Civic Action Pocket Field Guide
by Dave Nuttle

During “nation building” efforts, in countries with conflict, military units engage in so-called civic action to assist with development/ redevelopment progress. This work is critical in helping to convince indigenous populations that they have hopefully gained some benefits from all their many conflict-related sacrifices. The civic action guidelines, herein stated, were tested and proven very successful by the U.S. Marine Corps, during the Vietnam War.  Lt. General Victor H. Krulak, Commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps during said test period, directed his Marines to use this guide. (Please keep in mind that the U.S. lost the Vietnam War for political reasons, and not because of any failure by our military forces.)  Civic action projects are also very useful for Peace Corps volunteers, and other volunteers, doing development work in any area that is considered “high-risk.” Although these concepts were first tested in Vietnam, they have since been proven very effective in other areas. For these reasons, Needful Provision, Inc. (NPI) has posted this guide on its website.  All suggested civic action guidelines/ concepts should be fully adjusted, as needed, to meet local conditions. Users, of the information presented herein, must develop their own project plans, and civic action programs for Iraq, Afghanistan, or any other nation where civic action is urgently needed.  

Contents

Civic Action : Uses; Local Conditions; Problems; Leader Selection; Prerequisites; Evaluation; Unrest; Preventatives; Security Efforts; Problem Causes; Peasant Reactions; Involvement; Dangers from Outsiders; Guidelines; Cadre Deportment; Interpreter Use; Program Design

Agricultural Efforts : Plant Protection; Increasing Crop Yields; Plant Hunger; Plant Foods; Tropical Plants; Plants Information; Animal Care; Animal Protection; Animal Diseases; Domestic Animals; Tropical Grasses

Cottage Industry : Food Industries; Household Products; Fibers; Blacksmithing; Ceramics; Pressed-Earth Bricks; Bamboo Paper; Tanning; Salt from Sea Water; Animal Products

Health and Sanitation : Care of the sick; Lifesaving; Deficiency Diseases; Chronic Diseases; Tropical Killers; Veneral Diseases; Midwifery; Rescue Breathing; Safe Water; Pest Control; Waste Disposal

Civic Action Creeds

Civic Action and it's uses (2)

Civic Action is defined as any series of critically needed, population-desired programs of socioeconomic assistance, or similarly designed efforts, to build a favorable public image for the sponsoring group or government.

In times of crises, social disorder, population unrest, revolution and insurgency-Civic Action employs techniques of applying emergency assistance to resolve those social and economic problems which often cause, and always contribute to unrest.

To the soldier in South Vietnam, Civic Action is often a more effective weapon than the rifle. To a development technician in any underdeveloped nation. Civic Action is an essential and vital tool.

Local Conditions Affecting Civic Action Programs

Natural Environment
	Climate
	Weather
	Soil
	Water
	Winds
	Terrain
	Vegetation
	Insects
	Diseases

Man-made Environment
	Political & leader systems
	Land tenure
	Farming practices
	Husbandry techniques
	Trade or market systems
	Transportation
	Credit
	Education
	Skills, crafts and industry

Anthropological / Sociological Factors
	Superstitions
	Beliefs
	Customs
	Cultural Traits
	Social organization
	Religion
	Personality
	Food procurement
	Housing patterns
	Marriage customs
	Moral codes
	Kinship systems
	Ownership patterns
	Language

Knowledge of the problem is essential (3)

To understand the causes of unrest, one must survey and analyze the root problems which provide the motivation factors.

A recommended survey technique is the organization of a national suggestion-box program to enable all people to express their needs and frustrations without fear of personal retaliation. (A symbol, pictorial, or drawing system may be used in area with high illiteracy rate.)

Leader selection is a prerequisite to any program (4)

Determine who the existing leaders are and uncover how they came into their position; i.e., influence, inherited, elected, witchcraft, or other.

Evaluate the status ascribed to sex, age, physical appearance- social, political or religious position.

Discover the leader's influence techniques, attitudes, perception, goals resistance to new ideas or external influences.

Determine what the leader does, how he does it, and what change he has effected in the group.

Evaluate past and present programs to discover lessons learned (5)

Do government and private sector programs respond to local requirements?

Is there a national awareness, communication and activation of the responsibilities of nation building?

Have environmental sociological factors been taken into account?

Are present techniques of leader selection and training effective?

What has been the stimulus for the group action?

What are the specific reasons for past failures?

Determine how to achieve the following unrest preventatives (6)

The government and the people are of one mind: to build a viable nation.

There is policy accord at all levels of government.

The government is responsive to the wants and felt needs of the people

There are government and private sector programs focussed on meeting grass-roots socioeconomic needs.

Needed and urgent programs receive adequate logistical. manpower and financial support.

The population is aware that government program are providing as much, or more than, any opposition group could deliver.

Assist security forces to achieve the following (7)

Government police-military forces have the confidence, trust, and respect of the population; i.e., they do not appear to be parasites on the economy.

The people have confidence in the ability of the security forces to protect them from criminal elements, insurgents, etc.

Security forces do not poach on villages, annoy their women, or violate group traditions and customs.

Military and police forces are active in Civic Action-type programs to assist in meeting priority needs of the population.

