162 



Heems (W. B.). Flies : their Habits and Control.— Ca?. Stale Bd.. 

 Health, Sacramento, Special Bull. no. 20, 15th December 1916, 

 19 pp., 6 figs. [Received 28tli August 1917.] 



This bulletin gives a popular description of the house-fly, its life- 

 history, breeding habits, range of flight and its significance as a carrier 

 of disease. The economic importance of eradicating this pest is pointed 

 out ; the elaborate precautions which are carried out against its incur- 

 sions (screens, poisons, etc.) being unnecessary where efficient control is 

 maintained. The essentials of suth control are discussed, particularly 

 with regard to stable construction, disposal of manure in sanitary 

 bins, etc., various types of which are described, with diagrams. All 

 the usual preventive measures are advocated. 



Cox (F. E.). A Review of Recent Literature on Typhus Fever and 

 Acute Anterior Poliomyelitis. — Commonwealth of Australia Qiiaran- 

 tine Service, Melbourne, Publication no. 13, 1917, 79 pp.,. 

 2 plates, 1 map. 



This review gives a detailed account of the history of typhus fever, 

 its geographical occurrence and its epidemiology, leading to the' 

 conclusion that the body-louse, Pediculus humanus (vestimenti), may 

 be regarded as the chief, if not the sole, agent of transmission, while- 

 P. capitis does not play any important role in its spread ; Phthirius 

 pubis may perhaps act as a carrier, though this is not the case with the 

 bed-bug [Cimex]. 



Other sections deal with the causative virus of the disease ; the 

 habits of Pediculus humanus ; the prevention of typhus fever ; a 

 list of reagents for destroying lice ; immune carriers of infected lice, etc. 



In dealing with the recent literature of acute anterior poliomyelitis 

 it is stated that the virus has been demonstrated in the dust of the 

 rooms of patients, and on the bodies and in the intestines of flies that 

 have fed on infected spinal cords. On the bodies of the flies its 

 presence w^as demonstrated for at least 24 to 48 hours, and in the 

 intestines for six hours longer. Stomoxys calcitrans was at one time- 

 supposed to play some part in the spread of this disease, since of 12 

 monkeys experimentally exposed to the bites of flies previously 

 infected, six developed the disease and three died. Subsequent 

 experiments, having yielded negative results, it is now considered 

 probable that the infection is spread by direct or indirect contact and 

 not by the bites of flies. Owing to the fact that the disease is more 

 severe and common in country districts than in large cities, it has 

 been suggested that some insect found more commonly in the country 

 may be the transmitting agent; but this difference in its incidence 

 is more probably due to the greater susceptibility of country children to 

 the disease, those Hving in cities having acquired some immunity to it. 



RouBAUD (E.). Auto-inoculation et Developpement primaire dans les 

 Muqueuses buccales, de la Larve du Gastrophile equin (CEstre du 

 Cheval). [The Entrance and primary Development of the Larva 

 of Gastrophilus equi in the Buccal Mucosa.] — C. R. Hebdoni. 

 Seances Acad. Sciences, Paris, clxiv, no. 11, 12fctL March 1917, 

 pp. 453-456. 



The method by which the larva of Gastrophilus equi, L. {intestinalis,. 

 De G.) reaches the digestive tract of its host and the facts of its early 



