New-York tribune., 1908-03-22
AGILE FLEA NOW UNDER SUSPICION.
To Be Arraigned by Health Service for
Transmitting Disease.
From The Tribune Rurea ?

Washington. March 21-Hard times sight
for the wicked flea He has been indicted and
convicted Of many high crimes in ages past. and
ba. baar ndustriously hunted through history as
- ,rr77int'' that deserved little sympathy. but IT
-er,a+,ad for modern science to brand him
Wholesale murderer and sentence his whole tribe
70 determination. II obedience 70 this fiat all the
an,n1oves Of the Public Health Service have been
ordered 10 capture the bloodrhirsty creature
-,he-ever found bind him securely. inrerse him
in alcohol and ship him on to Washington, where
rbe surgeons of the department will perform an
autopsy, upon his remains and determine just how
r,ucb of = criminal ne had been during his happy
skipping lifetime.
This is no foke. The scientists convinced
that Aess transmit many fatal diseases. the
most deadly Of which is the terrible bubonc plague
Ma7,, Of the feas found rats verrable whole
Gale convevors Of pestilence Immigrants from
tha Sums Of European cities frequently bring
aver upon their persons heas that perfect hot
beds Of contagious disease The scientists of the
puh1ic Health Service are des1rous of securing
many specimen feas from rats and human beings
IN pias1e infested localities. well from other
1ocartfaz where contagious diseases prevalent
with this end in view, DR.. Walter Wyrnan, sur
econ general of the service. has sent broadcast q
rcular asking from the officers of the department
and from health officers and physicians through
o,- +be country for samples OF all kinds of heas-
After recting the fact that the plague has
been found To spread from place 10 place by means
NJ rars and from rat to rat and thence TO human
following
DIRECTIONS TOR COLLECTING AND FOR
wARDING FLEAS.
Eirst-Coilect all specimens in small vials Of
alcnhoi using no cotton within the vial Take
aeT4ciai care that each vial represents but single
80 snecIes and accompanied by fun data
bosT locality and collector. Fleas should be col
iac,ed immediately the death OF the host.
esornefimes ii the host animal be small, much
80. may be saved BY immcrsing II slowly III wa
Ter driving the heas 10 one extremity, last sud
IN din throwing them OFF upon the surface Of
the water, which they may be easily gath
Sacond-Exact determination should each time
10 1,lsde of The host. II any one engaged IN these
3,,,estIeatons Is familiar with the species and
,-.r,aties OF the common rats ard mice, ne sAould
go of all collect specimens III alconoi OF
--trb form Of IA Il and mice, number each lot and
sara ona series to the director. HyEienlc Labora-
80 Washington for determine tions retaining
,6s dlIDlicat. specimens for comparison by TINS
eirnte Drocedure nil hosts may be definitely and
r.Ira civ cited II is not sufficient 70 record the
1losts simply IS rats and mice Packages
sent ~ mail snould he packed to comply Win
the postal regulations u.-.t-
1ruird- Probably the most important collections
# acas that IAN now be made Of those species
actually found upon plague leprosy patients, or
IInon lower classes Of human beings ~ me more
e6rdid surroundinga. especially near "hsfNes ana
docks