The people are responsive to the assistance provided by security forces and in return help to identify and destroy any criminal-subversive elements.

Recognize the problem causes (8)

Over half of the world;s population lives in restive and emerging nations whose climates are mostly tropical and whose economies are primarily dependent on basic agriculture.

The world's tropical peasants have a relatively favorable natural or geographic endowment; but they have remained poor mainly because of illiteracy. malnutrition, disease, superstition, and suppressive political environments.

Peasant masses have become the "hot-beds" used by revolutionaries to breed their seeds of dissidence. Until the socioeconomic ills of these peasants are honestly attacked, any subversive political force, with a promise for improvement of conditions, has a ready-made army of insurgents.

Alert yourself to peasant reactions against civic action and development programs (9)

Agriculture - Objection to changing historical farming husbandry practices. Resentment of any experimentation with their own land and labor. Disbelief in technology. Fear of famine if new methods fail.

Medical - Resistance to changing personal habits. Disruption of superstitious  medical practices.

Schools - Resentment of outside educators and fear that their purpose is to destroy local culture through assimilation and brain-washing techniques.

Cottage Industry - Disinterest generated from a lack of confidence in their capability to market the items produced.

Road & Bridge Construction - Fear of intrusion by outsiders. Objection to forced labor on roads. Concern over lost time needed in fields to raise crops.

Who should be involved in Civic Action? (10)

Any or all government agencies and/or security forces may provide manpower and implement programs.

Local, regional and national leaders are brought in to insure understanding,, acceptance, and back-stopping.

Officialdom, functionaries and public administrators are involved to insure program efficiency and continuity and to integrate Civic Action programs into national development plans.

Village talent is recruited to provide requisite local leadership and field staff.

Possible dangers when outsiders implement programs at the local level (11)

Government - Resentment over neglect; suspicion of corruption, oppression, or partisan political motivation.

Military or Police - Fear of armed forces; antagonism due to violations against persons and property.

Foreign - Suspicion of motives; fear of involvement in the Cold War.

Youth Cadres - Resentment of elders; lack of confidence; fear of disaster resulting from inexperienced advice.

Observe the following guidelines for all civic action programs (12)

Make sure that projects do not violate customs and traditions.

Do not experiment with new ideas at the expense of a population's food supply.

Keep all experiments small until they prove successful in the local environment, where you intend to introduce them.

Do not create a demand for goods, services, or other things that the group cannot provide for itself once the program has ended.

Avoid paternalistic programs that do not assist people to help themselves.

Do not overwhelm any one groups with too many projects.

Use salesmanship to sell your programs; do not use force.

Avoid introducing too many outsiders into local programs. as any group must develop confidence in its own abilities.

Civic Action cadre deportment (13)

The cadreman must be courteous

He must be respectful of the host group's traditions and customs.

He must show sympathetic interest in the host group's needs.

He must blend his duties with an attitude of helpfulness in matters of community concern.

He must pay fairly for what he takes; e.g., food, drink, and lodging.

He must create the impression that his primary concern is the host groups welfare, the protection of its property, and preservation of its traditions, etc.

He must not flaunt his authority.

Your Interpreter (14)

Avoid field use of interpreters who have an aristocratic attitude.

Cross-check abilities and honesty of translator.

Establish a firm and clear working relationship.

Make certain that he conveys your ideas and words, and not his.

Always hire an interpreter on a trial basis.

Do not hire, for work in a rural area, an urban-oriented type.

Keep in mind that your control over your interpreter will often depend on how much he values the opportunity to work with you.

Remember that you will be the "outsider" more often than will your interpreter.

Design civic action programs to: (15)

Be consonant with established priority requirements.

Meet the critical needs of restive population groups and help them to resolve their problems in accordance with their own genius and tradition.

Identify and train desirable leaders; and through them, develop an attitude of interdependence, confidence, trust between restive groups and their government.

Provide the group with a capability to prevent disorder and unrest.

Have clearly stated short and long term goals, with a provision for periodic updating.

Agricultural efforts are essential to civic action (16)

Inefficient and backward systems of agriculture lead to hunger and consequent unrest. Much of the tropical world faces this problem, and knowledge of this situation invites intervention by the exploiters of social disorder.

Agricultural development has always been a necessary prerequisite to viable nationhood. It is the first step in nation building and a preliminary requirement to industrialization. In addition, it is usually the first challenge to be met in any attempt to combat socioeconomic unrest.

Crises in agriculture require the successful introduction of many production techniques that are new to the less-developed farmer. Civic Action programs can be geared to meet the challenge by providing low-level technical assistance on an emergency basis.

Plant Protection (17)

Watch for plants that become wilted or die.

Pull up the sick of dead plants.

Build a compost heap* to thoroughly rot all manures, straw, leaves, etc., before putting them on garden or field.

Maintain fences to keep animals out of crops.

Build a "scarecrow" to protect plants from birds.

Hand pick insects off plants frequently

Put insects into a container from which they cannot escape; then dump insects into a fire and burn them.

If insects are numerous, practice periodic burning of fields and/or plow under all crop residue and expose the soil to sunlight.

*See card No. 21 for details on compost heap.

Increasing crop yields (18)

Spread composted animal manures, leaves, straw, wood ashes and crop residue over the field several weeks before tilling.

