Tag Archives: lice

March 11, 1946

Letterhead from the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, Navy Department, Washington, D.C.

11 Mar 1946

Dr. W. E. Dove, In Charge
Division of Insects Affecting Man and Animals
Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Washington 25, D.C.

Dear Dr. Dove:

Forced by enemy action to prosecute military campaigns in tropical areas of such high endemicity as to seemingly preclude chances of success, the Navy, by the adoption of new methods and techniques in the control of insect-borne diseases, was able, not only to bring these campaigns to a successful conclusion, but with a degree of freedom from disease formerly thought impossible.

March 11, 1946

The Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, Navy Department, recognizes the outstanding contribution by the Division of Insects Affecting Man and Animals, Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine, U.S. Department of Agriculture, to the successful prosecution of these campaigns. By the immediate recognition of the great military potentialities of DDT, insect repellents, miticides and mite repellents, evolving methods and equipment for their application, and by the coordination and execution of a series of brilliant researches converting these chemicals to maximal efficiency for military use, the personnel attached to the Division of Insects Affecting Man and Animals has rendered a fundamental and outstanding contribution which has changed the entire methodology for the control of insect-borne diseases. In spite of the terrific pressure of research and development, the Orlando group of the Division, with the assistance of its Division administrative heads, conducted a continuing school of instruction for military personnel. By this instruction, key Naval personnel were enabled to keep informed of the latest developments and trends in research and to coordinate research with field application.

In view of this significant contribution to the war effort, I take this opportunity to express my personal gratitude and to commend the Division of Insects Affecting Man and Animals, Bureau of Entomology and Plant Quarantine, and you, In Charge of that Division, for exceptionally meritorious service rendered to Naval forces throughout the world.

Sincerely yours,

Ross T. McIntire
Vice Admiral (MC)
Surgeon General, U.S. Navy

February 12, 1945

Office of Chief Surgeon, ETO
APO 887, c/o Postmaster
New York, N.Y.
Feb. 12, 1945.

Dear Walter:

Things are rapidly reaching the stage over here where it seems doubtful if it is absolutely necessary for me to remain in the theater. I feel that to continue on over here much longer will be a waste of my time and I hate for this to happen when I could do so much more work in the Bureau or in some other theater in the Army. We have just about passed the critical season for typhus which is the most important entomological problem likely to be encountered on the continent. Major Bunn and Capt. Barrett are both available to take care of any other minor problem that might come up. Supplies of insecticides for the troops over here appear to be well in hand, and the Q.M. has been fully advised as to requirements. I should appreciate your indirectly mentioning these things to Simmons, if you have the opportunity, without saying I had written. I would not particularly relish the idea of going to another theater unless it was absolutely necessary or I could contribute something very definite to its present program.

February 12, 1945

Now as to my returning to the Bureau at some future date, say after July 1, 1945, it seems to me that the work of the Division has now increased to the point where it would be advantageous for both of us to be in the Washington office dividing the various phases of it, or some similar arrangement satisfactory to both of us. I should like to have any ideas you have along this line. I’m sure we will not have any difficulty in getting together on something when the time comes for me to return.

Deniza told me about all of you having scarlet fever. That was really tough and I hope you and the family are all recovered by now.

About the supply of live D. variabilis – our experiments which appeared promising at first did not prove out so it is likely now that we shall not need the specimens.

As a last thought, I wouldn’t mind staying in the Army in Washington for awhile.

Remember me to Ina and the boys and the folks there in the office.

Sincerely
Emory.

July 20, 1943

Office of Chief Surgeon
APO 871
c/o Postmaster
New York, N.Y.
July 20, 1943

Personal Please

Dear Walter:

May thanks for your recent letter enclosing letters from Knipling, Coeline, and Harry. It was so enjoyable to have word from all the folks in the office.

July 20, 1943

As I have indicated several times before there is not much we actually have to do here in our line of work, so we are doing everything we can to prepare for any contingencies which might arise either here or on the continent. In this connection, and trying to forsee some of the difficulties in keeping combat troops, especially in the forward areas, free of lice by means of portable chambers, and insecticidal powder, I have become quite enthusiastic about the possibilities of using underclothing impregnated with SBLY (the new insecticide) as an almost “fool-proof” method for protecting these troops from infestation. I believe that the impregnation of underclothing could be accomplished almost as quickly as fumigation, it could be done in rear areas and the treated garments sent forward much more easily than attempting to delouse combat troops in the forward areas by fumigation.

