Keep your mouth clean by brushing your teeth once or twice a day. It helps to prevent the teeth from decaying. Decayed teeth cause toothache. They also lead one to swallow food without properly chewing it, and this leads to stomach troubles of various kinds. Food left around and between the teeth is bad for the teeth and forms good breeding places for germs. Keep the skin clean. Through the pores of the skin the body gets rid of much waste and poisonous matter. Therefore remove this and keep the pores open by bathing once every day, if possible. If water is scarce, rub the body over with a wet towel. If no water is at hand, take a dry rub. Wash carefully the armpits, between the legs, and under the foreskin, as this will prevent chafing. The skin protects the sensitive parts underneath from injury and helps to keep out germs. Therefore when blisters are formed don't tear off the skin. Insert a needle under the skin a little distance back from the blister and push it through to the opposite side. Press out the liquid through the holes thus formed. Heat the needle red hot first, with a match or candle, to kill the germs. When the skin is broken (in cuts and wounds) keep the opening covered with a bandage to keep out germs and dirt; otherwise the sore may fester. Pus is always caused by germs. Keep your hair short. Long hair and a long beard in the field generally means a dirty head and a dirty face and favors skin diseases, lice, and dandruff. =Don't let any part of the body become chilled, as this very often is the direct cause of diarrhea, dysentery, pneumonia, rheumatism, and other diseases.= Wet clothes may be worn while marching or exercising without bad results, but there is great danger if one rests in wet clothing, as the body may become chilled. Don't sit or lie or sleep directly on damp ground, as this is sure to chill the body. When hot or perspiring or when wearing damp clothes, don't remain where a breeze can strike you. You are sure to become chilled. Every day, if possible, hang your blanket and clothing out to air in the sun; shake or beat them with a small stick. Germs and vermin don't like this treatment, but damp, musty clothing suits them very well. Wash your shirts, underwear, and socks frequently. The danger of blood poisoning from a wound is greatly increased if the bullet passes through dirty clothes. Ditch your tent as soon as you can, particularly a shelter tent, even if you camp for one night only. Otherwise a little rain may ruin a whole night's rest. Always prepare your bed before dark. Level off the ground and scrape out a little hollow for your hips. Get some straw or dry grass if possible. Green grass or branches from trees are better than nothing. Sleep on your poncho. This keeps the dampness from coming up from the ground and chilling the body. Every minute spent in making a good bed means about an hour's good rest later on.