Another reason for being rid of every unnecessary garment was the prevalence of vermin. Whence they came nobody knew; but within a few days of landing on the soil very few men had escaped their attention. No effective arrangements for dealing with the pest were practicable, and the scarcity of water, with the consequent difficulty of securing changes of clothing, made the discomfort all the greater. A fortunate few argued amongst themselves as to whether the services to the Empire of a certain insect powder manufacturer had ever been adequately recognised. The soldier's relative who sent a cutting from the "West Australian's" agricultural column headed "The Vermin Board. Position of the Squatters" showed both an appreciation of the condition of the soldiery and the phase of strategy which the campaign had reached. And here may be retold the story of the exasperated man who interrupted a conversation by exclaiming, "The Kaiser! I wish he had _two_ withered hands and my shirt!" But the worst enemy was the fly. This fattened and multiplied on the filth which marked the ground the Turk had occupied, and on the unburied victims of the battle who tainted to nausea the atmosphere breathed by the garrisons in the elevated positions. Whatever precautions against them it was possible to take were adopted, but the scarcity of sheet iron and timber, and the restricted space, rendered these of little avail. The water supply was not materially affected, as most of this was Nile water, properly filtered, and brought to the shore in tank barges by the Navy. But the flies, in such numbers and with such enterprise as had never before been witnessed by the most travelled bushman, could not be kept out of the food. Diarrhoea and dysentery quickly affected the Australians. Little effective relief was at hand. Castor-oil alleviated it temporarily, and this was consumed in such quantities that, one war correspondent has said, it threatened to become the Australians' national drink! Typhoid, and what was described as paratyphoid, fevers followed these maladies. Later came jaundice in epidemic form. In addition, rheumatism, pneumonia, and heavy colds, made their levy. [Illustration: SERGEANT C. R. FIELD. The First N.C.O. to gain a Commission in the Field. Afterwards Captain and Adjutant of 2nd Machine Gun Battalion. Twice mentioned in Despatches.] So great were the losses from these causes, that in August the Anzac Corps was evacuating 500 men a day. Early in October the IX. Corps' return showed over 700 for one day. Also, about this latter date, in spite of the presence of comparatively fresh troops, the N.Z. and A Division was being reduced at the rate of 60 per diem--not more than 15 per cent. of which were battle casualties. [Illustration: REGIMENTAL QUARTERMASTER-SERGEANT R. G. SEXTY. Afterwards Captain and Transport Officer. Mentioned in Despatches.]