50 



WtJRTz ( — ). Moustiques et fosses d'aisances. [Mosquitos and 

 Cesspools.]— La Caducee, 15th Feb. 1913, p. 50. 



The author, at a meeting of the Societe de Medecine et 

 d' Hygiene Tropieales, pointed out the important role of cesspools 

 in tiie propagation of mosquitos. In a hospital for the aged he 

 found that there were periodic outbreaks of great numbers of 

 insects of the genus Culex. For three years search was made 

 without result for the place in which they developed, in cisterns, 

 gutters and water-tubs. The neighbouring sewers, which had 

 never been attended to, were examined and no larvae were found. 

 By accident it was discovered that quantities of mosquitos were 

 coming out of a ventilating pipe from one of the hospital cess- 

 pools into which sink- and washing-water also flowed. The re- 

 action of the water was alkaline ; the use of petroleum promptly 

 stopped the nuisance. 



Pech (M. J.). Note sur retiolog:ie de la fievre typhoide. [Note 

 on the etiologv of tvphoid fever.] — La Caducee, 15th Feb. 

 1913, p. 48. 



The writer points out that one of the most energetic sterilisers 

 in the case of military latrines and similar places is the ammo- 

 niacal fermentation and that, objectionable though this may be 

 from many points of view, it operates actively in preventing the 

 spread of typhoid fever by flies which settle and develop in these 

 places. He has himself no doubt whatever as to the distribution 

 of what he calls " pollen typhoidique " by insects and urges that 

 anything which will prevent them from carrying about the poison 

 of typhoid is valuable. 



Todd (J. L.). Tick Bite in British Columbia. — Canad. Med. Ass. 

 Jl., Dec. 1912. (Reviewed in Jl. Trop. Med. ^- Hyy., 15th 

 Feb. 1913, p. 58.) 



A very fatal disease, with symptoms closely resembling those 

 of typhus, occurs in some parts of Montana, and is known locally 

 as '' spotted fever " or " tick fever " because it is transmitted by 

 the bites of a tick. 



It having become known that this tick, Dermacentor venustus, 

 exists in Southern British Columbia, enquiries were made by 

 circularising two hundred doctors as to whether a similar disease 

 existed in Canada. Forty replies were received. Many of these 

 stated that the wound caused by a tick bite was frequently 

 followed by severe local inflammation. Six reported paresis or 

 paralysis and sometimes death as a result, but the symptoms 

 reported in these cases were quite unlike those of the tick fever 

 of Montana. Some of these cases go back as far as 1898. 



