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are said to be yielding promising results. It is admitted that the cora- 

 ptete eradication of the rat is impossible in any Indian town, but that 

 does not mean that rat destruction energetically carried out in the 

 non-epidemic season cannot diminish or eradicate altogether foci of 

 plague infection ; in most parts of India such foci are not numerous 

 in favourable years. 



This paper is followed by a memorandum on plague preventive 

 measures which has been circulated widely, in the hope that some of 

 the suggestions therein may be of assistance to the practical plague 

 worker. 



Mallanah (S.). Tobacco, Fleas and Plague. — Indian Med. Gaz., 

 Calcutta, liii, no. 2, February 1918, pp. 53-56. 



The author of this paper is convinced of the efficacy of tobacco 

 in the destruction of fleas as an anti-plague measure, and enumerates 

 the advantages of its use. The leaves of tobacco spread on the floors 

 of houses are said to kill fleas practically instantaneously. It is 

 suggested that stitching the leaves on to a piece of cloth, which is 

 then laid on the floor, is a good method of keeping them in place. 

 Sprinkling water on the tobacco once a day keeps it from crumbhng 

 and renders it more effective. Powdered tobacco should be introduced 

 into rat holes, which can then be firmly closed up with brick and mortar. 

 The results of various experiments with this method are given. 



King (Capt. H. N.). Some Unusual Methods of Disposal of Excreta in 

 Camps. — Indian Med. Gaz., Calcutta, liii, no. 2, February 1918, 

 pp. 74-75. 



Some methods of disposal of excreta that have been used in East 

 Africa with success and that are not usual elsewhere are described. 

 The smoke latrine consists of a cesspit or trench with a special opening 

 for the introduction of a smoking wood fire in a perforated kerosene 

 tin, which hangs half way down the pit suspended by wires from a 

 board that closes the opening when the fire is let down. The fire 

 will need renewal twice in a day, and if care is taken to keep the 

 latrine openings closed, this arrangement needs very little attention 

 and prevents the breeding of flies. An ordinary latrine trench dug 

 at least two feet deep, instead of being filled in with earth is filled 

 at least once daily with dry grass and leaves and burnt out. This 

 is a good substitute for proper incineration. The burning not only 

 kills the eggs and larvae of flies, but keeps away the adults as they 

 dislike the odour of burnt grass. Another method adopted in South 

 West Africa consisted of deep trenches into which no earth was 

 thrown but which were daily sprayed with a sodium arsenite solution 

 in the proportion of 1-2 lb. sodium arsenite and 10 lb. sugar to 1 gal. 

 water. Flies are killed by this method just when they are most 

 dangerous, that is after visiting the latrines. This plan promises 

 success in dry climates and might possibly be equally useful in moist 

 ones. It is especially a method for use where fuel is scarce. 



