The Daytona daily news. [volume] (Daytona, Fla.) 1903-1926, 1912-12-16

IS NOW AFTER
THE BEDbUC
EXPERTS WORK ON THEORY
INSECT CARRIES DISEASES
SCIENTISTS ARE NOW TRYING
TO WORK OUT SOME PLAN TO
ERADICATE THE PEST or SOME
HOUSEHOLDS.


HOUSEHOLDS.
Washington, Dec. 16-Government
scientists are at last hot after the
bedbug, that ancient but undesirea-
BILE companion of mankind. Through
the centuries he has been the cling
ing, sticking afflicter of the human
race, and though from time immem-
orial the tortured Athletes have
fought back and destroyed the lit
tie philistines in tens of thousands"
the human family has hitherto de-
SPARED of freeing itself from his
unwelcome attentions.
1t is told that this particular bug
was first discovered on Ewes apron.
At any rate it is certain that his or
igin is contemporaneous with the
appearance of man. AS peregrina-
tor he has no equal, and critics say
/ he possesses wonderful powers, some
going so far as to claim that he can
reason.
1t has remained for DR.. w. c. Ruck-
er past assistant surgeon of the pub
lie health and marine hospital ser
vice, to disturb the equanimity of
the infectious night prowler He has
begun a scientific warfare on the
insect for the purpose of discovering
whether or not it is a carrier Of
disease.
In a special report prepared by him
he says many unkind things, but
there is nothing to Indicate that
Dr. Rockers luminosity is due to a
personal grudge, as the whole re-
port is based on the scientific as
sertion that the bedbug transmits
disease, that it is an ubiquitous and
continuous traveller and carries with
him from one house to another what
ever he can collect in the way of ill
health.
DR.. Rucker declares that while the
bedbug is not a disgrace, as some
housewives seem to think, he is a
positive danger He then proceeds
to dissect the germ" of disease and
tells how the little fellow is con-
structed.
Scientifically speaking, the bedbug
carries all kinds of diseases known
to mankind 1t can disseminate ty-
phoid, dyptheria, small pox, whoop-
ing cough, cholera, scarlet fever,
skin diseases and a host of other
things known only to medical men.
Its particular fitness as a carrier is
due to the fact that it's feet or legs
gather the germ. Its mouth, in ex-
4 tracing blood from the sick person,
is the instrument through which the
virus of disease is transmitted. In
this respect, the bedbug is not sec
onded by any of the other germ car
rying insects. One of it's rivals, the
fly, is a little more energetic in this
respect by reason Of its numbers.
DR.. Rucker also treats the fIv in
the same manner; but the Rockfel-
Ter Institute in New York has put
this insect to another use. Instead
of using the slogan swat the fly
for all it is worth the scientists
there are propogating the fly 10 aid
them in solving all sorts of prob
lens. Their latest achievement in
this respect aims to develop Sc
rum through the use of which flies
might be used for the cure of in
fantile paralysis.
! The Rockefeller experts say that
the fly is guilty. and DR.. Rucker Of
ficially states that the bedbug is
equally as guilty in this respect. On
the other hand he especially exoner-
ates the mosquito, upon which he
fastens the responsibility for the
spread of typhoid and malaria.