The Wilmington morning star., 1945-10-01
Carolina Farm Comment
By P. II. JETER


they applied it under absolutely
controlled conditions. We know now
that the DOT proved to be a great
life-saver at Naples, for instance,
where it checked an epidemic OF
| typhus fever and it has since prov
ed to be the greatest weapon ever
known for the prevention Of malar-
ia and other such diseases trans
mitted by mosquitoes and flies.
At first it was thought that the
DOT might be nerve poison but
very cautious experiments finally
convinced the military authorities
that it could be used effectively
and safely against body lice. In
tensive experiments in Italy and in
other parts of Europe with civil
lains, soldiers and war prisoners
indicated that when the DOT was
used as powder on the skin and
in the gal 1nents that it would give
protection against louise infection
for three weeks or longer.
Entomologists say that folks who
want to use DOT for ordinary do
nestle purposes such as killing
flies, mosquitoes, bedbugs, dog
fleas, and cockroaches have a few
specific things to remember.
First decide on the specific use
to be made of the DOT because a
form suitable for flies may not be
so good for cockroaches. Don't
grab the first DOT product found
on store shelf. Read the label
and see if the DOT is present in
the proper concentration for ones
needs. There are three specific
ways in which the material is Or
dinarily used.
l. DOT IN oil solution. The chem
ical is not soluble in water, so the
buyer may find it prepared as a
kerosene solution. The ideal con-
centration for domestic use is a
five per cent solution - that is
about seven and one-half ounces
of DOT to the gallon. This is the
best form for indoor spraying.
When the oil dries on walls or cell
ings or furniture only small de-
post of DOT remains, and there
fore is not unsightly.
Department experts advise one
not to expect to kill flies and mos
quitoes right in the air as the stuff
is sprayed. It's the residue left by
the spray that counts. Sprayed sur
faces remain lethal to flies and
mosquitoes for weeks and even
months.
2. DIT as water dispersible
powder. This is raw DOT to which
a wetting agent-a soapy material
has been added to make DOT
dispense widely in water. Water
may be added to make a spray.
This form is best suited for spray
ing barns, porches, screens, and
so on, to combat flies and mos
quitoes. It leaves visible deposit,
and therefore will not be popular
with housekeepers.
These powders may be found on
the market as fifty per cent DOT,
fifty per cent wetting agents. Add
two and one-half pounds of the ma
terial to three gallons of water to
get the ideal five per cent DOT
solution.
3. DOT dusts-made of raw DOT
powder ground up in tale, clays,
sulfur or other materials to make
a fine powder-is the best form
against cockroaches and dog feas.
The ideal formula for this purpose
is one that contains ten per cent
DOT.
Against bedbugs, either five
per cent spray or a ten per cent
powder is effective. The entomolo-
gists say that DOT is the perfect
answer to the bedbug problem. In
busting the dog with ten per cent
DOT dust use about one-fourth
teaspoonful for his entire body.
And finally this DOT will not kill
the cotton boil weevil.