THE FESTIVE FLEA.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 10713, 3 December 1912, Page 4

THE FESTIVE FLEA.

The United States Public Health Department issued last month a brochure- on the subject of flea destruction. Which should effectually dispel the delusion that it is easy to kill a flea. Nearly all insects can bo destroyed by corrosion with chemicals, by suffocation, or by onthenisation with ether, chloroform or laughing gas. Not so, .however, the festive flea, which will survive all those modes of execution combined, with others added. It is difficult, indeed, to say when, a flea is really dead. A flea that has not moved for half an hour lias been pronounced defunct, yet the abandoned creature has afterwards sprung up as ready as ever for the part allotted it in the cosmic scheme by a hopelessly inscrutable Providence. The ilea is deceptive in his habits. In dry, ciiyp weather he will hop and bite with energy, but on a damp "muggy" day he seems to boco-me depressed and lies dormant, seemingly dead. It is almost .impossible to drown a ilea by dropping it in water. -Even, when soaked for a prolonged period in absolute alcohol he merely becomes temporarily paralysed ami soon recovers after his withdrawal from the spirit-; Even formalin, supposed to be one of the most deadly of insecticides, connot prevail against the flea's wonderful vita'ty. A flea immersed in formalin for twelve hours was removed "apparently dead," but in a. few minutes was hopping around as blithely as ever. Glycerine, phenol, mercuric chloride and trekesol in the strength used as disinfectant are powerless to hurt the flea, and sulphur fumes do not even make him cough. Final endenco of the flea's disreputable character was provided by the discovery of the surest method of causing his demise. Water alone will, not kill him, but soap and water will do for any flea. A flea dipped in tincture of green soap was dead in two minute-;, and it was found that almost any smrt of soap would have fatal results when applied to any sort of flea.