THE 8IPHONAPTERA 335 



"bite" and if, while the wound is still open, this place is rubbed or 

 scratched the germs are liable to thus be introduced into the blood of the 

 person. Their absence from the mouth parts and the saliva of the flea 

 so far as observations have yet gone indicates therefore that inoculation 

 with the germs from fleas is accidental, but as most persons generally 

 scratch a flea bite, it is at least frequent enough to produce many cases 

 of the disease. In California, the disease has also been found in ground 

 squirrels and in one species at least of squirrel flea so that these fleas are 

 also a menace to man. 



Control of Fleas. In houses, flea control must be both by destroying 

 the adults and also the early stages. On small animals which are 

 infested, a thorough washing with a soap coal-tar creosote material 

 used as a " stock dip" of which a number of kinds are for sale gives 

 satisfactory results if the animal is thoroughly scrubbed and partic- 

 ular care given to see that the head to which the insects collect when 

 the animal is put into the wash shall receive particular attention. 

 Keep the animal in the wash for five to ten minutes. If it has a tender 

 skin, this treatment may be followed by washing in warm water with 

 soap. 



Other ways for treating infested animals are by rubbing powdered 

 naphthaline into the hair, or by dusting thoroughly with Pyrethrum. 

 Give these treatments over paper on which the stupified fleas fall so 

 that they may be gathered and burned. Animals which are attacked by 

 fleas should not be allowed under houses as is so often the case in the South 

 when no cellars are present and the house is placed on low posts. In such 

 cases, these places are excellent locations for fleas to breed and when adult 

 enter the houses. 



To destroy the early stages successfully, the food of the larvae should 

 be kept in mind and all such material be removed. Thorough cleaning, 

 removing all dust, much of which is flea food; soaking cracks, where it 

 might gather, with kerosene ; airing and beating rugs, carpets, straw mat- 

 tings and, in fact, all floor coverings, are important control measures. 



There are other ways in which fleas may be controlled. One is to 

 sprinkle 5 Ib. of flake naphthaline over the floor of an infested room and 

 close tightly for 24 hr. ; then open and sweep it into any other room needing 

 treatment and manage in the same way. Several rooms can be treated 

 with the same material. Fumigation with sulfur, using 4 Ib. to each 1,000 

 cu. ft. of space if the young are present and 2 to 3 Ib. if only adult 

 fleas are involved, the fumigation to continue 12 hr., is also a successful 

 control. Cellars infested should be thoroughly cleaned and whitewash 

 used freely. 



Flea "bites" if troublesome may be relieved by the use of carbolated 

 vaseline, camphor, or a 3 per cent solution of carbolic acid in water. 



