236 STA.TE HORTICULTURAL SOCIEIY. 



rangemeot of the stomach; lady-birds for cramps and measles ; the 

 cock-choper for the bite of mad dog and the plague," Tbe learned and 

 humorous author continues : "These good times are long gone by, 

 but, after all, mankind are apt to run from one extreme to another. 

 From having ascribed too much efficacy to insect remedies we may 

 DOW ascribe too little. Many insects emit powerful ordors, and some 

 produce extraordinary effects upon the human frame, and it is an idea 

 not altogether to be rejected, that they may concentrate into a smaller 

 compass the properties and virtues of the plants upon which they feed 

 and thus afford medicines more powerful in operation than the plants 

 themselves." 



At present medicine acknowledges but slight indebtedness to the 

 insect world. One insect only could scarcely be spared by doctors 

 and druggists. This is a medium-sized metallic green beetle, known 

 to science as cantharides vessicatoria and popularly as "Spanish tly" or 

 cantharides. It is largely used, not only to produce blisters, but forms 

 an important ingredient in many internal remedies. It is also the most 

 active principle of many popular lotions and stimulants for the hair. 

 The cantharides used by physicians are imported, but we have in the 

 United States a number of native species whose vesicatory properties 

 have been experimented with and found to be, in many respects, even 

 superior to those of the European species. Could these be substituted 

 for the latter it would save the country one of its costly imports. 



Another insect product indispensable to m>iny cheoaicdl processes 

 is formic acid. This was until a comparatively recent date obtained by 

 distillation of red ants. 



To us who are nourished on the best of meats, the finest grains 

 and most luscious fruits, the idea of eating any form of insect life is 

 utterly repugnant. And yet this repugnance is mere unreasonable 

 predjudice, for we count among our choicest delicacies some animals 

 that are far more repulsive of aspect than the majority of insects; 

 such for instance as crabs, lobsters and shrimps, or even the much 

 esteemed oyster. 



As a matter of fact, insects have and still do figure as an important 

 article of diet for many races and tribes, chiefly of savage people. 

 The destructive locust of the eastern continent — a grasshopper as we 

 should call it — about four times the size of our Rocky Mountain grass- 

 hopper, has been an almost staple article of food for the people of 

 Southern Asia and Northern Africa. As this insect eats the more 

 legitimate food of the human inhabitants, they have no resource in 

 order to escape starvation butto eat in their turn, and by salting, smok- 

 ing and roasting to preserve it for use for many months. 