I have jotted down some of the disadvantages of fumigation and louse powder, and advantages of impregnated underclothing for troops in combat and these are enclosed. I shall appreciate having your reaction to this matter and discussing it with Long, Simmons and Knipling. I think Knipling will look favorably on it. We could do the impregnating over here as the various solvents are available. It would only be necessary to ship the bulk insecticide. Before we could attempt any of this work over here, however, it would be necessary for the Surgeon General’s office to recommend the method to the Office of the Quartermaster Gneeral. Perhaps you will consider more tests are necessary but I am confident in the results secured at Orlando that they will apply on a larger scale. I think it is things like this that the American Typhus Commission will overlook in their experimental work – too much time spent on vaccines to the exclusion of other possibilities. While vaccines may protect against typhus, they would not prevent relapsing, and trench fevers, and the irritation and secondary infections arising from louse infestations.

Please note my new APO number and send any letters to me at that address.

Would it be possible for you to give me a list of the items that were shipped to me from the office there on or about December 1, 1942. I have gotten on the track of some of them but they have been scattered to various depots and I shall have trouble in getting them all together unless I have a complete list.

I am glad to learn that Harry may have the opportunity of going to the field for tests with repellents. This same thing should be being done in every theatre where we have troops, and against species which are known to occur in areas where we are likely to have troops. I am especially interested in the species occurring in the Near East and the Balkans. Tests with some of these species could be done in parts of Africa, Syria, Cyprus, and Palestine. I don’t see why they can’t use Bunn, Barrett, and me for such work. We could get back here in 24 hours if necessary. At present we are abstracting all the most important available literature on insects of medical importance in Europe, the Balkans, and Mediterranean areas.

Please remember me to Ina and the boys and all the folks in the Bureau.

Sincerely,
Emory.

May 29, 1943

Stamped “Restricted.”

Gen’l Medical Laboratory
APO 519 c/o Postmaster
New York, New York
May 29, 1943

Dear Walter:

May thanks for your letter of March 12 and the information contained in the enclosures. The report on the results of tests on scabies is very interesting and I have discussed it with the Dermatologist who is in charge of that disease in our forces. I am interested to learn whether the benzyl benzoate, alcohol, SAT formula would be effective against motile lice and louse eggs on the body. Have any tests along this line been done? I notice in Circular Letter No. 33 Office Surgeon General, Feb. 2, 1943 “Treatment and control of certain tropical diseases,” a formula for delousing the bodies of infested personnel. Would this be one that was developed at Orlando? The possibilities of the impregnated clothing especially with the new insecticide seems like the answer to a prayer, and appears not to be outside the limits of practicability for the protection of all troops. I should very much like to test it on a large scale with troops but this appears to be out of the question here as the incidence of infestation is almost nil. For some time, I have been urging that I or some one else be sent to areas where problems are more acute and where practical tests could be run with new recently developed materials under a variety of conditions. So far, it hasn’t apparently been deemed fit to release me for work of that kind, but to keep me here for odd bits of consultant service in my line of work and more or less to be on hand should something develop. Maybe this is as it should be but it is certainly not what I would expect. There is so much yet to be learned on the practical side for the new methods.

May 29, 1943

The box of books and Freon cylinders which you so kindly sent has never reached me and I suppose they went to the bottom somewhere along the way.

I am anxioius to see Gen. B. and Buxton when they return in order to get first hand information on the work there. The OSRD reports are coming through fine now and I read them with intense interest. If you could send one or two pounds of SAT we could do a good test on scabies. Eddy’s report didn’t mention what kind of alcohol was used. Would you let us have that information?

How is everything going in the Division? Deniza tells me that Coeline didn’t get her promotion. It’s a darned shame but I know you did everything possible for her.

Give my regards to everyone there and the rest of the folks in the Division when you see them. Remember me to Ina and the boys.

Sincerely yours
Emory C. Cushing

Attached note forwarding the letter to Knipling: “If you care to answer & send SAT that you have tested, we will ship from here. W.E. Dove.”

February 27, 1943

Hon. Will Leach
Judges Chambers
Scranton, Pennsylvania

Dear Will:

I hope you will pardon my delay in answering your good letter of January 6. I can assure you that I was very pleased to hear from you and to learn of your recent successes. The results of the polls in 1927 up to the present time have certainly been a tribute to your ability and it is a real pleasure to learn that one who can survive the battle of Valdahon could return to his native city and pick up where he left off prior to the last World War.

