hands, the DBT fluid was applied to the inner side of the garments, with great care being necessary to ensure that the whole surface was covered (including underneath seams and pockets). Two ounces of DBT were enough to treat a set of clothes - including trousers, shirt, and socks. When clothing was treated this way, even after several washings the mokka would be killed by the fluid before it could attach itself to a garment. The drawing shows Corporal Kevin W. Miller (NX155732) in the foreground, folding his trousers in preparation for the application of the fluid. Next to him Corporal Noel L. Smith (QX46953) dips his fingers into the fluid before rubbing it over his hands. The men in the background are shown applying DBT to their socks and shirts.