132 KENNEL SECRETS. 



for the destruction of fleas the Persian and Dalmatian 

 insect powders appear to be the most popular. The first 

 named, called also the Caucasian, consists of the flowers 

 of Pyretliriim carneiim and roseum — natives of the Cau- 

 casian mountains — while the other is a product of the 

 Pyrethrmn cineraricefoliiim ; and of the two, this is the 

 more powerful. 



These powders are often destructive, yet they are by 

 no means positively so in all instances, and in the excep- 

 tions they simply have a narcotic effect which lasts for a 

 few hours only, when apparently complete recovery takes 

 place. Nor can they be relied upon to keep dogs free 

 from the pests, for they are soon shaken off with all their 

 virtues, consequently they must be used daily and perhaps 

 twice a day to do any lasting good. 



A bellows is the best means of application, or in its ab- 

 sence a tin box with a perforated cover can be used. And 

 in every instance the powder should be well worked into 

 the hair and down to the skin, the subject under treat- 

 ment meanwhile standing or lying on a paper, which, 

 with what falls upon it, should be burned that all the fleas 

 may with certainty be destroyed. 



But beyond being merely palliative these powders are 

 objected to by many persons because of the irritation they 

 excite in the air-passages of the users ; and as a matter 

 of fact without being really poisonous to man they are 

 yet capable of causing him discomfort and producing 

 symptoms closely resembling those induced by a cold in 

 the head, especially in persons inclined to chronic nasal 

 catarrh. Consequently, as a frequent application they 

 can scarcely be advised, at least in a dry form. But this 

 objection is avoided when they are employed with alcohol 

 and water ; moreover, the tinctures made from them are 

 more powerful and lasting in their effects than the pow- 

 ders themselves. 



