INSECT PESTS

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2539, 13 August 1915, Page 6

INSECT PESTS

A WAR TIME TROUBLE 'AND A POSSIBLE REMEDY. ■ Ono of the lesser horrors of war is associated with tfie presenco of insects, especially upon the "underclothing. Not only aro such posts physically disagreeable, but, since it has been shown that lico aro possibly ono means of convoying infection in typhus fever, it is more than ever necessary to adopt every precaution against their activity. A French physician (according to the Melbourne "Argus") lias suggested that lice have an aversion for certain strong, sweot scents, and in a recent outbreak of typhus in Alexandria lie adopted the somewhat novel means of washing patients and contacts with a cheap and crude eau-de-Cologne. Whether owing to this or to other measures, the epidemic disappeared. The idea is not altogether fantastic, since it is a common experience that strong scents will keep mosquitoes at bay, ana thero are numerous domostic defences on tho same principle, from moth-balls to dried lavender. It is a possibility that might be inquired into by parasitologists, for it is probablo that these particular insects have their likes and dislikes to certain perfumes, just as have, apparently, the mosquito and the inotli. It would be a wonderfully simplo defence if our soldiers could be freed from troublo in this direction by wearing a small bag filled with the requisite scent.