The Harvest Mites 
61 
Most recent writers agree that, on man, they do not bore into the 
skin, as is generally supposed, but enter a hair follicle or sebaceous 
gland and from the bottom of this, pierce the cutis with their elongate 
hypopharynx. According to Braun, there arises about the inserted 
hypopharynx a fibrous secretion — the so-called “beak” which is, in 
reality, a product of the host. Dr. J. C. Bradley, however, has made 
careful observations on their method of attack, and he assures us that 
the mite ordinarily remains for a long time feeding on the surface of 
the skin, where it produces the erythema above described. During 
this time it is not buried in the skin but is able to retreat rapidly into 
it through a hair follicle or sweat gland. The irritation from the 
mites ceases after a few days, but not infrequently the intolerable 
itching leads to so much scratching that secondary infection follows. 
Relief from the irritation may be afforded by taking a warm salt 
bath as soon as possible after exposure or by killing the mites by 
application of benzine, sulphur ointment or carbolized vaseline. 
When they are few in number, they can be picked out with a sterile 
needle. 
Much may be done in the way of warding off their attacks by 
wearing gaiters or close-woven stockings extending from ankle to the 
knee. Still more efficacious is the sprinkling of flowers of sulphur in 
the stockings and the underclothes from a little above the knee, down. 
The writers have known this to make it possible for persons who were 
especially susceptible to work with perfect comfort in badly infested 
regions. Powdered naphthalene is successfully used in the same way 
and as Chittenden (1906) points out, is a safeguard against various 
forms of man-infesting tropical insect pests. 
The question of the destruction of the mites in the field is some¬ 
times an important one, and under some conditions, is feasible. 
Chittenden states that much can be accomplished by keeping the 
grass, weeds, and useless herbage mowed closely, so as to expose the 
mites to the sun. He believes that in some cases good may be done 
by dusting the grass and other plants, after cutting, with flowers of 
sulphur or by spraying with dilute kerosene emulsion in which 
sulphur has been mixed. More recently (1914) he calls attention to 
the value of cattle, and more especially sheep, in destroying the pests 
by tramping on them and by keeping the grass and herbage closely 
cropped. 
