514 
Insects  Destructive  to  Books. 
f  Am.  Jour.  Pharm. 
(   November,  1911. 
the  disease,  the  source  of  which  it  is  impossihle  to  trace,  on  account 
of  the  sHght  consideration  given  by  the  medical  world  at  the  present 
time  to  books  as  a  source  of  disease. 
The  danger  of  contracting  disease  by  the  fingers  dampened  with 
saliva  in  order  to  turn  over  the  pages  of  a  book  is  especially  so  in 
the  case  of  persons  suffering  from  tuberculosis,  whose  sputum  con- 
tains millions  of  the  bacilli.  The  saliva  drying,  the  Tubercle  bacillus 
cling  to  the  fibre  of  the  paper,  and  soon  as  another  person,  who  also 
has  the  vulgar  habit  of  wetting  the  fingers  in  turning  the  pages, 
uses  the  book,  the  germs  are  removed  to  fertile  soil.  Many  other 
diseases,  especially  skin  diseases,  are  without  doubt  frequently  trans- 
mitted by  this  means. 
In  conclusion,  I  cannot  speak  strongly  enough  on  the  importance 
of  cleanliness  in  preventing  the  destruction  of  books  by  insects,  and 
the  spreading  of  disease.  The  volumes  in  the  library  should  be 
kept  thoroughly  cleaned,  the  attendants  ought  to  clean  their  hands 
frequently,  and  the  patrons  compelled  to  wash  their  hands  before 
using  the  publications  and  should  not  be  allowed  to  wet  the  fingers 
in  turning  the  pages.  These  precautions  will  help  to  decrease  the 
spread  of  tuberculosis  and  other  diseases,  and  do  away  with  the 
grease  stains  on  the  paper,  which  are  breeding  grounds  for  germs 
and  attractive  feeding  places  for  insects.  Screens  should  be  placed 
on  all  windows  and  doors  to  prevent  the  entrance  of  flies,  and  by 
these  means  only  will  the  destruction  of  the  stores  of  accumulated 
knowledge  be;  decreased  and  a  source  of  death  be  overcome. 
Theory  Confirmed. — As  this  article  goes  to  press,  I  have  just 
obtained  results  from  an  experiment  which  goes  tO'  prove  that  books 
may  be  damaged  by  the  hatching  of  life  from  eggs  which  were 
originally  in  the  flour,  or  most  likely,  the  grain. 
In  June,  1910,  I  obtained  from  Mr.  James  Stone,  of  Philadel- 
phia, three  samples  of  flour  which  he  claimed  were  absolutely  pure 
and  each  of  the  three  varieties  were  placed  in  a  sealed  Mason  jar 
and  the  jars  put  upon  a  shelf  in  a  closet.  They  were  thus  kept  in 
a  dark  location  and  also  a  dry  atmosphere.  At  various  times  these 
jars  were  examined,  but  no  sign  of  life  appeared  until  the  examina- 
tion made  October  6,  191 1,  at  which  time  I  was  very  astonished 
to  find  that  two  of  the  samples,  ''spring  wheat  flour"  and  ''rye  flour," 
were  literally  covered  with  what  appears  by  looking  through  the  glass 
of  the  jars  to  be  a  species  of  Psocidce  or  book-lice.    The  third 
