Following the battle for Guadacanal in November 1942, the Medical Department was asked to develop a first aid kit for use by troops in jungle areas
The first pattern nomenclature was Kit, First Aid, Jungle, Individual, M1 with Medical Department Item No. 97107.
The M-1 Kit was the first version introduced for use in the jungle. It failed because it was unpractical and too bulky . The M-1 Individual Medical Jungle Kit, introduced in 1942-1943, consisted of a khaki-colored lightweight cotton kind of sleeve, provided with 17 individual compartments, that was rolled up and tied for easy packing. The only item to be cancelled early 1944, were the 100 Salt Tablets; the rest of the items remained, although later limited in number, when replacing the Kit with the M-2 version (smaller container, limited contents). The packed Kit rolled, and tied together as a kind of bag was to be carried in a compartment of the Jungle Pack ; the trouble was, that is was not only fragile, but often out of reach for the owner; it however remained in limited use, even after the introduction of the new M-2 version
FM 21-11 First Aid for Soldiers (April 7, 1943)
- Aspirin (Acid, Acetylsalicylic) tablets (5-Grain) 24
- Atabrine tablets (0.1-gram) (30)
- Halazone (Water Purification) tablets (1/10-Grain) (200)
- Insect Repellent (1 oz)
- Packet First-Aid (1)
- Foot Powder (2 oz)
- Solution for athlete's foot (Frazer's Solution) (1 oz)
- Iodine (2%) (2cc)
- Salt Tablets (10-Grain) (100)
- Sulfadiazine tablets (0.5-Grain) (8)
- Adhesive Compresses (16)
- Adhesive Plaster (1 inch x 5 yards ) (1 spool)
Contrary to the above, Salt Tablets were not the only item eliminated from the M-1 upon adoption of the M-2. Three other items were eliminated, inasmuch as “Kit, Jungle, Medical, Individual, M-2, Complete”, consisted of both the canvas Container (also supplied by contractors and carried as a separate item (Number 9766100), with the following eight (8) components: (1) Number 9109800 Item — Frazer’s solution for athlete’s foot, 1 oz; (2) Number 9111800 Item — Iodine, 2 cc; Number 9120110 Item — Repellent, insect, 2 oz; (3) Number 9120400; Item — Sulfadiazine (“Wound Tablets”) 8 tablets in pack; (4) Number 9121805 Item — Tablet, water purification, individual, 100 tablets; (5) Number 9200000; Item — Bandage, gauze, adhesive, white, 1-inch by 3-inch, supplied by contractors 16 in cardboard packet and issued 3 per kit, increased to 12 in November 1944; (6) Number 9208200 Item — Packet, First-Aid, Field Brown Dressing; (7) Number 9961500 Item — Vial, 1/2-oz for the following: (8), Number 1084500 Item — Atabrine (anti-malarial), supplied by contractors 100 Tablet bottles, issued 30 Tablets per 1/2-oz vial (SEE: Army Service Forces Medical Supply Catalog, (March 1, 1944), National Medical Library, National Institute of Health at at MED 6 SETS: Small Assemblies, Kits, and Chests
ReplyDeleteat Page 55 in original, Page 553 on-line),https://collections.nlm.nih.gov/ext/dw/100940577/PDF/100940577.pdf, downloaded April 12, 2023).