72 
Parasitic Arthropods 
Treatment for the purpose of killing the mites is hardly necessary 
as they attach feebly to the surface and are readily brushed off by 
friction of the clothes. “Antipruritic treatment is always called for; 
warm, mildly alkaline baths or some soothing ointment, such as zinc 
oxide will be found to fulfil this indication.’’ Of course, reinfestation 
must be guarded against, by discarding, or thoroughly fumigating 
infested mattresses, or by avoiding other sources. Goldberger sug¬ 
gests that farm laborers who must work with infested wheat or straw 
might protect themselves by anointing the body freely with some 
bland oil or grease, followed by a change of clothes and bath as soon 
as their work is done. We are not aware of any experiments to 
determine the effect of flowers of sulphur, but their efficiency in the 
case of “red bugs” suggests that they are worth a trial against 
Pediculoides. 
Various species of Tyroglyphidae (fig. 150/) may abound on dried 
fruits and other products and attacking persons handling them, may 
cause a severe dermatitis, comparable to that described above for 
Pediculoides ventricosus. Many instances of their occurrence as such 
temporary ectoparasites are on record. Thus, workers who handle 
vanilla pods are subject to a severe dermatitis, known as vanillism, 
which is due to the attacks of Tyroglyphus siro, or a closely related 
species. The so-called “grocer’s itch” is similarly caused by mites 
infesting various products. Castellani has shown that in Ceylon, 
workers employed in the copra mills, where dried cocoanut is ground 
up for export, are much annoyed by mites, which produce the so-called 
“copra itch.” The skin of the hands, arms and legs, and sometimes 
of the whole body, except the face,is covered by fairly numerous, very 
pruriginous papules, often covered by small, bloody crusts due to 
scratching. The condition is readily mistaken for scabies. It is 
due to the attacks of Tyroglyphus longior castellanii which occur in 
enormous numbers in some samples of the copra. 
Sarcoptidae 
The Sarcoptidae are minute whitish mites, semi-globular in shape, 
with a delicate transversely striated cuticula. They lack eyes and 
tracheae. The mouth-parts are fused at the base to form a cone 
which is usually designated as the head. The legs are short and 
stout, and composed of five segments. The tarsi may or may not 
possess a claw and may terminate in a pedunculated sucker, or simple 
long bristle, or both. The presence or absence of these structures 
