Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-4rdpn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-17T14:35:19.104Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

A simple fumigation method for disinfecting clothing or bedding containing body lice

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 May 2009

J. R. Busvine
Affiliation:
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
C. Vasuvat
Affiliation:
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Modern contact insecticides (like DDT) in powder form are ideal for combating widespread lousiness; but for various reasons they are not suitable for disinfecting small numbers of infested people under civilized conditions. It appears that the most convenient, efficient method in these circumstances is a small-scale fumigation of the infested garments, in either a metal bin or a plastic bag. Ethyl formate, one of the liquid fumigants suggested for this purpose by W. A. L. David in 1944, has been further tested and found efficient. In a plastic bag the size of a potato sack (about 30 × 40 in.), four blankets can be deloused by a dose of 100 ml. with an hour's exposure or a quarter of this dose with an exposure of 5 hr. or more. An overnight treatment with this dose would be safe and convenient, costing about Is. and the actual operations would take only a few minutes.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1966

References

REFERENCES

Browning, , Ethel, (1953). Toxicity of Industrial Solvents. H.M.S.O.Google Scholar
Busvine, J. R. (1943). The toxicity of some common fumigants to body lice. Bull. ent. Res. 34, 19.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Busvine, J. R. & Lien, J. (1961). Methods for measuring insecticide susceptibility levels in bed-bugs, coned-nosed bugs, fleas and lice. Bull. Wld Hlth Org. 24, 509.Google ScholarPubMed
Buxton, P. A. (1947). The Louse. London: E. Arnold. 164 pp.Google Scholar
David, W. A. L. (1944). Fumigation as a method of combating the body louse. Bull. ent. Res. 35, 79, 101.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Guneidy, A. M. & Busvine, J. R. (1964). Inheritance of dieldrin-resistance in Cimex lectu-larius and Pediculus h. humanus. Bull. ent. Res. 55, 509.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Khattat, F. H. & Busvine, J. R. (1965). A modified test method for resistance to dichlorvos vapour. Bull. Wld Hlth Org. 32, 551.Google ScholarPubMed
Latta, R. & Yeomans, A. H. (1943). Methods and equipment for fumigation of clothing infested with body lice. J. econ. Ent. 36, 402.Google Scholar
Maddock, D. R. & Sedlak, V. A. (1961). Dosage–mortality response of Anopheles quadri-maculatus to DDVP vapour. Bull. Wld Hlth Org. 24, 644.Google ScholarPubMed
Maddock, D. R., Sedlak, V. A. & Schoof, H. F. (1961). Dosage–mortality response of Musca domestica to DDVP vapour. Bull. Wld Hlth Org. 24, 643.Google ScholarPubMed