Gr. H. F. Nuttall 
547 
Ref. 
No. 
455a. Petroleum-soap-lysol emulsion, for corporis. 
Apply to wounded men after shower-bath, soaping them down 
with a brush. The mixture consists of petroleum 1 pt, soft soap 
2 pts, lysol solution 1 pt. Afterwards apply 3 % cresol ointment to 
the hairy parts (Adler-Herzmark). 
456. Petroleum-vinegar (1 : 1), for capitis. 
Apply to women’s hair covering it with a towel for half an hour. 
The acetic acid loosens the nits (see No. 364) which are combed 
out after the immobilized lice are washed away with warm water 
and soap containing petroleum. 
Phenol, see No. 383. 
457. “Plagin,” a nostrum (powder) extensively sold in Germany soon 
after the war began. It was found to produce numerous small, 
circular or oval erosions on the skin with which it came in contact. 
The remedy produced itching followed by pimples which gave rise 
to the erosions 16 hrs after the application of the powder (Lohe). 
The nostrum was analyzed and the quackery exposed, the unscru¬ 
pulous makers being presumably prosecuted (Priess). A number of 
soldiers were rendered unfit for service by it for a week (Demsar). 
Proprietary Remedies and Nostrums, see remarks on under Nos. 286, 
287, 307, 309, 324, 327, 328, 339-347, 360, 408, 457, 460, 473, etc. 
458. Pyrethrum, for capitis and corporis. 
Nearly all the evidence points to its being useless for lice, 
although it drives away fleas. I am informed that negro women in 
parts of South Africa employ it extensively on their hair, perhaps 
because they like the odour and they consider the yellow powder 
decorative as a correspondent informs me. Five different kinds of 
“insect powders,” all highly recommended (they usually contain 
pyrethrum), were tested by Friedmann and found useless, the lice 
living for hours in dishes containing the powders. “ Unless fresh it 
is of little value” writes Kinloch. It is recommended nevertheless 
by Lelean (1917), Kisskalt and Friedmann found it useless, and 
Peacock (MS. 1918) states that our soldiers all say it is valueless. 
Brunton cites Cantani ( Pharmacologia , 2nd ed. ii. 212) as recom¬ 
mending an ointment of pyrethrum and lard (1:2) as “most 
efficacious” ; perhaps its efficacy depended solely on the lard! 
Expts 73-74: lice survived for days in a box with the powder; 
Expts 221 and 270 also point to it being useless. See experiments 
with repellants, p. 488. 
