NEW WORDS NEEDED

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 115, 18 May 1938, Page 20

NEW WORDS NEEDED

Twfc new words—"disinsectant" and "disinfestant"-are suggested byMr.C. B Symes, medical entomologist to tne Government of Central Africa, to take, the place of two even uglier words which, he fears, are coming into use in relation to the new insecticide equipment placed in an Imperial Airways flying-boat in conformity with the new air sanitation convention, states "The Times." The two words to which Mr. Symes objects are "smoustication" and. "demoustication. He sets forth these views in his report to the Director-General of Medical Services after seeing the pest-killing equipment in use in the flying-boat Cassiopeia. After saying that Imperial Airways have made a very important contribution towards a solution of the aircraft disinfestation problem, Mr. Symes adds:—"l wish to record a protest against the use by armchair experts and those who follow them blindly of the expressions 'smoustication' and 'demoustication.' Such words appear to be neither English nor good French. The operation (witnessed in the Cassiopeia) may be called a 'disinfestation' and the active agent employed is a 'disinfestant' or, if preferred, 'disinsectant.' These words may be understood. They are at least a reasonable development of good English words in US e—infest and insect—and their use does not condone the mutilation of one good language in order to provide hideous excrescences for another."