ENTOMOLOGY

INSECT POISONING AND MISCELLANEOUS NOTES 469may cause anaphylaxis in an animal. Anaphylaxis essentially consistsin the development under r"l.1"tain circumstances in an animal of a hypersensitivenessto foreign alt-uminous materials which in themselves are notessentially toxic. The larvre of the hots Hypoderma bovis DeGeer, H.lineata DeVillers, and Oestrus ovis Linnaeus are not normally toxic althoughby living in an animal they produce a sensitiveness. Whencrushed in the animal or when the protein material contained in thelarvre is injected into the jugular vein of a sensitive animal, anaphylacticshock results. Both in natural and experimental anaphylaxis death mayresult. Recovery from the reaction gives i~unity for varying periods."-POISONING FROM EATING INSECTSCornelius (1919) reports an instance of eleven cases of acute nativepoisoning in India following a feast on cooked garden bugs, Aspongopusnepal81Mis Westwood, which were collected from under stones. Recoverytakes place in from three to ten days. Continued consumption is said bythe natives to immunize against poisonous effects. TIle bug gives off anodor resembling sulphuretted hydrogen, but when cooked is regarded as adelicacy.KISSING BUGSVarious species of reduviid bugs have been charged with inflictingsevere injury with their bite. The species of Triatoma have been discussedin Chapter 28. The black kissing bug, Melanolcstcs picipcs inflictsa very painful bite. Probably foreign matter is often introduced bythe bite.DERMATITIS CAUSED BY BEETLESA number of species of beetles have been recorded as excreting anirritant liquid which causes a dermatitis to the skin which they touch.As an example we may cite Paederuofl colwnibimtus Lap. of Brazil, whichcauses an acute dermatitis, a species of Staphylinid of the Belgian Congowhich causes a vesicular d~rmatitis, and the Meloid beetles, Ca;ntharisflavic(Jrnis Dufour and C. vestitUofl Dufour. The substance secreted byCantharis is sometimes used as a cauterizing agent.BEETLES AS CARRIERS OF DISEASE GERMSWe are not apt to think of beetles as carriers of disease, hut there area number of ways in which beetles may readily be concerned in diseasetransmission. There are quite a number of species of beetles whichbreed in carcasses and which can readily carry disease germs from one