The Ellensburg dawn. [volume] (Ellensburg, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1905-08-24
CABBAGE SNAKE FAKE.
treat Losses =" CnbbHEe GrOw~rs
ThrouI,a This Scare.

rms ScNrc.
Washington. y. C.-Thr cabbage hair
worm is the subject of circular No.62 OF
,hc bureau of entomology. United States
department of agriculture. the publ
cation of which was made necessary
y numerous inquiries in regard to the
identity and alleged poisonous nature
of a minute worm popularity known
curing the years 1903 and 1904 as the
"cabhagc snake" During the former
year the species first attracted atten-
ton. but WIS not considered seriously.
rs it was we'll known that hair worms
are not In any degree poiSonous-lr
fact. they are perfectly harmless and
even. to Il certain extent. beneficial. n
they destroy by paraSitsm the perm
cious codliug moth and several species
of destructive graSShoppcrs or locusts.
In 1904. however. the subject increased
in proportion. the bureau of cntoinolo
Ky Frequently receiving five or six
communications daily in regard to this
creature. In most cases these were
accompanied by clippings CLEANED from
the daily press
ROBSON STORIES NOT
The object OF tie circular is mainly
to facilitate the correspondence of the
department. to place the facts In the
case on record and before the public
and to correct erroneous reports and
Nero runors which have been circu
lated in regard to eases of poisoning
of human beings. In ONLY n single
Of ia, ~,
pcrS 1ns VIII, had hccn llillrl by eating
cabbage supposed to I've infested Ivy
this hair worm given. AMI the ppStmas-
ter of IL" city promptly denied any
knowledge OF the facts. all efforts that
were made 10 locate the origin of the
account being without success. 1t may
re safely assumed that all other re
ports were equally untrue or greatly
exaggerated. In fact. the entire mat
ter WIS Il hoax save FOR tie flct that
the rumors were placed in such gen
cral circulation that the consumption
of cabbage was greatly Curtailel.
many persons fully believing in the
pois DnpusnoSs Of the hair worm.
There Is no doubt. on the other hand.
that ;he majority Of the reports Of
damage t. the cabbage crop were
fouufCd on fact. We have positive
knowledge Of one OF these in Tonnes.
SEQ. whcr" fully 81 per cent of the
states cabbage crop was lost In 1904.
Similar losses We're reported In va.
rious portions Of Missouri. Iowa. West
Virginia and Virginia. From data AT
hau it can truthfully be said that
lhoIean,lS of cabbage growers incurred
sevorc losses Oh account of the unfor
culation of the veriest rumOrs.
The Hair Worm Harmless.
In support Of the statement which
has been mAhc 10y letter by the depart
years. Dr. Louis Leroy made tests
in order to determine whether the haiI
worm or "c1bbaye snake" possessed
any poisonous properties. The usual
laboratory animals rabbits, guinea pig
and domestic animals were fed with
the worms. raw and cooked. Extracts
from the hair worms were prepared
and the animals fed with them. an
the substance was injected hyprlrr
mically. the final result being reached,
as none Of the animals thus treated
was affected. that the "cabbagr snake"
il entirely harmless. and the public ru-
mors and suporstitiOns are fallacieG
without semblance of foundation.