74 LICE AND THEIR MENACE TO MAN 



with vinegar, which loosens the nits though it 

 does not kill them. It has also been recom- 

 mended by Hewlett that the comb should be 

 kept hot by repeated dippings in hot water, 

 since head - lice, like body - lice, are irritated 

 by heat above that of the body temperature, 

 and the hot comb approaching makes them 

 become active, so that they are more easily 

 caught. The head should be held well over a 

 sheet of paper, or better, a large dish, and all that 

 is combed out should be emptied into a fire, 

 Combing should proceed from the outer edge oJ 

 the hair to the crown, and the instrument shoulc 

 press close against the scalp In each stroke 

 The successive strokes should not be made 

 haphazard, but should pass gradually round tlu 

 head, so that each hair from base to tip passes 

 between the teeth of the comb. Where th( 

 skin is so much affected that sores have developed 

 thorough combing is too painful, and gentlei 

 means should be employed to get rid of the 

 vermin. Under these circumstances the firsl 

 and foremost thing to do is to cut the hair verj 

 short, burning all that is removed. A few pro 

 tracted washings with a hot solution of 2 per cen 

 lysol (see p. 61) will then destroy any vermii 

 left, and though this is painful it will do gooc 

 rather than harm. In using hot lysol solutioi 

 it is better to have the patient lying on the back 

 with the bowl of fluid below the head, and t( 

 sponge upwards. The irritation is then less 



