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tent absently watching the rushing waves break at out feet — or looking reflectively out to sea until out against the horizon misty visions of the west coast of America rise slowly into the clouds.
The climate in new guinea is, as you expect, not very salubrious. It is always extremely damp and it rains at least once very day during the dry season. Further inland it gets extremely hot but in out spot on the shore it has been so far quite tolerable. There is always s cooling breeze from the sea, and so far it has been quite cloudy most of time — so that I haven't been near so uncomfortable as I was a Gruber. However, the hospital will probably be some miles from the seaside and I'm expecting the worst. The ampness is maximal at night and we find our clothes actually wet when we dress in the morning.When sitting still we're fairly comfotable but the slightest exertion provokes profuse perspiration.
Malaria, of course, is endemic in this country — in fact it's perpetually epidemic among the natives, and there is the usual prevalence of dysentery and other infections derived from insects and water. But we've been shot with every imaginable immunization — and we have mosquito nets, a very effective mosquito repellent (much better than the old citronella and greaseless and odorless) and we take atabrine regularly. There is also an extensive program of malaria control (cleaning out swamps, making sure the boys follow the regulations in taking their medicine, etc.) conducted by special malaria units who wen to a training school at home to learn their business. They have signs all over the place in the roadside advertising vein such as Stay Happy All Day the Atabrine Way — Use Your Repellent and so forth. With adherence to the cautions prescribed, there is very little likelihood of falling prey to these various ills. Incidentally, instead of the usual insect spray — they have the same insecticide mixed with a very volatile gas that is lighter than air. The stuff is put in a bomb so alled, and when the opening is uncovered (a pin-point hole) and held upright, a rapid stream of spray comes out and spreads all over.
All told, our health is excellent and spirits high. And for some silly reason I've been enjoying this more than anything else I've experienced in the army — even though this is a primitive existance that my metropolitan nose tends to look down on with disdain.
I would like to have a filter for the camera — one of those dojiggers that make it possible to take picturs of clouds etc. Macy is the place no doubt.
more again soon
Mervyn