The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-04-23
Use SODIUM flUOR|D
FOR CHICKEN LICE.

Washington, d. C., April 22.-One
application of sodium fiuorid will Kill
all lice Of chickens, entomologists OF
the department of agriculture have
discovered This inexpensive white
powder. they find. will rid flock of
all the seven common species or
chicken lice in few days one pound.
costing only forty or fifty cents at
the time Of this writing. Is enough
to treat 100 fowls, II busted on. IL
dissolved in water and used as a dip.
the same amount will 90 three times
as far 1t Is easily applied. economical,
gives immediate results, and does not
I'M ure the fowls or the poultryman.
The complete effectiveness of the
sodium huorid remedy and methods
OF using IT are discussed In Farmers
Bulletin sol of the United States de-
partment OF agriculture, Mites and
Lice on Poultry" by F. c. Bishopp
and Fl. P. Wood. The bulletin deals
also with mites, tie night pests of
chickens. which requires different
treatment. Lice are the biting insects
that work by day and are a serious
foe in neglected small focks of gem
eral farms and back yards.
Sodium fuorid--say IT plainly 10
the druggist or you may get sodium
Chord. common salt, which II not
only resembles an name but in APP
pearance--may be obtained at most
large drug stores Until its recent
use against cockroaches, and still
more recently against poultry. this
substance had not been employed as
an insecticide The demand for it,
therefore. has been quite limited. and
1t Is not ordinarily found in the stock
of the small drug store. Druggists,
however. can oStain IL readily from
manufacturing chemists. and with de-
mand, Ii likely will be carried by local
dealers. The finely powdered COM
mercial form Is cheaper and more
easily applied by the busting method
than the fine. crystallized sodium
fuorid.
busting With Sodium F1uorid.
To apply the material I'm dust form,
place II in an open vessel on a. table
and with one hand hold the fowl by
the legs or wings. With the other
hand place small pinches Of the chem
zeal among the feathers next to the
skin. according to what Ia known as
the pinch" method, which proceeds
as follows: One pinch on the head.
one on the neck. two on the back. ono
on the breast, one below the vent,
one on the tail. one on either thigh,
and one scattered on the under side
OF each wing when spread Each
pinch can be distributed by pushing
the thumb and fingers among the
feathers az the material is released.
II the chicken is held over the vessel,
the material which falls from the fowl
during the operation is recovered.
The material also may be applied
by means OF shaker. but this method
has some disadvantages as comma rod
with the pinch" method. When this
method is used the amount OF sodium
nuorid may be reduced by adding four
parts OF some finely powdered ma
terial. such as road dust or -four to
each part of the fiuorid. The dust,
while not poisonous, is somewhat ir-
ritating 10 the nose and throat. II
allowed to remain on the skin in any
quantity for any great length OF time,
II may cause slight local irritation
For these reasons, those busting a
large number OF chickens would do
well to cover nose and mouth with a
dust guard or damp cloth and to wash
their hands occasionally.
Dipping With Sodium F1uorid.
The dipping method is more eco
nomical. but among many poultry
raisers there is a general sentiment
against the practice OF dipping fowls.
largely because most OF the dips con-
tain materials which discolor the
feathers. The sodium fluortd dip.
however, Is harmless and ~ COM
pared with busting Is more easily
done. As it is necessary that the
fowls dry quickly. dipping is most ap-
plicable in the Southern states and to
summer treatments in the North. For
lice on young chickens, young tur-