The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-08-03
NEW PLAGUE RIDES ON AUTOS.
HES THE HROWNTlH MOTH,
FROM MASSACHL SETS.
ff-my caterpillar Thereof. and the Hairs
Of Them Burn the Human Flesh
Critters Have spread From Their Sidus
Il ~ Far ~ All Auto Can 90 In y Day.

A. Far ~ an Auto Can 90 In Day
II you zee an automobile from Massa
Ich,setts coming toward you. flee AZ from
Ipague II may bear the terrible arrows
LOT the brownlailed moth. beside which
A 1.-The sting OF the Maryland mosquito Is q
kplaythlng and the barbs OF COW itch are
!. soothing lotion.
Until now the Moth Brothers. gypsy
semA browntailed, have performed oxcl'i-
sively on the stage OF Massachusetts, 80
NJ far az America Ia concerned. The Massa-
N ch,isetts mo,hologists have found Euro
\pean fly which delights to devour tho gypsy.
/. br. Howard bug master OF the United States
fDepart ment Of Agriculture, ID securing
| Europe for insects which will put the COM
y sher on both gypsy and brownail. He IL
EEohg o bring home shipload II he can hire
thefn, turn them out at Cape Cod and tell
.vthem to go as far as they like
Every one knows about the gypsy moth
and how It was set loose by a careless scien-
tito person. The browntail leads even u
faster life. Five years ago 1t swooped
)own upon the sacred villages Of Maiden
bedford (where the Demon Rum has just
NEone ON vacation) and Everett. 1t skipped
\ from tree to tree, laying eggs recklessly.
Now few OF Bosto 3 suburbs are free from
the browntail. which vies with the gypsy
in killing trees.
"Tis vicious beast the browntail moth.
1t attacks those who would destroy it's
happy home The caterpillan. which
hatch out early in the spring and again
n late in August, have stiff, many pronged
'S&hairs loosely attached to them Along
fbeaosn street 1t is said Of the caterpillaIs.
las has been said OF the porcupine, that
I they can fire these hairs at the foe with
4 unerring aim. At any rate, the hairs get
A hose and wo betide those upon whom
they land. They fall upon faces, arms and
u necks and Gen. Agony follows them.
| THE rash itself" says the Medical Nevs,
which has been investigating the pest, is
usually localized in the form Of many dis
n crete papules, intensely painful and itching.
lasting from one to two weeks. Some cases
are reported from Newton where the erup-
ton was general the eyes closed, and hos
VI ptal treatment necessary"
n, 1t has been alleged that the arrows Of
VI 1.-THE browntail penetrate the thickest cloth
III ing, causing pain where the victim least
expects it. This may be 80, but 1t is more
likely that such a condition can be &C.
J leounted for by the wonderful sagacity Of
the caterpillar When his enemies are not
\ looking he goes to the back yards Of the
best families and Uses the clothes drying
vnn the line for target practise Two arrows
ty{or sock, three for an undershirt, four
FOR whatvoucallems, and the flend's work
Is done Ironing does not destroy the
barb. 1t lies in wait for the wearer Of the
garment and plunges itself into his hide
with the accuracy OF torpedo.
IL victim screams, acra! ches q nd wears,
but all in vain. Two weeks must elalse
before he ia rid OF the rash and by that time
the browntail may have loaded the wash
line again.
Scientific PERSONS believe that the brown
tail has heard about DR.. Howards errand
In Europe and is making desI rate attempts
\ to leave Massa chueetts. There is one handy
N way to accomplish this and that il by way
AOf the autoniotie, which throns the roads
y ey0f that State. moth 1ies to limb just
g'0yer the road, waits until a red devil comes
along and then drops on 1t. IL he In yet
caterpillar, no climbs the tree and, though
the process Is slower, gets there just the
| same.
l Many Of the automobilists are on their
' way to New York and they bring the cater
pillar and his arrows with them Next
day they 60 to the doctor, not being sure
whether they have scarlet fever or small
pox. The caterpiller goes his way, becomes
z moth, and the moth lays eggs and 80 on
indefinitely.
y 1t is q scientific fac. tina: the moth has
4 spread in every direction from its old home
AhAs far as an automobile can run in day.
XWhether it has a foothold in New York Is
pot yet certain. but II ia very probable.
Perhaps the time will come when every
automobile from the moth dist riot will be
4 road.