ArmoredMedical Research Laboratory

Foptt Knio 5Kentucky

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INDEXED

Report On

PROJECT NO. 32 - LETTER REPORT ON TEST OF SOCKS, CUSHION SOLE,EXPERIMENTAL

Project No, 32 28 July 1944

ARMORED MEDICAL RESEARCH LABORATORYFort Knox, Kentucky

Project No 0 32727-123 SPMEA 23 July 1?U,

lo PROJECT: NOo 32 - Letter Report on Test of Socks, Cushion Sole,Experimental0

&o Authority - Letter Army Service Forces, Office QuartermasterGeneral, 10 April 'I9IJ4, File SPQRQ i00o 112o

b 0 Purpose - To compare socks, cushion sole, Experimental, andsocks, wool, cushion sole, with respect to comfort, irritation of feet, andexcessive sweatingo

20 DISCUSSION:

a 0 It was requested that a preliminary test of the subject, socks,be carried out under'a variety of environmental conditions, vi*; cold, warm,and weto However, facilities were not currently available for extended testsof this nature, and therefore, the following limited test was made 0

b0 Fifteen (15) men were issued one pair each of socks, wool, cushion A

sole, and socks, cushion sole, experimcntalo These men were members of the717th Tank Bn 0 , engaged in driving experimental tanks nine (9) hours dailyduring the hottest part of the Fort Knox summer, environmental temperaturesfrequently being over 90°F with high humidity 0

Cc The men wore the socks for a varying number of days, dependingon whether they laundered them themselves or sent them to the 1sundry0 Five(5) of tnc subjects wore one or the other pair every day of the three (3)week test periodo

3o OBSERVATIONS:

a G The comments made, applicable to both test socVj equally, wereas follows: \

b 0 (l)o Of the fifteen (15) men, three (3) developed * lacular typeof erythema of the lower leg just above the shoe tor, ni th very little itching,having a band-like distribution of approximately two to t ree i-ichet extent,corresponding in location to the cuff of the « cko in a!l cases tis reaction

Comment bibber of Men

Warmer than standard issue ?

Warmer, with increased sweating 2Warmer, with diminished sweating ZToo tight in shoes 1Preferable to issued socks 3

gave evidence of healing spontaneously at the end of the three (3) week periodin spite of continued wear of the socks„ In two (2) of the men the healing wasaccompanied by branny desquamation, while in the third, lichenification of veryslight extent was noted in addition*

(2) One (1) subject developed this skin reaction on the thirdday after he had begun to wear the test socks 0 Another subject developed it onthe fourth day, while the third subject believed that it might have been presentabout a week prior to the issue of the test socks 0 This last subject did notfeel that the test socks aggravated the condition in any way0

(3) There was no evidence of skin irritation of either the footsurface or the interdigital areas of any subject0

(U) Since the subjects were examined only at the end of the three(3) week test period, it is not possible to say to which of the two test socksthe lesion is to be attributed,.

lo CONCLUSIONS:

a0 An erythematous reaction was noted in approximately 1%% of a smallgroup of men who wore the test socks 0 Their skin reactions were not of a seriousnature,, and seemed to be healing despite continued wear of the socks 0 However,since one subject may have had the rash prior to the test, it is not possiblewith certainty to incriminate the subject items <,

5o RECOMMENDATIONS:

a0 In view of the possibility that the socks may have been responsiblefor the skin reactions noted, it is suggested that a larger number of test socksbe issued to infantry troops engaged in field activities and that observationsbe made by a medical officer at frequent intervals in order to determine the ex-tent and severity of the reactions 0

Submitted by:

Arthur Freedman Capto, MC

APPROVEDVJILLARD MACHLE

Colonel, Medical CorpsCommanding