Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-08-06
PULEx TRRITANs,
Washington Said to be Suffering From
Flea Epidemic.

Washington Said to be Suffering From
. Flea Epidemic.
MANY HOUSES INVADED BIZ THE VICIOUS PESTS
INEFFECTIVE METHODS OF FINDING RELIEF
HOW INFESTED DOGS AND CATS NAY BE RE-
LuvKD-sonE TRUE FLEA STORIES.
can insect of the genus pulex It has two
eyes and six feet; the feelers are like threads;
the rostrom is infected, setaceous, and armed
with q sting" That is all the description Web
ster gives Of that amusing and interesting frag-
ment Of agile muscularity and viciousness COM
monty denominated the flea.
If Webster we're only alive and q resident in
this city he would add several lines of interest
| ing description as to the voracity and general
''cussedness" of this member of the pulex irri-
tans family. As rule the nations capital is
not afflicted by those waves of disturbance
atmospheric or otherwise-which roll across
large tracts of the United States, but the rule
has evidently been suspended to allow the ex-
ception to get in its work and the result 10 q
tortured community.
THE PLAGUE Is HERE.
For two or three weeks past sounds of vail
ing from far-of cities have reached here and
stories Of flea plague always accompanied the
itself, for the flea plague has come; not feebly,
not with any announcement in advance. With
out word of warning it swooped down and
took possession OF the city and now every fifth
person you meet is either scratching himself or
herself or else wishing that there was given an
opportunity to scratch where the public eye
could not look scornfully on while seeking
that iow-bred but highly satisfactory form of
relief. There is an idea abroad to the effect
that fieas have their origin in dirt. This is
aai6 IN ha nrrnn h,rt ,sx
whers they do come from. 1t is
almost historic fact, however, that
when they do come they centralize
on dogs and cats and from thence distribute
themselves over the anatomy OF as many hui
man beings can be reached. And when it is
remembered that a flea can jump and fire.
quenty does jump more than one hundred and
twenty times its own length who can hope to
escape? Where the millions of pulex irritans
came FROM why they came and the route by
portant matters when brought face to face with
the soiidly-founded truth that they are here.
IT IS FLEA YEAR,
just as there have been grasshopper years, Do
tato-bug years, years Of famine, years of
plenty, and ears of corn; there is no other ex-
PLANTATION.
Thousands Of good clean people, who had
only heard of the flea hitherto have been wor-
ried almost to the verge of desperation by the
troublous antics OF the invader. He entered
their homes surreptitiously and ensconsced
himself (male and female) in some dark cor
ner, where he established headquarters, Then
the male flea went forth to seek victims, while
the female stayed at home to lay myriads of
little, white, glutinous spheres, which in six
days develop Larvae. In eleven days the wrig-
Cling nusances, unless their term of existence
Is shortened by poison, are closed up in CO.
coon, where they are educated for the murder
Gus career pursued by their kind. For eleven
days more they are instructed in their duties,
and then they break the shell and sally forth
to do battle for themselves.
ON DOGS AND CATS.
Their preference is for dog, and cat ia their
second choice, but they are not averse to feed
ing on poor helpless humanity. When they
get on dog they generally stick and in spite
OF soap and hot water and powders they make
that dogs life burden to him and a source of
distress to the entire community. No less
vicious are they when they take possession of a
cat, and 1t is a fact that quite a number OF val
liable feline pets have been so annoyed by the
little vermin that they gave up what they re-
garded as an unequal contest and have been
laid away to rest beneath rose-bush in the
backyard. One of the favorite theories has
been that thu dogs were responsible for bring
Ing heas into the houses, but there is no testi-
mony to support that supposition. In fact, all
the evidence available shows that flea never
forsakes dog as long as there is enough jaw
power left to hang on with or a sfficient guam
tlty OF the dog remains to hang ON to. There
fore it must be perfectly plain that the feas
which annoy mankind are those which have
failed to secure room and board on the super
fetal area of a dog.
ErFEcTs OF THE PLAGUE.
Numerous instances could be given to prove
that the epidemic of feas. which has disturbed
Brooklyn rest and upset the siumbers of the
inhabitants of Trenton, has reached Washing
ton with renewed force. For three evenings
during the past week one of the young and
brilliant and feminine social attractions of the
city has been hard at work endeayoring to rid
her apartments and her dog of the pests Be-
lieving that the dog was the primary cause of
the invasion she washed him she never allows
any one else to touch him) with all the soaps
and preparations prescribed for such q condi-
ton. The next morning he was scratching
away harder than ever. A second bath merely
afforded him temporary relief, for two or three
hours after he was dry the agile terrors had
pre-empted all the choice spots ON his hide,
His fair mistress then deemed heroic measures
necessary, and, wrapping herself in a great ex-
panse of apron, she personally inspected the
heavy coat of her canine beauty. She bent
over him until pain in her back compelled
her to desist but she felt compensated for her
suffering, because ninety-three ''hoppers' had
succumbed to her prowess. The next day Jack"
was so thoroughly flea-infested that the coach
man was called in to clip off his beautiful silky
coat. The fieas still climb on the odd-iooking
shaver spaniel, but he can scratch them off
without much trouble. They keep him scratch
ing, though.
Another Washington young lady, equally
well known and attractive, became finally con-
WINGED that her pet cat was responsible for her
nights and days of itching and scratching, SO
an investigation was begun. Sixty feas were
the net result of the first sitting. This informa-
ton she confided to one of her intimates and
expressed her intention of carrying on the
siege. In this way the story leaked out in her
| set and she is now known as the champion flea
| catcher.
An M-street youngster was, with sorrowful
expression on his face, watching his dog while
| it endeavOred to uproot some OF its tormentors.
HAS your dog got feas?" quered passing
| friend.
"Fleas!" repeated the youth. "You bet he
has. You just ought to see my stomach"
CAMP oRDwAY FLEAs.
| 1t has been charged by some Of the ardent
supporters of independent military companies
that the national guard boys brought the fieas
| up with them from their camp at Fort Wash
/ ington. 1t is not improbable that some of
the militiamen introduced new varieties of the
flea tribe when they returned from Camp Ord
| way. but the plague was in thorough working
order before the men left for the MARYLAND
summer resort The feas down there are ex-
tremely plentiful; in fact there is no better
| crop on the reservation. The soil is poor and
| the ordinary agriculturist secures but little in
| return for the expenditure of muscular effort
| and profanity. But the flea he has with him
| always. The Camp Ordway flea has however
but little to do with the visitation under dis.