Dig or plow the ground deep enough to turn the soil over.

Choose the biggest, heaviest, healthiest seeds for planting.

Plant seeds in a straights line to facilitate later weeding between plants.

On hillsides, scoop out a shallow level spot in which to plant each seed.

Sprinkle small seeds close together and place large seeds about one hand-width apart.

Pull weeds weekly and expose roots to the sun so that they will die.

Plan beans or peanuts on the ground used for rice of corn the season before. Plant rice rice or corn on last year's peanut or bean field.

Every 4 to 6 years, plant each field in jack bean, sword bean or Bengal bean; and plow this underground for a green manure.

Hunger signs in plants (19)

Nitrogen (N) Deficiency: shown by a yellow-green color and by slow or dwarfed growth. "Firing" of leaves starts at the tip of bottom leaves and proceeds down the midrib.

Phosphorus (P) Deficiency: indicated by purplish leaves, stems and branches. Growth is slow, stalks are slender, and yields are low.

Potash (K) Deficiency: shows in mottling, spotting, streaking or curling of leaves. Lower leaves are scorched on margins or tips.

Calcium (CA) Deficiency: causes young leaves to become "hooked" in appearance and die on tips and margins. Leaves may be wrinkled or folded and will have a light green band on margins.

Additional signs in plants (20)

Magnesium (Mg) Deficiency: indicated by a general loss of green color, staring in the bottom leaves and moving up the stalk. Veins of any leaf remain green and leaves curve upward along margins.

Sulfur (S) Deficiency: causes light green leaves with even lighter veins. Stalks and slender and growth is slow.

Drought: first shows in plants as leaves turn gray-green in color. Leaves also roll up.

Disease: starts in small spots and gradually spreads across leaf.

Insects: show signs of chewing or boring. They may cause small, discolored spots on leaves in cases of sapsuckers.

Provide plant food and favorable plant environment (21)

Heavy rainfall causes leaching of most tropical soils. The result is lost plant foods and poor plant environment.

To correct acidity or chemical environment add ground limestone or oyster shells. One to two tons of time may be required per acre. (To test for exact requirements, obtain the Sudbury Soil Test Kit from Sudbury Laboratory, Sudbury, Massachusetts, U.S.A)

To improve physical environment plow under crop residue and other organic matter.

Provide plant food by applying commercial fertilizers or composted* materials such as manure, wood ashes, ground tobacco stems, rice hulls, guano, fish scraps, coffee grounds, seaweed, ground cocoa shells, peanut shells, bone meal, leaves, etc.

* To obtain composted material: mix 1 part manure with 2 to 3 parts leaves, straws, hulls or other organic matter; allow proper exposure to air by heaping in stacks no larger than 4 feet high and 5 feet broad; protect heaps from monsoon rains or if it is the dry season, add enough water to keep them moist. Set for 3 to 4 months before use as fertilizer.

Tropical plants for food and fiber (22)

Cereals: hill rice, irrigated rice, floating rice, maize or corn, sorghums and millets.

Fruits: banana, plantain, citrus, pineapple, mango, avacado, papaya, passion fruit, guava, breadfruit, durium, mangosteen and lychee.

Legumes: kidney bean, mung bean, ground nut, peanut, pigeon pea, soybean and cow pea.

Roots: sweet potato, cassava, arrow rot, yam and ground tuber.

Fibers: kenaf, abaca, ramie, kapok, hemp and jute.

Oils: oil palm, coconut, castor, sesame and safflower

Vegetables: bush bean, bhaii, gourd, patchoi, cucumber, eggplant, spinach, lima bean, mustard, okra, pepper, onion, lettuce, tomato, radish and pumpkin.

How to improve plant information (23)

Recognize that the greatest barrier to increased agricultural productivity in the tropics is the lack of fundamental agricultural research and technical information.

Be aware that there is a quantity of a very sketchy information on tropical agricultural but users of this material soon find that each local situation still requires very careful examination and investigation.

Realize that the best approach to improving agriculture may be to circulate and expand the proven techniques of the best local farmers. To do so, obtain the following information on crops of interest:

Water requirements, ideal soil type, suitable altitudes, best varieties, propagation method, plant spacing, growth before first yield, harvest and processing requirements, plant life, yield per acre, diseases and disease control.

Animal care (24)

Animals on a scavenger diet or a diet of native grasses will have a slow growth rate unless provided with a supplemental ration of protein meal such as copra, peanut, sesame, fish or cottonseed. For improved growth feed each animal a daily ration of one pound of any protein meal.

In the dry season feed animals 10 part sweet potato vines, chopped banana stalks, hay or other roughage to 1 part soaked grain. Allow each animal one pound of salt monthly. Provide an ample supply of clean, fresh water.

Provide penned animals with a mixture of wood ash, salt, ground charcoal and clean earth.

Build shelters for protection from sun, rain, cold, and predators.

Only the best (largest and strongest) male animals should be chosen for use in increasing the herd. Keep one good male for each 15 to 20 females; all other males should be castrated.*

* Castration is the process of removing the testicles from the scrotum. Consult the nearest veterinarian or write to the USDA for proper procedure.

