marked   “clean”   or   “contaminated.”   Decon- tamination  kits,  protective  ointment,  and  an abundant   supply   of   soap   and   water   must   be provided.  In  addition,  standard  first-aid  items should  be  on  hand.  It  will  be  extremely  helpful if  small  trestles,  boxes,  or  similar  supports  are improvised  so  that  stretchers  may  be  placed  on them  and  thus  be  raised  off  the  deck. Personnel handling contaminated cases must avoid spreading contamination to other personnel and to spaces not set aside as areas of reception of contaminated   cases.   Contaminated   personnel, clothing,  or  equipment  must  be  kept  out  of uncontaminated  areas.  The  subsequent  decon- tamination  of  such  spaces  is  quite  difficult  and must be avoided. Contaminated clothing and gear must  be  placed  in  designated  dump  areas  and, insofar  as  practical,  must  be  kept  in  metal  cans with  tightly  fitting  covers. SUPPLIES The  medical  officer  or  Medical  Department representative   is   responsible   for   maintaining adequate  supplies  for  the  decontamination  and treatment  of  CBR  casualties. Medical  decontamination  supplies  are  supplied to  ships  of  the  force  on  a  personnel  strength basis  as  listed  in  current  AMALs. The cabinets will be kept locked, and the keys will   be   in   custody   of   the   damage   control assistant during emergency conditions. Cabinets and  chests  will  be  stenciled  with  a  red  cross and  marked  “DECONTAMINATION  MEDI- CAL   SUPPLIES.” The  quantities  of  specific  drugs  that  com- mands and activities are required to maintain for defense  against  chemical  and  biological  warfare are  given  in  NAVMEDCOMINST  6710.3. BIOLOGICAL  DEFENSE Epidemics  arising  from  natural  causes  have plagued military forces for centuries and in many instances   have   determined   the   outcome   of campaigns. In the past, recognition of this drain on personnel undoubtedly has led to attempts to produce  illness  in  epidemic  proportions  through pollution  of  water  and  food  supplies  as  well  as through  other  means,  but  the  dissemination  of disease-producing  organisms  has  never  been employed  on  any  significant  scale  as  a  weapon of  war. Since  World  War  II,  due  to  the  general advancement  of  knowledge  in  the  various  fields of  biological  sciences  and  as  a  result  of  known research   in   many   countries   on   the   use   of microorganisms  as  a  weapon  of  war,  biological warfare  has  become  a  very  real  possibility. In  the  hands  of  an  unscrupulous  enemy, antianimal  and  antiplant  agents  could  be  powerful instruments   of   war,   reducing   or   destroying   a nation’s  food  supply.  This  chapter,  however,  is concerned  only  with  agents  that  would  be effective against populations, and although their effectiveness   has   never   been   established   by actual  use  in  war,  they  are  considered  to  have grave  military  capabilities. Biological  warfare  has  certain  aspects  in common with chemical warfare in that biological agents may be dispersed in the air and may travel downwind  in  the  same  manner  as  a  gas  cloud. These agents may be inhaled unless a protective mask is worn and may cause disability or death. They  are  capable  of  contaminating  clothing, equipment, food, and water supplies. Some types of   agents   may   persist   in   the   target   area   for considerable  periods  of  time. Biological   agents,   unlike   most   war   gases, cannot  be  detected  by  the  physical  senses  or  by chemical detectors, and their presence or identity can  be  determined  only  by  laboratory  examina- tion of air samples or contaminated objects. The time lag between exposure and the onset of disease symptoms will usually be a matter of days, rather than  hours,  as  is  the  case  with  most  chemical agents. All persons will not be similarly affected even  though  exposed  to  the  same  dosage  of biological   agents.    Some  may  escape  disease entirely, some may have a very mild attack, and some  may  become  seriously  ill. INDIVIDUAL   PROTECTION As  in  the  case  of  exposure  to  most  com- municable diseases, the natural resistance of the body and the maintenance of the body in the best possible  physical  condition  constitute  important lines   of   defense   against   biological   agents. However,  immunity  and  states  of  good  health cannot  be  expected  to  triumph  over  massive onslaughts  of  biological  agents  that  may  have been  tailored  to  create  varying  degrees  of incapacitation   including   death.   To   reduce   the effectiveness  of  such  attacks,  protective  equip- ment has been provided and defensive measures have  been  delineated  to  protect  the  individual. 6-3