Omaha daily bee., 1899-07-24
ALL ABOUT THE KISSING BUG
state E~ntomoIoeist Bruncr states His
Ideas Concerning the Much
TnIked-About Insect.

mas prepared the following statement rela-
tive to the so-called kissing bug:
For the last three or four weeks the
newspapers Of the country have been full
Of accounts concerning the bites, SOME
fatal, OF a mysterious insect. SO varied ana
sensational have been some Of these ac-
counts that it has been a difficult matter for
one to obtain anything like facts in the case.
While l have thought from the first that
there was nothing more to the whole matter
than what occurs each summer when we sec
occasional references in the papers to deaths
caused by insect bites or stlngs; still | was
a little curious to follow 1t up and see the
developments as papers one after the other
took 1t us. Now that the "malady" has
reached our own state, | have become suf-
f~ciently interested to give my views and, IL
possible. to allay the fears of the public by
assuring 1t that the kissing bug as such,
is a myth. DO not infer from this statement,
however, that l disbelieve all the accounts
published in the press Of the country con-
corning great suffering and even deaths
caused by insect bites or stings.
So near as | can determine the kissing
bug" sensation started about a month or a
trife less ago in Washington. D.. c., when
within a few days several persons were ad-
mitted to hospitals and treated for troubles
ih"b WIZ itSh''y NV iNouAb VI ihSS@b bitNo
or stings. But just what particular insect
was the criminal seemed very doubtful.
%Singularly enough, at least, so say the news
papers, at this stage in the history while
one of the government entomologists was
at work In the evening after lamplight he
was bitten by a bug on the wrist. Luckily
the culprit was captured and saved for a
specimen. Next day the bite became in
famed and someone suggested the POSSIBLE
iy OF the identity Of this and other cases
of injury. The insect captured by the ento-
mologlst was the one known as melanolestes
plcipes, which translated is the pitchy-foote1
black pirate. Several cases having occurred
where the persons attacked were bitten on
the lips, the name of kissing bug was
suggested by someone. OF course, the next
and easy thing to do was to couple the two
names together and force them on the un-
fortunate insect whose name, as just given
above. seemingly would be calamity enough
for one small bug.
The creature in question belongs to the
same order OF insects as the bedbug and
common stink bugr' known to everybody,
but to a different family. The pitchy-footed
black pirate is a member Of the family
Reduvidae, group Piratina, all the members
of which are blood suckers and live upon
other insects, which they capture and kill
by sucking their blood. If seized between
the thumb and fingers all of these insects
will r~etaliate by biting, If possible, and the
wound thus inflicted is by no means a gen.
tie one, since when thus roughly handled
they inject into the wound a whitish fluid
that greatly irritates. / have myself been
several times bitten when handling these
insects, with the result of suffering from a
slightly swollen hand and even a benumbed
arm for several hours a~fterward. But l
never for a moment feared that l was about
to die from such a bite. The insect in ques-
tion is about one-half inch in length, quite
active and more nocturnal than diurnal in
its habits.
AS stated above, records Of deaths from
insect bites are Of not infrequent occurrence
every year, hence there must be some foun-
dalton for such reports-there must be a
cause for their deadly nature. Blood poi
soning may result from a variety of begin
nings. If a stable fly alights upon an an
imal that has died from a disease like an
thrax, feeds for a moment, then flies off
and later alights upon and pierces the skin
or flesh of a person the effect is liable to
result in blood poisoning. Decaying flesh
in itself is considered poisonous and is ca
pable Of blood poisoning, as any physician
can attest who has worked in a dissecting
room. Several species of flies, mosquitoes
and gnats may thus infict wounds in which
at the same time they Internationally in
sert germs that produce blood poisoning,
these germs having been picked up by those
insects while feeding upon dead animals.
Precautions should be taken, then, to bury
or otherwise remove ali dead animals as
quickly as possible, and especially should
this be done during warm weather and in
case of those dying from contagious and in
fictitious diseases, such as anthrax, CHAMBERS,
cholera, etc.
Should a person be bitten or stung by a
mysterious bug" immediate measures ought
to be taken to obtain relief. II this is done
no dire result is apt to follow. This last
suggestion is especially to be observed when
other cases of harmful attacks are known
to have occurred. The same source of in
lection is liable to furnish materiar and
spread in different directions through the
same, similar, or even different agencies.
LAWRENCE BRUNER.
Hall County Republican Convention.
GRAND ISLAND. Neb., July 23.-(Spe-
cial.)-Hall county republicans held a
large and enthusiastic, as well as harmon
ious convention in this city yesterday after
noon for the purpose of nominating candi-
oates for the county ofnces ana selecting the
state and judicial delegations. There was
only one contest in the convention, 1t being
between A.. l.. Barneby and d. II. Vantine
for county superintendent, the final vote
being II to IS in favor OF the latter. The
county ticket named was as follows: County
Judge, NJ. +. Carlow; treasurer. Gee p. Dean;
superintendent of public instruction, ID, II,
Vantine; clerk, John Wallichs; sheriff. S. N.
Taylor; clerk of district court, Henry Allan;
coroner, G. H.. Roeder; surveyor, A. G.
Koenig, assessor Getty OF Grand Island). Il.
l.. Curtis; justices Of the peace, George
Spencer and Henry earn; constables, James
German and c. A. Leake. In the appoint
ment Of the delegation to the state conven-
tion Supreme Judge 7. o. G.. Harrison,
George II. Thummel. George Rouse and W.
A. Prince were selected as delegates at large
and Judge Harrison was authorized TO Sc
lect the remainder of the delegation. Ex-
Lieutenant Governor Abbott was authorized
to select the delegation to the judicial con-
%vention. Supreme Judge Harrison was
chosen chairman Of the convention and A. +.
Buechler and O., NJ. Quackenbush secretaries.
A central committee was nominated. the
candidates nominated being authorized TO
select the officers of the same.