Animal protection (25)

Isolate sick animals from other animals and from people

Feed and water a sick animal separately. Do not water it in a stream or pond. Carry water in a bucket to the animal.

Protect the sick animal from sun, rain and predators.

If the animal doesn't improve, or if it becomes worse in 10 days, kill it to prevent the spread of sickness.

Sick animals that are killed or die should be burned and/or buried, if custom permits.

Prevalent animal diseases (26)

Consult a veterinarian if you encounter any of these tropical livestock killers:

Disease	Host	Symptoms	
East Coast Fever	All bovine species	Swelling of lymph nodes, nasal discharge and high fever.	
Anaplasmosis	Cattle	Acute anemia, as shown by pale mucous membranes.	
Rinderpest	Cattle and Buffalo	Diarrhea and ulceration of mucous membranes, abrupt temperature rise.	
Foot and Mouth	Cloven footed animals	Vesicles in the mucosa of the mouth and between the claws of the feet.	
Trypansomiasis	Cattle, Dogs, and Swine	Progressive anemia, emaciation and fever.	
Cholera	Swine	Short breath, diarrhea, and emaciation.	

Poultry and sheep are not individually considered because of the multitude of diseases which cause their high death rate in the tropics.

Domestic animals in the tropics (27)

On a diet of shrubs and jungle vegetation goats provide meat and milk in the tropics. They have a low vulnerability to disease.

Pigs must retain an admixture of the wild or local species to maintain some resistance to tropical diseases.

Cattle in the tropics usually belong to the humped Zebu species, which is resistant to tropical heat and disease. Other species do not adapt well to the tropics.

Water Buffalo are the tropical substitute for dairy cattle and draft horses, which suffer from heat and disease problems.

Mules normally do well in a tropical environment and are extremely useful as pack animals. They can carry up to 150 lbs. for a distance of 15 to 20 miles per day.

Tropical grasses and pastures (28)

Indigenous tropical grasses are low in palatability and in protein content. However, since few tropical farmers can afford the expense of planting and caring for improved grasses, tropical pastures should be protected by stocking them lightly. Allow 10 to 15 acres per animal to prevent the growth of coarse herbage and killing of grass that occurs over overgrazing. Goats may be pastured to help prevent excessive growth of thicket and brush.

Most tropical grasses are burned yearly by local villagers. Burning kills ticks and intestinal parasites in addition to preventing forest encroachment. Disadvantages of burning, such as excessive destruction of humus and subsequent erosion, can be lessened by urning early in the dry season. However, mid-dry season burning is needed for tsetse control.

Improved fodder grasses may be economical because a single acre should provide hay for about 10 cattle for a six-month period. Napier, Guinea, Para and Guatemala grasses are fodder grasses the provide excellent growth for dry-season hay requirements. Plant Napier and Para grass by stem cuttings spaced about two feet by two feet apart. Use the same spacing for Guinea and Guatemala grass but plant by root division.

Cottage and home industries (29)

Raw materials must be available for starting home industries

Villager skills must be adequate to meet labor requirements.

Needed machines and tools must be constructed at the village level or various possibilities for financing simple machines must exist.

The first efforts of cottage industry should be to produce items that are needed at the village level.

A potential market for home-manufactured products must be developed if villagers are to be encouraged to produce more than they need for themselves.

Food industries (30)

Sun-dried fruits are prepared by cleaning, peeling, pitting and thinly slicing the fruit. Place slices on clean, dry net or screen trays and put these in direct sunlight. Turn fruit daily and keep it out of dust, dew or rain until dry. Seal the dried fruit in moisture-proof containers.

Vinegar from fruit juices may be made by crushing bananas, oranges, berries, or other pulpy, sweet fruits. Leave the juice the residue in a container for 10 days; then separate the mixture by pressing it through a strainer. Set the juice in a closed container until it turns to vinegar.

Dried salt fish is prepared by splitting and cleaning the fish, scoring the flesh with a knife, and soaking them 30 minutes in a brine mix of 2 lbs. salt per 5 gallons of water. Rub salt into the fish, and then adding salt between layers, pack the fishes in boxes. Set for 48 hours. Repeat washing in brine mix and dry on racks for 5 days, turning fish 4 times daily. For storage, use 1 lb. salt to 10 lbs. fish.

Household Products (31)

Soap may be made from butchering fat and/or a vegetable oil. To make about 9 pounds of soap boil 13 cups fat and/or oil. Add 2 2/3 cups lye (or 5 cups leached hardwood ashes) to 5 cups rain water. Pour the lye or ash-water mix slowly into the boiling fat; stir slowly in one direction for 30 minutes or until mixture thickens. Pour soap mix into an improvised mold and let stand for 48 hours. Cut the soap into bars and let it stand in a warm, dry place for another three weeks. If curdling or separation occurs, shave soap into kettle, add 10 cups water, and re-boil.

Candle making requires 19 cups hot, melted fat mixed with 4 cups was and 2 cups alum. Soak string wicks in limewater; dry and fix them in molds before pouring in the above mixture.

Mosquito repellent can be made from ground eucalyptus pods. Mix 2 parts water and 1 part rice flour; combine 3 parts ground pods; and roll into small pellets.

