National Republican., 1883-07-17
DEATH TO MOSQUITOES AND FLIES.
A Very simple Remedy for All the Ills
We Suffer from Pestilentinl Insects.

We Suffer from Pestilentinl Insects.
A correspondent in Harper's Basar writes
about certain demolisher of these pests as
follows:
With the rest of the world, your writer has
suffered greatly from those Unsuitable summer
pests, mosquitoes; but now out of all his
agony, he can calmly gather up the shreds of
experience, and jot down few facts that
may help some poor mortal.
There is remedy even for these ills, and
it is quite probable that hundreds of your
readers now have it in their house, though ig-
norant of all its uses and the relief that is
lying just at their hands
The "Pyrethrum roseum" or "Persan camo-
mile" is the powdered leaf of harmless
flower growing in Caucasian Asia in great
profusion, where for centuries IL has been
used to rid the natives of unwholesome guests
from the insect world. 1t can be purchased
of almost any reliable druggist at about
seventy cents per young already prepared for
use.
With finely powdered dust made from
these flowers the mosquito, the house fly, the
wicked flea, and the disgusting Cimex sectu-
larius may all be promptly put to flight or
calmly murdered-a murder comforting on
the human heart joy too deep for words;
for certainly it is a joy to sit, as do now, at
my writing table this hot July night, watch
feel retributive sting to warn one of their
presence.
In order to enjoy this vengeful, delicious
sport it is only necessary to heap up into a
| little cone one teaspoonful of the blessed drug
pyrethrum, touch it with lighted match,
and watch the thin, blue liue of smoke as it
rises to the ceiling and is waited through the
a weak wall of insect woe. Pretty soon down
they come, plump onto the table and over your
paper, spin ON their backs, and then sheath
their lancets curl up their hair like legs, and
interest one no more.
Up stairs our little ones sleep unmolested,
though there are thousands of mosquitoes in
the room; the pests are sick unto death, and
cling sadly to the walls too feeble to think OF
tapping the rich, warm blood that glows in
ruddy little lips just below; the fatal fume OF
the pyrethrum has settled their business; and
while it fingers in the room outsiders are un-
willing to make an entry, though the win
dows are raised and the lattices only hall
closed.
Gauze bars were long since banished from
our beds; indeed, we have not used them for
nearly seven years. They are hot, stutiy
things at best, and one must be sadly driven
to attempt to sleep under such cover then,
as we all know, the mosquito always finds
his way through, no matter how carefully one
may tuck up its folds about the couch.
Smoke from the Persian camomile, or its
dusty powder, we have found most eificacious,
and your readers will bless me when once
they try it. The purity of the drug must be
assured. This can readily be tested it must
have bright buff color, be light readily
burn, and have pleasant tea-like fragrance
one pinch should kill dozen flies, confined
in BOTTLE at once; where it fails of these
properties it has been adulterated.
In common use in large or breezy rooms
where from great dilution, it fails to tell, IL
nevertheless produces on insect life through
its volatilized essential oil or resin, undou5ted
nausea, vertigo, respiratory spasm and para
lysis. 1t acts upon them through the minute
spiracles the breathing tubes that stud the
surfaces of their little bodies, and from the
delicate network of veins in their tiny wings
To human beings, so tar as | can ascertain
it is entirely innoxious and not disagreeable
That we-a family of eight persons, infant!
ana adults-have lived for several weeks il
an atmosphere of pyrethrum dust combined
during this present INNER, is sufficient proc
of my statement.
To the skoptic, recommend an interesting
experiment. Puff the pyrethrum into close
warm room, where flies most love to swarm
just after dark, shut the door, and make
another visit in thirty minutes. The sigh
of seeming millions of dead and squrmin,
vermin on the floor will do his heart good
that is if he is human, and not an angel.