Evening star., 1945-10-22
This and That
By Charles E. TrdceiDeu
BETHESDA, MD.

Dear Sir:
After reading last evening about
Mr.. Jones vacuum cleaner method of
disposing OF scentipedes, y can't help
asking, Why all this persecution Of
mans good friend2'
Incidentally, hope Mr.. Jones shows
as much efficiency in taking over the
poor creatures work as he exhibits in
annihilating him
Il wonder if this energetic contrib
utor can completely rid kitchen cup
board Of ants and reaches with single
nights work as the centipede can.
People who dread them can easily
overcome this feeling by watching them
for while. They are not only expert
housekeepers, but are very well man
nered. They never touch human beings
(unless you knock them onto yourself
with vacuum cleaner tubeD or any
thing belonging to them.
Their only food is bugs, and the
bigger they are, the better they seem
to like them. In the tropics and pos
sibly even in the southmost sections of
this country, they are a real menace
as their bite is deadly, but in this area
the housewife who treats them like
visiting royalty will be amply repaid.
This doubtless sounds to some
squeamish people land this means
nearly everybody where centipedes are
concerneO like advising you to keep
lion in the house so you won't have
mice.
Please, Mr.. Jones, won't you put your
vacuum cleaner up for a couple of
weeks, and at least give the poor thou
sand-legger trial?
Sincerely, s. c. s."
Our friend Jones must have been
reading "Centipedes and Millipedes in
the House. leaflet 1872 of the Depart
ment of Agriculture, written by E. A.
Back, principal entomologist, Division
of Insects Affecting Man and Animals,
Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quar-
antine.
This leafiet bears on its cover pic
ture of waggish centipede playfully
holding aloft the title with its first pair
of leg-like appendages.
Some Of the drawings in this leaf1et
are so lifelike that women have been
known to scream just upon being shown
them.
This first pair of leg-like appendages
by the way, contains the poison glands
in the claws.
This poison brings immediate death
or paralysis to insects.
Centipedes rarely bite man, accord
ing to DR.. Back. In fact, there Is no
record of centipede seriously harm
ing a person in this country.
Sometimes secondary infection NAV
~ ito
moistened baking soda should be ap-
piled, followed by mild germicide.
1t Is no wonder, we feel, that our
friend Templeton Jones and other read
ers of this interesting tract have worked
up a fear of centipedes.
Here Is the engaging picture presented
by our Government: VI
The flattened body makes it possible
for centipedes to squeeze into cracks
and crevices, from which they some
times penetrate to wall spaces Of houses
and find their way thence into living
and sleeping rooms, where they conceal
themselves In shoes, in folds Of cloth
ing, behind pillows, in beds, and In
other darkened places"
Ugh! Can you blame Jones for being
upset?
This doughty warrior against the Gen.
tipede tries to be fair, however. He
admits that there will be few smaller
insects in the home pestered by them
His position is that he would rather
have few spiders, ETC., than one cen.
tipede. He blesses his stars that ht
| has no miilipedes. The booklet tells
how as many as TOO have invaded home,
at one time, completely covering walls
and ceiling.
Templeton Jones believes the oficia
| Government picture ISLANDERS the CEN
tipede. II have never seen one In my
bed" says he. "When do. will move
out"