February 27, 1943

I recall very clearly your interest in entomology with Lt. Cliff, but your test did not seem to warrant any suggestions from me. You will probably also remember when Alphabet Fields and someone else returned from leave with infestations of cooties. The clothing was removed and placed under the cover of a motor box where it was fumigated with a cyanimide gas. Fortunately Artin had some sodium cyanimide and sulfuric acid in the shop – just exactly what we needed for fumigation of the clothing. At the time I knew of no tests with this fumigant on cooties, but we did observe that all stages including the eggs sere killed and that there was no further infestation in Flight C. I have since had an opportunity to check on such fumigations and found that they are very effective. They are not recommended for use in the Army because of the extreme danger of hydrocyanic acid gas. We have developed one which we think is much better, and we hope that the soldiers in this conflict will have the same opinion.

The article which you saw in the Country Gentleman might lead you to believe that my interest is entirely in cooties. As a matter of fact, we are making studies and experiments on a number of pests that affect combat troops. We have made some recommendations which are already in use, and we are striving for even better materials in order to prevent typhus, malaria and the annoyance caused by the pests.

I hope that you will come to Washington in the near future and that you will have time for a good visit. We have three sons in our family ranging from two to thirteen and Mrs. Dove does a good job in looking after their wishes. If possible let me know a day or two before you come to Washington so that we can make definite plans.

It was mighty fine of you to write to me as soon as you had my address, and I also appreciate your mention of our interest to the Hon. John W. Murphy who has succeeded Congressman Boland.

With very best wishes, and looking forward to seeing you at some early date, I am,

Sincerely yours,

Walter

January 1, 1943

Central Laboratory 505
APO 505
c/o Postmaster
New York, N.Y.

Personal Please

Dear Dr. Dove:

I suppose you have been advised by this time of my safe arrival at destination. We had an uneventful trip and everything is going along as well as can be expected under the circumstances. Like every ponderous machine it moves slowly but with ever increasing momentum. Living conditions are not at all bad and except for missing Deniza and all my friends I am quite contented with my lot.

January 1, 1943

Because of certain restrictions, it is almost impossible to give much in the way of happenings. I am greatly impressed with the importance of the eventual problems with which [redacted] you and I and especially the boys at Orlando are concerned. We cannot do too much too soon. Many problems present themselves and it is difficult to keep on the straight course of dealing entirely with the primary one; nevertheless some of them cannot be ignored and it is often necessary to take on additional responsibilities and give help wherever possible. In this connection I shall appreciate your sending me my copy of “Human Parasitology” by Blacklock, and the copy of “Parasitology” by Hegner, Root, and Augustine. I think you will find them amongst the books I left in the office. If you could procure for me a copy of the recent edition of “Medical Entomology” by Herms I should like to have that too. Deniza will reimburse you for whatever it costs. Perhaps you could expedite delivery to me by asking Col. Stone to send them with other official mail. There is, upon my suggestion, an interest in Freon as carrier and dispenser of bactericides for preventing air-borne infections. You might ask Col. Stone if it would be possible for his office to send me two 25 lb. cylinders of the material direct together with 5 empty 5-lb. dispensers and full instructions as to equipment for filling the small cylinders from the large ones. This equipment is also desired in connection with other work which has been assigned me. There is no use of my ordering it through channels as it does not appear on regular supply tables available here and I shall have to write elaborate specifications. Another problem to which I must give attention is the prevention of scabies. If it is possible and not too inconvenient I would appreciate your discussing this with Dr. Haller and Col. Stone and sending me at least gallon samples of any promising liquid acaricides especially emulsions or solutions of the less irritating derris or cube derivatives. The necessity for liquids is that of rapid application as a spray and the treatment of a considerable number of persons in a short time. As soon as you develop any promising lousicidal powder I should like to have samples to determine their efficacy in preventing sarcoptes infestation. Should opportunity afford research work there on scabies prevention and rapid treatment would be well worth while. One last request, could you discuss with Dr. Calvery of Food & Drug what his organization has found out about commercial wetting agents which are non-toxic to man and if he knows of any forward samples to me through Col. Stone. I know you must be extremely busy at this time and I trust the above requests will not be of too much trouble to you. How is everything going at the office? Give my best wishes to everyone in the Division and all my friends in the Bureau. How is Ina and the boys, Claudelle and B.M.? Please remember me to them. I think the above address will be rather permanent for me so if you can find a spare moment to write I shall be delighted to hear from you.

Sincerely
Emory C. Cushing, Maj. 5th C.[?].