Additional Household Products (32)

Lanterns can be made by half filling a container with fluid animal grease. Use a string or cloth wick with a wire on both ends. Hook one wire on the edge of container so that it holds one end of the wick in the center above the grease. Form the other wire so that it holds that end of the wick at the bottom-center of the container. Allow capillary actin to carry grease up the wick before lighting.

Charcoal is obtained by first constructing a triangular pole frame and then stacking cordwood around the outside of the frame. Leave the center of the triangle open to form an inside cavity. Cover cordwood with packed earth and leave the triangle open at the top to form a chimney. Use a stick to punch 8 small air holes around the base of the mound. With grass and sticks start a fire in the chimney. Close the air holes without sealing. Patch cracks daily. When burning stops in  3 to 5 weeks, seal chimney and air holes. Cool 5 days before opening.

Utilization of Fibers (33)

Twine, rope, nets and thread, and -subsequently- clothes and bags, can be made from fiber plants such as ramie, kenaf, jute, abaca and flax.

First ret or soak the plants in water until the woody portion has rotted; then strip out the fibers by hand. Another method is to use revolving knives on a drum (a decordicator) to strip out the fibers from the woody stem.

Dry fibers; then beat and comb them for spinning into thread. Fibers are drawn out by hand. Use a wooden, foot-powered treddle  bobbin to twist them into string or thread, or twist by hand.

Blacksmithing (34)

A blacksmith can shape nearly all basic tools from iron. Use charcoal as fuel and a bellows or wind device to create a hot, flameless fire. Heat iron before shaping. Hammer and anvil are needed for shaping; tongs for holding the hot iron. Chisels may be needed for cutting the hot iron; punches for making holes. A vat of water is needed to cool the metal and temper or harden cutting tools.

Forging colors, from the lowest to the highest temperatures, are dull red, full red, light red, full orange, light orange, full yellow and light yellow.

For tempering, allow the shaped tools to cool in the air to a full or light red; then rapidly dip in vat of water.

Ceramics (35)

Find clay soil that will roll into rope shape when moist. Dry clay in the sun then screen the remove chunks, stones, twigs, etc. Soak with 2 parts water for 24 hours; then remove floating materials. Screen again and set for 24 hours before pouring off excess water. Set clay until plastic.

Remove air bubbles from clay by rolling it into one body, repeatedly cutting the plastic body in half with a wire, and then slamming the two halves together so that the clay layers run the same way. Repeat 20 to 30 times. Store clay in wet cloth or burlap.

Make clay porous for insulating air space by adding rice hulls, straw, leaves, etc. For improved density, add 10 to 15 percent coarse sand. Plasticity is increased by aging clay up to 10 months -or by adding 4 percent volcanic ash.

Shape clay by hand or by twisting and pressing together ropes of clay, one on top of the other. The potter's wheel, described on page 36 may also be used.

Ceramics Continued (36)

Construct a potter's wheel by attaching a 10 to 16 inch diameter disk on top of a 3 feet long shaft. A disk-shaped fly-wheel, weighing at least 150 lbs., should be affixed to the lower end of the shaft so that it is centered and balanced. The fly-wheel should be 8 inches above the shaft end and 28 inches below the disk, so that it is held vertically while turning freely on the shaft end that is placed in a footing that supports the weight of the entire wheel. The potter sits on a seat and uses his feet to propel the fly-wheel while shaping clay on top of the disk.

Clay is shaped on the disk be centering a mound of clay pressing down with thumbs on its center to create a depression, and then pulling the clay up and shaping it with the fingers as the wheel turns. Air dry the pottery in the shade at least two weeks before firing it.

A hillside kiln may be constructed by digging a cavity in the side of a hill and auguring out a chimney so that smoke may exit from the back side. Place pottery inside and build a wood or brush fire inside the opening of the cavity. Firing hardens clay. Clay heated to an orange or yellow color produces good earthenware.

Pressed-Earth Bricks (37)

Use a sandy-clay soil which has been screened to eliminate organic matter and stones that are over 3/4 inch in diameter.

Moisten soil enough so that it will form a ball when squeezed in the hand. Mix 5 parts soil to 1 part gravel (which is less than 3/4 inch in diameter). If gravel is not available, use straw chopped in 4 to 6 inch lengths. Increase strength by adding 3 to 5 percent crushed limestone.

Place mix in wooden brick forms of the desired size and shape. Pack with an improvised tamping device or lever press. Dry in the shade for 2 weeks before removing forms.

House construction begins with the laying of a level foundation with double rows of bricks. Build walls by laying brick mortared with mud mixed with 10 to 15 percent lime. Use half bricks for corners and lumber or poles to frame windows and doors. Overhang the roof to protect bricks from hard rains.

Bamboo Paper Making (38)

Clean bamboo; crush and cut in short lengths. Stack the bamboo (in layers) in a stagnant pool of water, putting a small quantity of lime between layers. Place rocks on top of the bamboo stacks until they are submerged. Soak for several months.

Remove bamboo from water; hammer, dry in sunlight until bleached, hammer again. Place in a vat of water containing 25 percent tree rosin or rice flour paste. Heat and stir. Add water until mixture is uniform.

Dip vat contents into shallow, screen-type trays of the desired paper size. Drip-dry and then place on boards covered with a blanket. Place a blanket between each layer of paper. Cover with boards and other weight to squeeze-dry. Spread paper on a flat, heated mud or board surface. Smooth with a wooden roller.

