Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-08-16
PLAGUE OF FLEAS.
1t Strikes Washington In SpOts-How 1t
Should be Combated.::

a. ASHINGTON is assailed by plague Of
AN.yA feas. Happily, the affection is not
A(NT universal, but househoders here and
VA there are complaining, particularly
those who have dogs about the prem
Uses. But some without dogs say that their
dwellings have been suddenly overrun by these
highly Objectionable insects. In some cases
people returning to town from the country
have been Mortified to find their houses fairly
aswarm. Upon entering a room the creatures
were discovered leaping about literally by
thousands, Immediately attacking the owners
and making things palpably unpleasant. The
proprietor OF one establishment thus invaded
was convinced that it would be necessary to
move out at once, but he was fortunate enough
to ascertain a method by which he was able to
drive out the pests and avoid 80 dismal an al
Tentative
He purchased pound and half Of Persian
insect powder and took one room. at time for
his experiment. From room number one he
removed the rug that covered the floor and
shutting all the windows and doors, he put a
few red-hot Goals in a tin pan and poured over
them some OF the insect powder the pan being
placed on the hearth to avoid all danger of five.
Then he left the room az quickly as possible
for within very few moments it was filled SO
densely with tho fumes OF the burning powder
that there was no breathing in it. The room
was left shut for two or three hours, at the end
OF which time it was aired and no, single flea
was to be found in 1t alive. BY applying the
same process to each Of the other rooms Of the
house the entire dwelling was freed of the
nuisance. The operation was labo ious, but it
was considerably easier than moving As for
the rugs and two or three sofas, into which the
heas had made their way, they we're sent
down town to an upholsterer. who has all
iron room into which he puts carpets and
furniture that are infested by anything
Objectionable, the temperature OF the room
being raised by hot air pipes to the point neces-
sary to destroy the insects. However it is
probable that this was not all that was neces-
sary, and that if the rugs and sofas had been
left in the room while the fumigatIng was
going on the deas i'll them would have been
effectually destroyed. Fleas breed in the
cracks OF floors among other places, and in
In laying down the carpets again after such
performance it is we'll TO spread insect powder
freely beneath them. All this is an awful bore,
OF course, but it il the only way known Of to
cure plague of feas.
Washington is said to be bad town for
feas, it is also for moths; but the flea
plague has been making trouble also of late in
Baltimore and Phiiadelphia whence accounts
reach here of n horrible oriental flea, brought
over from Turkey in rugs. that spreads with
wonderful rapldity and is ever SO much more
dreadful than the ordinary kind So far as
infected carpets are concerned it will be found
effective to sprinkle them thoroughly with
benzine and hang them up In the sun for two
or three days. Before they are reiaid it is
recommended that the floors be cleaned with
hot water and soft soap. 1t is to be hoped that
this flea plague will not spread very generally
over Washington, but for those who are suffer-
ing from it or likely to suffer this information
Is given.