20 SANITARY ENTOMOLOGY 



lems of municipalities, communities, and armies, as well as household and 

 commercial problems. Municipal entomology has already been recognized 

 in a small wa.y by certain cities. It will become better known only by 

 the work of entomologists themselves who are men of vision. The prob- 

 lems involved in entomology sanitation demand an intensive and spe- 

 cialized training which few of us received in school. If we would fit 

 ourselves for such work it will demand great effort on our part. 



CLASSIFICATION OF METHODS BY WHICH INSECTS CAN CARRY OR 



CAUSE DISEASE 



Long before any one knew of causative organisms in medicine it was 

 recognized that insects might be productive of disease. We may there- 

 fore assume as our first category the diseases actually caused by the 

 insects themselves. 



(I.) Diseases caused directly hy insects. — We must recognize, for 

 the sake of arrangement, all pathological conditions brought about by 

 insects whether of a serious nature or not. 



1. Ento mo phobia.- — The fear of insects, both harmless and harmful, 

 is a common ailment, amounting in many people to an obsession. I know 

 of a young lady who became so frantic over the presence of a huge dragon 

 fly in the automobile that the attempt to catch it led to a serious 

 accident. Recently a serious automobile accident was caused by a bee 

 sting. Many women become frantic at sight of large insects, and I 

 have even seen men lose all sense of courage in the presence of an 

 unknown species of insect. Obviously only patient and tactful educa- 

 tion can ever cure such an obsession. 



2. Annoyance and worry. — We have all probably experienced a 

 sense of annoyance, amounting sometimes to worry, from insects. It 

 frequently happens that the annoyance increases to the point of causing 

 acute nervous troubles which, it is quite conceivable, might lead to 

 insanity with certain people. Animals are frequently driven frantic by 

 insects such as buffalo gnats, mosquitoes, and horse flies, and lose all 

 control of themselves. We may classify these diff^crent cases of insect 

 annoyance in accordance with the sense which perceives it and commu- 

 nicates its sensations to the brain. In this manner we have annoyance 

 originating through sight, memory and imagination, sound, smell, taste, 

 and feeling. 



Sight worry is initiated by the occurrence of unwanted insects in 

 home or garden, or on one's person, or by their constant swarming 

 about until patience is exhausted and one loses control of the nerves. 

 A recently recorded case tells of a lady whose house was badly infested 

 with book lice and who was fast becoming a nervous wreck when 