Tanning (39)

Remove all flesh from animal skin, and salt. Soak 48 hours in a water solution containing 1 oz. of soda or borax per gallon. Remove every few hours to clean flesh side. (If de-hairing is desired, add 2 lbs. lime to 10 gal. water and soak an additional 10 days.) Rub hide over a smooth pole. Rinse in a warm water and squeeze out water without wringing.

Mix tanning solution by dissolving 1 lb. of alum in 1 gal. of water. Then mix 4 oz. soda, 8 oz. salt and a half gallon of water in a separate can. Blend the two mixtures, adding flour until a paste is formed.

Stretch skin to desired shape. Apply 1/8 inch thickness of paste daily for three days. Set for 4 days after last pasting. Scrape and rinse in borax or soda water. Rinse in pure water. Stretch skin and sponge with emulsified soap. Apply thin coat of fish oil to hair side. Stretch skin to dry. Massage and wet daily for 2 weeks. Clean with gasoline and sawdust mixture.

Salt From Sea Water (40)

Locate flat terrain on coastline with impermeable clay soil. Construct a series of paddy-type embankments to form drying ponds. Level the pond bottoms as much as possible.

Pump sea water into ponds during early part of the dry season. Use a dragon lift pump or the Lebanese Windmill pump to conserve labor requirements.

Large ponds should be filled first for the initial evaporative concentration, then pumped or drained by gravity to smaller ponds, for sodium chloride crystal formation. Scrape up dried salt without cutting into the dirt of the pond bottom. Bag the salt in burlap and stack under a shelter to provide protection from rain.

Preservation of Animal Products (41)

Preserve milk by the preparation of ghee. Separate cream; set 12 to 14 hours; churn to butter. Place butter in  porous cloth and dunk in clean water at least 6 times. Boil butter 1/2 hour. Filter into containers.

Preserve meat by rubbing in a mixture of 2 parts fine salt, 1 part brown sugar, and 1 teaspoon of salt peter per pound of salt and sugar mixture.

Preserve eggs by hard-boiling them removing the shells, packing the eggs in a container, pouring on boiling spiced vinegar, and then sealing container.

Health and Sanitation (42)

Plain dirt can frequently be the primary carrier of disease. Instruct villagers to use clean sources of drinking water; thoroughly wash and clean all food; use soap to wash food and water containers; bathe the body daily; and, wash clothing at least once a week.

Villagers often sleep on cold earthen floors and they are frequently exposed to dampness. Homes usually lack sufficient windows for adequate sunlight and ventilation. These conditions lower the body's resistance to illness. (A roof that doesn't leak, a warm bed, a raincoat, and large windows are valuable assets for better health.)

Body wastes breed disease when they are not properly disposed of. Instruct villagers in the use of pit privies. Advise them to keep these at least 100 feet from water sources. Warn villagers against using human wastes as fertilizer.

Care of the Sick (43)

Begin care  and treatment of patient at the first sign of illness.

Keep patient warm and dry at all times.

See that patient gets plenty of rest in a bed built above the ground.

Give patient small amounts of hot liquids several times during the day.

Boil patient's clothes and individual eating utensils.

Isolate sick individual from children and other household members.

Provide meat or fish, vegetables, a cereal, salt and fruit at least 3 times a day when patient can eat.

See that patient doesn't overwork or become run-down after recovery.

Life-Saving Steps (44)

Bleeding: Elevate wound and bandage tightly. Apply direct pressure on wound and/or pressure points; i.e., armpit, groin, etc.

Breathing: Tilt victim's head back in order to clear mouth and throat. Use mouth-to-mouth resuscitation if needed. (See No. 51)

Shock: Lay patient down with his feet elevated. Keep him warm and give him a salt-soda solution if conscious.

Puncture Wounds: Wash with epsom salts and bandage tightly. Lay patient on injured side.

Fractures: Attach padded splint for simple fracture. Treat compound fractures as both wound and fracture.

Heat Exhaustion: Cool patient's body with water and give him cool salt water to drink.

Nutritional Deficiency Diseases (45)

Emaciation and chronic-malnutrition in infants and children result from diet lacking protein. The symptoms are anemia, diarrhea, respiratory infection and muscular wasting. (Provide meat, eggs, cereals and beans).

Goiter is first seen in girls 12 to 18 and boys 9 to 13. A lump under the chin is the outward sign of an enlarged thyroid gland caused by sufficient iodine. (Provide fish and fish products, or iodized salt).

Vitamin A deficiency causes mouth and eye irritations, night blindness, and increased infections. (Provide Ghee and salt water fish).

Beriberi is often found in populations that subsist on a diet of polished rice. Thiamine or vitamin B is lacking and result is frequent fatigue, irritability, and chest pain. (Provide vegetables, pork, liver and eggs).

Nutritional Anemia is prevalent in infants and young women. Weakness and fatigue indicate a lack of dietary iron. (Provide unpolished rice and corn grits).

