G. H. F. Nuttall 
551 
Ref. 
No. 
N.B. Sulphur powder, applied as recommended by Eysell, was 
tried during sultry weather by Neumayer who states that he sweated 
freely and hoped that the H 2 S evolved would keep off lice. Some 
days later he suffered from diarrhoea, severe cramps and collapse at¬ 
tributed by him to H 2 S poisoning. Silver in his pocket turned black. 
See also Nos. 430, 447. Beware of producing sulphur dermatitis. 
465. Sulphur dioxide (S0 2 ) fumigation, for corporis. 
Opinions as to the value of sulphur dioxide fumigation for the 
destruction of lice differ widely. It has been found untrustworthy 
by Frankel, Furno, Swellengrebel, Busson and others on the 
ground that nits frequently survive or that when fumigation has 
to be applied to larger spaces it is difficult or impossible to attain 
or maintain the requisite lethal concentration of S0 2 in the cham¬ 
ber. Sulphur fumigation has been practised from ancient times, but 
by bacteriologists it is very generally regarded as inefficient. Its use 
however in combating yellow fever has been justified in so far as 
it affords a useful means of destroying the mosquito that conveys 
the disease. Whereas it readily destroys lice in the active stages 
it does not give satisfactory results with nits as far as recorded 
observations go (v. infra). Favourable opinions as to its use are 
expressed by Nysten (1858) and many writers since. In the French 
army, early in 1915, sulphur was chiefly used for disinfestation, 
steam being much less employed. The method has been in use in 
all the armies engaged in the present war, this not affording proof 
in my opinion that the method is efficient. Any method of dis¬ 
infestation that falls short of destroying the more resistant nits 
must be regarded as merely palliative. The following are the 
objections to the use of sulphur for the purpose of killing lice. 
Inefficiency. In my opinion a false impression has arisen because 
the active stages of lice are found dead in large numbers among 
effects treated by S0 2 . The recorded evidence regarding nits (see 
Expts 225-233, 248-249) is, however, as follows: 
SOo 
vols. % 
Acting for 
Result 
Authority 
2 
2 hrs 
all killed 
Nocht and Halberkami 
2-5 
7 „ 
1 nit survived 
Bacot and Gair 
3-1 
7 „ 
2 nits survived 
99 
Kilos of S. 
burnt per 100 cbm. 
1-6 
18 „ 
mostly survived 
Swellengrebel 
2-6 
18 „ 
some survived 
99 
3-2 
18 „ 
mostly survived 
if 
