UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
Contribution from the Bureau of Chemistry, CARL L.  “WS%)Xaet/ wad 
ALSBERG, Chief, and the Bureau of Entomology, 
L. O. HOWARD, Chief. Se Pee. 
Washington, D. C. Vv September 8, 1920 
EXPERIMENTS ON THE TOXIC ACTION OF CERTAIN GASES 
~ON INSECTS, SEEDS, AND FUNGI. 
By I. E. Netrert, Junior Chemist, Insecticide and Fungicide Laboratory, Bureau of 
Chemistry, and G. L. Garrison, Cotton Entomologist, Bureau of Entomology. 
CONTENTS. 
Page. Page. 
Tr tLOduCHON ease ee nee eae eae ae 1 | Experimental work—continued. 
Experimental work: ChiIOLOpICrinee ese ane Nee eee 9 
General procedure..................--.--- 2 (UlishartiaR yaar eG ee ee 13 
IB OSE ON Clare. a ast sas eae ee Soa 4 Carbonimonoxdde-e a. =) ee eee 13 
JNTRSTIA 2) a NS Ae oad a aie a Die OUI ALY pas = een na ae eas eee oe 13 
Cyanorem chloridss2:G-25- 902 sete ee (eat CONCHISIONS Ss. Sos hace ees on ee ee ee 13 
INTRODUCTION. 
Experiments made at American University by the Bureau of 
Entomology of the United States Department of Agriculture, in 
cooperation with the Chemical Warfare Service of the United States 
War Department, on the action of certain toxic gases upon the 
body louse (Pediculus corporis De G.) indicated that further inves- 
tigation with other msects might be profitable, especially since very 
little work had been done with respect to their action on insects,! 
fungi, and seeds. Accordingly a committee ? was appointed to plan 
a series of experiments to determine the value of these gases for 
fumigating purposes. 
The gases of war value and the apparatus used at American 
University were obtained through the courtesy of the Chemical War- 
fare Service. The collection and rearing of the insects and observa- 
1 Bertrand, Brocq-Rousseau and Dassonville (Compt. rend., 169 (1919): 441, 880, 1059, 1061, 1428) have 
conducted some experiments with chloropicrin on bedbugs and charancon (weevils); Moore (J. Econ. 
Entomol., 11 (1918): 357) has done some work with chloropicrin against bean weevil (Bruchus obtectus Say.), 
Angoumois grain moth (Sitotroga cerealelia Oliv.), Indian meal moth (Plodia interpunctella Hbn.), 
Mediterranean flour moth (Ephestia kuehniella Zell.), and confused fiour beetle ( Tribolium confusum 
Duval), as well as (J. Lab. Clin. Med., 3 (1918): 267) for fumigating clothing for the destruction of the 
clothes louse (Pediculus corporis [vestimenti]). Moore and Graham (J. Agr. Research, 12, No. 9 (1918): 
579) tested the action of chloropicrin on potato beetle eggs (Leptinotarsa decemlineata Say.). 
2 This committee consisted of R. H. Hutchison and E. A. Back, of the Bureau of Entomology, FE. R. 
Sasscer, of the Federal Horticultural Board, and I, E, Neifert, of the Bureau of Chemistry. 
187165°—20—Bull, 893 