Nutritional Deficiency Diseases cont. (46)

Riboflavin deficiency is found among groups existing on a diet devoid of animal protein and leafy vegetables. Symptoms are an oily scaling of the skin near the eyes and ears, lesions on the lips, and an overgrowth in the corneas of the eye. (Provide meat, eggs, and leafy vegetables.)

Pellagra is indicated by scaly skin, oral lesions and diarrhea. It occurs in populations subsisting on a basic diet of maize. (Provide a diversified diet).

Scurvy, or a lack of vitamin C, causes hemorrhages and loose teeth. (Provide fresh fruits and vegetables).

Non-breast fed infants having convulsions and oily skin lesions lack vitamin B6. (Provide ground liver or meat, plus cereals with molasses).

Rickets is primarily a disease of the young, indicated by large joints and crooked limbs. It is due to a lack of vitamin D. (Provide sunlight, fish oils and eggs).

Selected Chronic Diseases (47)

Dysentery is spread by flies or in food and in water. It causes frequent stools, abdominal cramps and fever. Good sanitation prevents its spread. Treat by providing salty fluids hourly. (A bouillon cube in a cup  of hot water provides 2.4gm. daily (adult dose) of tetracycline, chloramp-henicol or kanamycin.

Malaria spreads through the bite of an infected anopheles mosquito; it is characterized by periodic chills followed by high fever and sweating. Cholorquine is preferred for treatment. Give 0.5gm tablets the first day and then two tablets daily for three days. One chloroquine tablet may be taken weekly as a preventative.

Infectious Hepatitis is spread by contaminated water or food and by person-to-person contact. Symptoms are fever, nausea and abdominal discomfort, followed by jaundice. Good sanitation and disposed stools will prevent spread of disease. Treatment consists of at least 3 weeks bed rest; and if available, giving 10 mg prednisone 4 times daily for the first few days, then gradually reducing dosage.

Tropical Killers (48)

Plague is an acute epidemic disease evidenced by repeated chills, sudden high fever, vomiting and thirst. Convulsions, stupor and coma may occur. Infected fleas usually spread plague from rats to man. Combat by controlling rats and isolating the sick. For treatment, give 0.5gm Streptomycin every 3 to 4 hours.

Yellow Fever is an acute, infectious viral disease causing sudden fever, slow pulse, vomiting, jaundice, and hemorrhage. Transmission is by the bite of a female Aedes aegypti mosquito. Vaccination and quarantine are preventative measures, but there is no specific treatment.

Cholera is spread by ingestion of water or food, contaminated by carriers or possibly by flies. Signs are diarrhea, with loss of sphincter control; frequent muscle spasms and heat cramps; and nausea and vomiting following diarrhea. Treat with an initial injection of 1,000 to 2,000 cc of sodium chloride, and then every 15 minutes attempt to give by mouth 60 cc of a 1% solutin of sodium bicarbonate. Give tea and liquid food as soon as tolerated.

Typhoid Fever is an acute, generalized infection, spread by the feces or urine of patients or carriers. Symptoms are chills, malaise, headache, and diarrhea or constipation. Temperature rises daily; delirium or stupor may be observed. Treat with chloramphenicol, and initial dosage of 50mg per kilogram of body weight, followed by 0.5gm every 2 hours until temperature is normal; the daily dosage is then 2gm administered for 2 weeks.

Venereal Diseases (49)

Gonorrhea is spread by sexual intercourse or is transferred from mother to he newborn. Symptoms area a thick, yellow discharge from genital tract or the eyes. Burning  and pain occur in urination. Lack of treatment may result in sterility, inflammatory disease and blindness. No immunization is available. One attack does not prevent subsequent infections. Treat with 1,200,000u of benzathine penicillin first dose, followed by 600,00 u of procaine penicillin daily for 4 to 7 days. For penicillin sensitive patients, give 1.0gm streptomycin the first day, followed by 0.5gm daily for 6 days.

Syphilis is spread by any direct contact with a mucous membrane of an infected person. Symptom is primary lesion or chancre at point of contact. This heals without treatment but is followed by a secondary eruption involving skin and mucous membranes. Unless the disease is treated, repeated relapses occur which may cause sterility, blindness, paralysis and insanity. There is no immunization and no immunity from exposure. Initial treatment is 2,400,000u or benzathine penicillin G. Follow with 1,200,00u of procaine penicillin in oil on the 4th day, with another 1,200,00u on the 7th day. Give erythromycin and carbomycin as a penicillin substitute. Treatment is 0.5gm orally 4 times daily for 8 days.

Midwifery (50)

See that the pregnant mother eats a balanced diet, gets plenty of rest and sleep, bathes daily, voids cold and damp and doesn't sleep on the ground.

Plan for delivery by cleaning house, airing and sunning bedding, and washing sheets and blankets in soap. Prepare 12 delivery clothes about 18 inches square and have clean clothes ready for mother and baby.

Labor lasts several hours and usually comes in three stages. As the first stage of labor begins, wash and clean the mother with warm, soapy water; if possible shave the public area. Keep hands away from the opening to the birth canal.

The second stage, birth, is near contractions (abdominal pains lasting 40 to 60 seconds) come every 2 minutes. Get the mother to relax, rest and drink water between periods of contractions. Do not hurry birth. Keep surroundings clean. As the baby emerges, support his head and body until he is free of the birth canal. Hold the baby up by his feet and milk his throat; use mouth-to-mouth resuscitation if needed. Wrap the baby in a towel and lay him on the mother's abdomen to wait for the final stage of labor.

