The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-07-11
BY THEIR BURROWS YOU MAY KNOW
 THEM

l Poverty insanity cancer, atheism and the itch
 are things no one likes to confess are m h!s 1a3I- | iiy Therefore genuine itch n!asquerades under numerous fancy names, such as CuDan 4tch Ill tne l United States, Prairie itch in Cuba ana points south, Spanish, French Italian, Portuguese -AeA- ica n--a !most any country but your own. But
 when al the scratl hing is done 1t IS stl Just !tc4i Or as doctors call it. scabes, Veterlnaran the mange. Then there's the name given It by our grauGnlo thers-sevon year itch. Perhaps It ran SC en years in the old days. We're more lntel-!- g. nt and we cure it in seven hours, though whether it will come back within seven days or
 weeks depends mainly on your own intelligence. Itch is caused by the invasion of the skin by itch mites The scientific name of the little bug ger is Acarus scabiei. The female of the species, na aurailv cause most of the itching, as she digs in and moles along in her burrow. But of course there few gentlemen bugs to keep the ladies company and so on.
 the naked eye, if your vlslon is good Her bur row shows in the skin little line white at burrow for distance of one-eighth inch or more she deposits her cggs The eggs hatch out in a week so and there you are with lot of eager young itch mites on hand or on the inner or ul- mar surface of wrist or between the fingers.
 The cunning little mites thrive and grow up in almost no time, and being gregarious and biga-
 nous they multiply to beat the band. The popular impression that the itch is dis
 of filthy people is not borne out by the facts We see as many cases among the washed as | among the unWashed. Even before had re-
 nounced the wet wash myself I caught the itch from an epidemic of it l had in my consulting
 room one day---five membrs of a family all furi-
 ously busy devoted parts of one day and two two
 i to aa 1ne ea n bafbe in those I've never had genuine itch since I gave up the | practice I'm not offering hint; I'm just point ing out that bathing and the itch have no parti- | cuar relation
 You catch the itch either by personal contact
 with who has it or by contact with contain
 mated clothing, upholstering, gloves, hats toilet articles, towels, etc. You may catch it by shak- ing hands with who has it.
 It pains me to say that the first and indispens- | able step in the cure is hot soap and water scrubbing to within an inch of your life. Then of freshly made sulphur ointment. Put on your last weeks mighty and go to bed in yesterdays
 night. In the morning have another bath, and
 boil bake all bed linen, underclothng, etc. so
 you won't catch the itch all over again from
 these things. If you take it in the bud, thor ough treatment should cure. If you have your
 doubts try a second treatment two three
 nights later. Sulphur ointment is not just sulphur
 and lard or other grease-properly made sulphur
 ointment contains particle you can feel be-
 tween finger and thumb.
 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS | Drop It, for Healths Sake | I am interested in blood pressure. have a
 book the subject but 1t says nothing about
 blood pressure under the age of 20, and nothing
 dren. I wish to know what the blood pressure oi
 babies is and about what age 1t begins to vary | CT. B. L)
 | Answer-I advise you not to study blood pres
 sure. It is not subject layman properly
 understand. Leave it to the doctor. Insanity in the Family | A young mans father was insane, and his
 mother died in a hospital for the insane. Hi | grandmother was insane and his fathers sister
 died insane: If he marries, what prospect fol normal children, provided his wife has famil, | history clear of insanity? (H. w. F.) II Answer-Not good. Insanity is not heritable 4 but some of his children would be likely to be
 defective mentally or epileptic, otherwise ab normal.
 | Trench Foot
 | read your column regularly and have noticed
 where you have treatment for trench foot, o intense itching between the tOes have pa
 tient with this condition and have been unabl to help him. GIL S. O., M. D.
 Answer-Glad to send you the formula fo Whtfeld's ointment, Doctor, if you will inclos a stamped envelope bearing your address. | Iodin Ration
 A few months ago you sent me your iodin ra tion | told another man about it, and Inc began taking it. Since then g running sore he had Ol his leg since 1906 has healed co. s. R.l
 Answer--Probably coincidence.