So A unals Entomological Society of America [I'ol. Ill, 



POSSIBLE VITAL COXSIDERATIOXS IXVOLVED IX FEEDIXG HABITS. 



We have pre\'iously noted that rodent fleas can live in a 

 starved condition, away from the host, during a period of three 

 to ten days, when kept in dry test tubes; as long as twenty-eight 

 days when a suitable moist medium is furnished. The long 

 jjcriods of starvation appear not to affect the vitality of the 

 parasite to such an extent that the ability to feed is impaired. 

 We have recorded instances in which a specimen of the squirrel 

 flea H. anomalus star\-ed for sixteen days, and several specimens 

 of C. actitus starved for twenty-seven days had sufiicient energy 

 to feed 10-15 minutes when an arm was placed in the breeding 

 jar. These facts lead us with others to accredit in a measure the 

 claims of older authorities on plague, who contended before the 

 flea theory \\-as recognized, that clothes and baggage of an 

 infected community harbored the germs of plague, which re- 

 main \iable during long period of time. Modern writers have 

 called our attention to the plausibility of infection in clothes and 

 baggage due to the agency of fleas, which may be transported 

 from infected communities. Bannerman (Journal of Hygiene, 

 Vol. 6, 1906, pp. 189-191), writing on the possibility of the spread 

 of infection by means of clothes, brings forth several instances in 

 which conveyance of infection by clothes seemed the most 

 likely means of introduction of plague in some villages in India. 

 Plague infected rat fleas secreted in the clothes en route are held 

 responsible for the transmission. Bannerman cites an instance 

 of plague transmission through clothing where as much as ten 

 days elapsed in the transportation of clothing removed from a 

 plague infected \-ictim and worn by a relative of the deceased, 

 who in turn contracted the disease. 



It has not been our intention to enter into a discussion of the 

 Ilea from the standpoint of plague epidemiology; it is desired 

 merely to indicate the possibility that starvation of infected 

 fleas may not eliminate the danger of transmission. The in'csence 

 of plague bacilli in rodent fleas as pointed out by the English 

 Plague Commission (Journal of Hygiene, Vol. VIII, p. 261) does 

 not appear to aft'ect the rate of mortality in these insects. 



