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Use Against Chiggers or Red Bugs (Mites) 
Any of the inseot repellents -will give protection from chigger 
bites if properly applied. The action on ohiggers is largely as a 
toxicant, which kills them, rather than as a repellent. The materials 
should be applied to the clothing and not to the skin. In addition to 
-the chemicals mentioned, benzyl benzoate is very effeotive as a miticide 
and is preferred because of its physical characteristics, effectiveness, 
availability, and cost. Although dimethyl phthalate is oomparable in 
these respeots, benzyl benzoate is the better of the two chemicals as 
it will withstand laundering• Retreatment is necessary after two 
ordinary home launderings, whereas dimethyl phthalate must be re¬ 
applied following each laundering or following a soaking from heavy 
rain or from wading in water. 
The methods of applying these chemicals for protection against 
ohiggers vary according to the needs of the individual. 
Hand application .— The best and simplest method for the 
individual to treat his own clothing is to pour about a dozen drops 
of the mitioide into on© hand, rub the hands together, and then rub 
lightly on the socks and other clothing. The most liberal applications 
should be made along all openings of the clothing, suoh as inside the 
neckband, and the fly and cuffs of trousers. 
BArrier method.— With the barrier method the materials are 
applied only to the openings of the clothes—inside the neckband, 
fly, and cuffs of shirt; inside the waistband, fly, and cuffs of 
trousers; and on the sooks both above the shoes and inside, below 
the tongue. The material may be applied by daubing as described 
above, with a sprayer, or by drawing the mouth of the bottle along 
the cloth to apply a thin layer one-half inch wide. Women’s clothing 
may be protected in the same general way. 
If one is not going to be crawling about on the ground, nearly 
complete protection can be obtained by smearing the miticide only 
on the sooks above the shoe tops and on the.bottoms of the trouser legs. 
Spray method .— The. material may be applied to the clothing 
by the spray method described for proteotion from mcsquito bites, 
except that special precautions should be taken to spray the openings 
to the clothes. 
Immersion method .— Complete proteotion can be had on field 
clothes by immersing them while dry in a water emulsion of the miticide. 
Either dimethyl phthalate or benzyl benzoate, preferably the latter, 
may be used. Although satisfactory emulsions can be made with soap. 
