Morning journal and courier., 1890-09-26
THE PLAGUE OF FLEAS.
After Tryin. the Souls of People In
the Nutmeg State IL Invadcs Brook
lyn and New York.

After Trying the Souls of People In
the Nutmeg State it Invadcs Brooke
lyn and New York.
The flea plague, now about over, which
has caused untold itching, scratching and
manifold CALCULATIONS among denizens of
New Haven, Ansonia, Birmingham, Meri-
den and other places in this state the past
summer, has not confined its efforts alone
to Connecticut and New Jersey, but has
tried the souls of Harlemites and Brook
lynites and finally attacked the inhabi-
tants of the great metropolis. Gifts work
| in the latter places the New York Sun of
September 23d says:
| 1t has been nearly two months since the cry
| went up in Harlem that there were fieas in that
| favored land. A large part of the people com
| planned that life had become burden and that
spent in sleep, were spent in deadly combat with
an alert and agile foe and In dressing the wounds
We're Of "a NEW and powerful kind, the Sufferers
alleged. In the summer Of 1889 species
q small black flea lea. had mad bee been ebn OK
summer Of 1880 was far more widely
diffused and far more. formidable. All these
n asa spots ana
doorstep councils Of war the best means Of de-
feating and destroying the common foe was also
considered. The Harlem druggists were taken
l into consultation and advised various remedies,
ali more or less Objectionable to the persons
| using them. But nothing seemed to avail. The
heas still lowered about the beds In Harlem flats
and concealed themselves In the covers, awaiting
the proper time for leaping upon the defenseless
bodies Of their victims.
Within the last two weeks Brooklyn echoed
Harlems cry of distress. The new and terrible
flea has migrated. All along the heights there
were lamentations and scratching. Etiquette
was in danger of being temporarily suspended
and due allowance was made for improper and
even rude grasps at different parts OF the cloth
than in Harlem. They infested the houses hid
ing in cracks and crevices during the day and
coming forth at night with the putting out o.
content to operate entirely in the house, The
Brooklyn fieas stayed in the clothing and pur
sued the unhappy victim to his Office.
has fallen fail upon New York Not only IS the Eas
side infested, but the West side as well. From
Central park to the Battery the pest has dis
trbuted Itself with varying force at first
places where street improvements were going
on. Then it spread to the boarding houses ant
hotels. When those who live out of town during
, the summer began to return and to open VI
| their houses they found the feas already on thu
ground. So the plague has spread until nov
there are few houses Of which the sleeping room
druggists have been busy filling orders 70
spirits of camphor and spirits Of ammonia
These two drug are the surest and peasantes
remedies. But both are merely curative. NJ
one has yet discovered any way OF destroying
the deas. They increase multiply and bite.
It is believed that the cool weather will do tn
/ deas no harm and that the plague will not depar
until the first frost The origin of this flea plagu
remains a mystery. It is said that the larg
amount of street and foundation digging in Han
= lem has something to do with it. Certain 1t l
passed Immediately preceded the plague in Ne1
. York.