Ciroular 21 - Insectioid^e and 3ub«i diary Mattriali 10 
Benzene is available on contract: See 
Class 51, Oeneral Schedule of Supplies, 
Procurement Division, Treasury Department. 
BORAX 
Borax as sold commercially is used to 
kill housefly and stablefly larvae in manure, 
feces, garbage, sludge beds, and other refuse, 
either as a powder or dissolved in water. 
Treatment is made by dusting or sprinkling the 
surface of the refuse piles. A 5 percent borax 
solution Is used for immersion of lumber to 
protect it from attack by Lyctus powder-post 
beetles. Water kept in open containers such 
as fire buckets or barrels and which is not to 
be used for drinking purposes or watering 
plants is protected from infestation by mos- 
quito larvae by using borax at the rate of 2 
ounces per gallon of water. Borax powder may 
be dusted about similarly to the use of sodium 
fluoride for controlling cockroaches but is 
not so effective as the latter. 
Borax, or sodium borate (Ka2B407lOH20) 
may be white granules, colorless crystals, 
or crystalline powder. Commercially it is 
cheap and readily obtained as a white powder. 
In medicine it is used as an antiseptic and 
industrially in soldering metals, in cleansing 
compounds, for fireproof ing fabricsr and wood, 
for manufacturing enamels, and as a preservative 
for wood and hides. 
It is generally considered free from 
health hazards when used externally. 
