75 



Russell (W. A.) & Brown (W. G.). Combating the Blow-Fly. 



New Treatment recommended.— /Sct'ence <fe Industrie, Melbourne, 



1, no. 8, December 1919, pp. 487-489, 1 fig. 

 Observations show that jetting sheep with a dip containing about 

 0*2 per cent, of arsenious oxide in solution is a far more effective and 

 cheaper method of preventing blow-fiy attack than the older one of 

 crutching. The method of applying the jet is described. 



Manson-Bahr (P.). Bacillary Dysentery.— Traws. Soc. Trop. Med. 

 Hyg., London, xiii, no, 5, 16th January 1920, pp. 64-72. 

 The etiology, pathology, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of 

 bacillary dysentery are discussed. With regard to the epidemiology 

 there apparently exists a definite relation between it and the appearance 

 of the house-fly, Musca domestica. In places such as Egypt the bacillus 

 has been found in the intestinal tract of flies caught in the desert 

 about two miles from the nearest camp and at a great distance from 

 any human faecal deposits. These observations were made in October. 

 Laboratory experiments show that the bacillus may live about four 

 days in the intestinal tract of the fly, whereas if exposed to the sun 

 in the desert it will only survive a few hours. In view of this fact 

 the fly must have the opportunity of feeding on blood and mucus 

 stools directly they are passed to be able to ingest a sufficient number 

 of bacilli to spread an epidemic in the community ; this, however, is 

 impossible where good sanitary conditions prevail. 



Clarke (J. T.). The Etiology of Rheumatic Fever from a Tropical 



Point of View. A Flea the Probable Carrier.— Tmns. Soc. Trop. 



Med. Hyg., London, xiii, no. 5, 16th January 1920, pp. 83-89, 



2 charts. 



As there is a strong correlation both in time and place between the 



occurrence of rheumatic fever and fleas, it is suggested that these 



insects may prove to be the carriers of the disease. 



The real host of the organism is probably the rat and the most 

 likely species of fleas to disseminate the disease are Pulex irritans 

 and Ceratophyllus fasciatus. 

 There is a similar relation between fleas and scarlet fever. 



Wood (H. P.). Tropical Fowl Mite in the United States, with Notes 

 on Life History and Control.— C7.*S'. Dept. Agric, Washington, 

 D.C., Dept. Circ. 79, January 1920, 8 pp., 2 figs. 



The tropical fowl mite, Liponyssus bursa, is recorded from Raymond, 

 Illinois, where it was discovered in May 1919. The eggs may be laid 

 on the host or in the nest and hatch in about 3 days. The larvae do 

 not feed until after the first moult, which takes place about 17 hours 

 after emergence. The second moult occurs in from 1 to 2 days, but 

 the subsequent ones have not been observed. Poultry and EngHsh 

 sparrows are apparently the chief hosts. 



The most effective remedial measures are a dip consisting of 2 oz. 

 of sulphur, 1 oz. of soap and 1 U.S. gal. of water, or dusting with 

 sulphur or pyrethrum and dipping in a solution of 1 teaspoonful of 

 40 per cent, nicotine sulphate to 1 U.S. gal. of water and about ^ oz. 

 pf soap. These measures were lollowed by a general cleansiiig of th^ 