The third stage of labor, the expulsion of the placenta, occurs from 5 to 30 minutes after birth. Wait for the umbilical cord to drain. Tie a square knot in the cord about 4 inches from the baby. Use strong cotton tape or cloth. Tie a second knot at least 2 inches from the first one. Cut the cord midway between square knots.

Mouth-to-Mouth Rescue Breathing (51)

Turn victim on his back with his head to the side. Use your fingers to rid mouth of mucus and other matter.

Straighten victim's head and tilt back so that chin points up. Push or pull his jaw up into jutting out position, to keep his tongue from blocking air passage.

Place your mouth tightly over victim's mouth and pinch nostrils close to prevent air leakage. For a child, cover both nose and mouth tightly with your mouth.

Breathe into victim's mouth or nose until you see his chest rise. (Air may be blown through victim's teeth, even thought they may be clenched.)

Remove your mouth and listen for the sound of returning air. If there is not exchange, recheck jaw and head position, and/or turn victim on side and slap him on back between shoulder blades to dislodge matter that may be in throat. Again, wipe his mouth to remove foreign matter.

Repeat breathing, removing mouth each time to allow for escape of air. For an adult, breathe about 12 times per minute. For a child, take relatively shallow breaths, about 20 per minute. Continue until victim breathes for himself.

Safe Water (52)

Wells may usually be considered safe if they are deep rather than shallow ground wells. They must be sealed and located at least 100 feet from the nearest latrine or privy.

Water from an open well, river, irrigation ditch or stream must always be boiled. Unsafe water may carry typhoid, dysentery, cholera, infectious hepatitis, and guinea worm.

Water should be boiled in a clean container for 10 minutes. (If the water is cloudy, strain through a clean clothe before boiling.) Store boiled water in a clean covered container and place it out of reach of small children.

Use individual drinking cups and install spigots on water barrels to avoid spreading contamination from infected persons.

Control Pests (53)

Destroy the breeding places of flies by burying garbage, trash, excreta and dead animals. If possible, screen house windows and doors. Make sticky fly paper by mixing 5 parts castor oil and 8 parts powdered rosin. Heat mixture until rosin is dissolved (do not boil). Spread a thin coat of the hot mixture on paper.

Control mosquitos by eliminating all pools of stagnant water. If possible, spray the top of large bodies of water with insecticide. Use mosquito netting over windows, doors, and beds.

Kill lice by applying DDT powder to all hairy portions of the body. Do not bathe for 24 hours and apply DDT again in 8 days to destroy newly hatched lice.

Destroy ants by pouring engine oil, ashes, or boiling water into their nests.

Eliminate fleas by applying insecticide powders on floors and in cracks where fleas breed. Wash pets with a tar soap. Keep buildings clean.

Control rats and mice by burying or burning garbage and keeping al food and grains in tight containers and off the ground.

Disposal of Wastes (54)

Fresh garbage may be fed to chickens or pigs. Garbage may be buried or prepared as a fertilizer by placing it in a trench, spreading on a thin coat of ground limestone and covereing with 6 inches of dirt. Allow to set for 3 months.

Keep trash separate from garbage and burn or bury each at least once a week.

Fence animals away from the house an collect manure weekly for composting* in preparation for fertilizer use.

Do not throw dead animals into streams, rivers, or irrigation ditches. Bury them as soon as they die.

Do not throw waste water out of the door or the window. Dig a hole in the yard and fill it with rocks. Empty all waste water into this hole so that it may seep through the rocks into the earth.

Dispose of human excreta in a latrine trench, or build a sanitary privy by digging a deep hole and building a small house over it. Use close-fitting boards or bamboo for the floor and seal cracks with rosin. Cut an 18-inch diameter hole in the center of the floor and build a tight-fitting trap door to cover it. Keep the privies 100 feet away from all sources of water. Scrub inside of privy once a week with soap and water.

*See card No. 21 for composting information

Civic Action Creed

1. I will seek to assist all people in need, but not without first obtaining their permission.

2. I will be a courteous guest to those whom I assist, and I will pay for food, drink, lodging, etc.

3. I will abide by the customs, traditions and laws of my host.

4. I will assist my host in meeting his felt needs in accordance with his own genius and tradition.

5. I will not promise more than I can do or deliver.

6. I will not flaunt my authority, nor will I assume a paternalistic attitude.

7. I will attempt to resolve problems without creating an artificial environment which cannot be sustained by my host after my departure.

Technical Support

To obtain technical support for civic action operations, see Dave Nuttle's 1964 "Remote Areas Development Manual" (17,437K) on the Education Resources Information Center website (http://www.eric.ed/gov/) ---- ERIC Tab ED 242881 No. R-36.  (This manual was written to assist Army civic action efforts, in South Vietnam, and has also been used extensively by Peace Corps volunteers working in developing nations.)
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N.B. The original 1964 Copyright, for said "Remote Areas Development Manual," was held by CDCS, a community development corporation Nuttle helped to start in 1964.  This copyright was released soon thereafter to facilitate foreign printing of subject manual, in 13 languages.