Norwich bulletin., 1917-08-23
HON1E-READINC COURSE FOR CITIZEN SOLDIERS
 right.


 s27.)
 You will learn in time the practical
 rules for taking care of your feet that aye followed by experienced soldiers. You will avoid cOnSidera ble discomfort however, if you learn some of these rules now and put them into practice from the very beginning: l. See that your shoes are large enough. They will at first look and feel unnecessarily loose. This is need ed because it has been found that feet swell and lengthen on marches, espe- cially when carrying packs. But shoes fitted this way will gIve you no corns: bunions, blisters, or other foot ills. In fact they will cure any that you may already have.
 ?. Take pains to keep your shoes in apply light coat of heats foot oil which will both soften the leather and tend to make them waterproof. Don't neglect to smooth out wrinkles in the lining of the shoe. Break in'' new shoes before wearing them on long marches.
 B. Wear light woolen socks, such as
 will be issued to you. See that you
 a hole has been worn and can not be
 mended at once change the sock from
 one foot to the other so that your foot
 will not be irritated more than is nec- essary.
 4. Keep your feet socks and shoes clean. When on the march try to wash your socks at night and put on a clean pair every morning. Bathe the feet ev- cry evening, or at leSst wipe them off with a wet towel.
 5. Keep your feet scrupulously clean. 4 foot bath can be taken, when other facilities are not at hand, by scraping throwing a poncho over it and pouring water into this from your canteen. Even a, pint of water will do for a foot bath. You can bathe all over by nak- @f k size and using your poncho as for a foot bath
 G. Keep your toe nails trimmed close Iy and cut them square across the ends. nails. By all means avoid the com mon error of rounding the corners of the nail and cutting it to a point in the center.
 [ In case a blister is formed while on the march. open the edge of the blister with the point of q knife or needle that has been heated in a match flame Be sure to squeeze all the fluid out Of the blister. To leave any in 1t may make it worse. Do not pull off the loose skin. but press it back. Then put on an adhesive plaster. covering the skin well beyond the edges of the blister. putting it on as tightly as pos sible without wrinkles. In the same way put an adhesive plaster over any red or tender spots.
 a s. In case any tendons become 1n- famed or swollen Casually due to lac ing the logging or shoe too tightly or to some other unnecessary pressure), soak the foot in cold water. massage the tendon and protect it as much as possible by strips of adhesive plaster. You should report to q medical officer at your first opportunity to make sure that the trouble does not grow worse.
 One sign of a green soldier is his tendency to drink too much water while on a long march. The eXperi
 yEria hi a nd throat once in a while but drinks only in sips and does not overload his stom ach with either waer or food.
 After you have arrived in camp and have cooled off you can drink slowly as much as you desire. It is Of course, unwise to eat fruits, candy, soft drinks, ice cream. and the like while on the march.
 Another sign of a green soldier Is a carelessIy adjusted pack or any other equipment not neatly and securely fastened. Your comfort on the march depends very largely on the care and judgment used in getting ready All your equipment has been so designed that it need not interfere with the free of your arms and legs. Your pack should be strapped to your back in such way that you can stand erect | and breathe freely. There should be 1 TO pressure of any of the soft parts of 1 the body. You will march most easily 1 f you keep your body erect and do | not permit youfSe1 to SlOuCn or sway 1 from side to side. |
 When the command is given to halt ! and fall out for a few minutes loosen ! your pack and rest your back on it in q | sitting and lying position. If possible. 1 ie with your feet higher than the head, i 50 as to let the flow out of the legs l nto the body and rest your heart. Dur ng the first few halts you may not 1 eel tired but rest as completely as you ,an anyway. Look forward to the end If the march and try to handle your elf so that you will be strong and l resil at the finish.
 At the first halt 1t is well to readjust he pack or any part of the equip nent not entirely comfortable If our shoes or leggings are laced too tightly this is the time to loosen them.
 A cheerful attitude is one of the best | ids to a soldier on 8 trying march Singing and whistiing on the march is IsualIy not only allowed but encourag- d. They help wonderfully to make he long road seem shorter.
 These are all very simple rules. but one the less important Keep them n mind. Some men never learn ex- ept from their own hard experience; ut it is expected of the men in the army that they will have the ood sense to see the value of these suggestions and to apply them from he very beginning.