DISEASES CAUSED OR CARRIED BY MITES AND TICKS 405 



monunguiculosus Geber. These three species may all be synonyms of 

 Pediculoides ventricosus. 



A disease known as VANILLISMUS is caused in Europe by mites of 

 the family Tyroglyphidae, Aleurohius farinae DeGeer, which is found in 

 corn, Tyroglyphus siro Linnaeus, and Histiogaster entomophagus 

 Laboulbene. In this same family are found other mites which cause 

 diseases, posing under special names such as COPRA ITCH, caused by 

 TyrogJyplius longior casteUanii Hirst, in Ceylon ; GROCER'S ITCH, 

 caused by Glyciphagus prunorum Hermann, in Europe; COOLIE ITCH 

 or GROUND ITCH, caused by Rhizoglyplius parasiticus Dalgetty, in 

 India. 



The itch or scab mites belong to the family Sarcoptidae. SCABIES 

 or SARCOPTIC ITCH is caused by a species of the genus Sarcoptes, of 

 wliich various species are described for the different animal hosts as fol- 

 lows : Sarcoptes scabiei hominis Raspail, causing scabies of man in 

 Europe and America, with the variety crustosae Fiirstenberg causing 

 NORWEGIAN ITCH of man; ^. bovis of cattle (Sarcoptic Scab is com- 

 paratively common in cattle in the LTnited States, frequently a serious 

 disease among bulls and dairy cattle) ; S. canis Gerlach of the dog; 

 S. oris Megnin of the sheep ; S. equi Gerlach of the horse ; S. suis Gerlach 

 of the pig; S. aucheniae Railliet of tlie llama; S. dromedarii Gervais of 

 the camel and dromedary and frequently of man ; S. caprae of tlie goat 

 and rarely of man ; S. leonis Canestrini of the lion and rarely man ; 

 S. vulpis Fiirstenberg of the fox. A similar itch is caused by Notoedres 

 cati cati Hering and other varieties which attack felines, rodents, horses, 

 and man. The sarcoptic mites live in burrows in the epidermis. Oint- 

 ments containing sulphur are the best for these mites. 



PSOROPTIC ITCH or MANGE is caused by a species of the genus 

 Psoroptes, of which Psoroptes communis ovis Hering causes SHEEP 

 SCAB ; variety hovis causes TEXAS ITCH of cattle ; variety equi causes 

 mange of horses and dogs. The psoroptic mites have piercing mandibles 

 but do not burrow, although they may be greatly protected by scab 

 formation over them. Among the dips used for the control of this itch 

 are an 8 per cent kerosene emulsion used by Gillette ; and the Rutherford 

 dip prepared by steeping 1 pound tobacco and adding thereto 1 pound of 

 sulphur and 4 gallons of water, to be applied at 6 or 8-day intervals. 



CHORIOPTIC ITCH in the horse is caused by Chorioptes equi Ger- 

 lach {symbiotes Verhe3^en) which attacks the hocks of the horse and 

 causes the hair to fall out and sores to form. It also causes an itch 

 of cattle, goats, and sheep. This species has piercing mandibles but 

 does not burrow. According to Banks a mixture of 1 part carbolic 

 acid to 15 or 20 parts of oil will destroy the mite. 



SCALY LEG of chickens is caused by Cnemidocoptes mutaus Robin. 



