A FEW HINTS.
I shall give the following hints as they occurred to me, and as I noted
them down at the time when in Africa: -
Medicine Chest. - Should be of teak, covered with zinc, with copper edges
and corners. The bottom should be first covered externally, to enable
the wet to drain off without touching the wood. The expensive canteens
purchased of Messrs. Silver and Co., although covered with metal on the
top and sides, had no metal beneath; thus they were a prey to damp and
insects.
All bottles in medicine chest should have numbers engraved on the glass
to correspond with an index painted on the inside of the lid. Insects
and damp quickly destroy gilding or ordinary paper labels.
Seidlitz powders and all effervescent medicines should be packed in
wide-mouthed, stoppered bottles, but never in papers.
Matches. - Bryant and May's "Victoria Matches" will stand the damp of the
tropics beyond all others.
Tarpaulins. - Should be true mackintosh; but no other preparation of
india-rubber will stand the heat of the tropics. No. 2 canvas painted is
better than any preparation of tar, which sticks when folded together.
All tarpaulins should be 12 feet square, with large metal eyelet holes
and strong lines. If larger, they are too heavy.