Notes on the back of the envelope in Walter’s handwriting:
sesame
cotton seed
corn
Gesarol

Gesarol is the same as Neocid – both are Geigy trade names for a novel compound Walter and his colleagues are testing as a possible lousicide.

September 28, 1942

1st General Medical Laboratory
APO 519
c/o Postmaster New York City
Sept. 28, 1942

Dear Dr. Dove:

I was very glad to get your letter of Sept. 10 and the notes from the members of the office staff. How much I enjoyed hearing from them and it really made it seem as though I were back there talking to them in person. Of course, everyone wants to get back to the States as soon as possible but I think they want to get this job done first. I judged from Harry’s note that you folks didn’t know I was in England. Haven’t been able to see any of my old friends yet that I knew when I was here before although I see Buxton quite often whenever I go up to his city. Deniza tells me that some of the other men in the Division are getting itching feet to get in the service but you tell them for me that the work they are doing is too important and that they can perform a greater service for their country by staying in their present jobs for awhile longer anyway. There is still much research needed to meet military requirements in their line of work and I know they are the boys who can do it and that in America is the best place to get it done.

September 28, 1942

Shortly after your letter came, I received the box containing the small jars and two larger jars. Presumably, these samples are for tests with scabies and I shall get to test them at the same time I test the louse powder for scabies. However, it is indiciated that a liquid acaricide would be better than a salve, since in most instances the entire body has to be treated. On the other hand, if the louse powder works it will be the best treatment.

The British are using their AL63 but I am sure MYL will prove to be much better.

I have been preaching M.B. fumigation of clothing for delousing but the biggest question is whether it will kill typhus rickettsiae and there is only one answer to that and that is to try it on infected lice and their feces. It may be that I can arrange for some tests in the Middle East. The QM over here seems not to have heard of M.B. fumigation for delousing and I am wondering if the Q.M. General’s office over there has been fully advised on the subject. How is Latta getting along with further experiments?

We have requisitioned a rather large supply of MYL as well as M.B. and the necessary equipment as I should like to have the latest “dope” on the latter.

Was glad to learn that the Committee had accepted 612. It seems to be badly needed everywhere from the reports I hear.

Could you give some information yet on how well the ovicide in MYL works and how long the powder gives protection.

I am glad that Roy and Knipling got their well-deserved promotions, and I hope Miss Lynch gets hers soon too. Perhaps the additional money for the larvicide work will justify making another application. How is Bruce and has he gotten in the Army yet? Did Major King go overseas?

Sincerely yours,
Emory.

P.S. My cable address is AMIHOP if you should care to reach me in a hurry sometime.

ECC.

September 22, 1942

1st General Medical Laboratory
APO 519
c/o Postamster
New York, New York
Sept. 22, 1942

Dear Dr. Dove:

I do not recall whether I mentioned in my last letter the desirability of having some work done on methods of delousing the body of a person which is more rapid than the usual slow and uncertain process of shaving and bathing. My particular concern is lousy patients suffering from some disease or injury requiring immediate medication or surgery and which could not be handled in the customary way. Then too, one cannot be certain that bathing and shaving will get all the lice and nits on the body. If we had a solution which was both lousicidal and ovicidal which could be sprayed over the body it would eliminate a lot of work and time in delousing a helpless patient by bathing. Lethane in a water mixture might be suitable for this purpose and I am thinking too of a water emulsion of benzyl benzoate. This last seems to be a good treatment for scabies and is highly recommended by the British. It is applied all over the body except the head without harmful effects. The proportion of the mixture is 25% benzyl benzoate, 5% wetting agent, and 70% water. Would you please ask the boys in Fla. to run some preliminary tests with this material on research subjects using live lice and nits on the skin. If this cannot be done immediately perhaps they could try light sprayings of lice and eggs on pieces of cloth.

September 22, 1942

Nothing has come through from Stone’s office yet regarding new developments by the boys in the Southeast but the British seem to be getting some of that information from OSRD. Deniza tells me that you are sending the things I requested and I surely appreciate your help in this matter. Did you get the money for the mosquito larvicide investigations? Who is working on it? I understand that the shipbuilding project at N.O. was abandoned – is that correct? Would like to know if Stone’s office is still enthusiastic about M.B. fumigation and if it is now standard recommendation. No instructions have been received by people concerned here according to my knowledge.

Give my best regards to everyone there and in the field. Everything OK with me.

Sincerely,
Emory C. Cushing

March 9, 1942

Walter and Ina are now moving to Orlando so Walter can run the new insecticide research facility the USDA has set up there. They’re going to be testing any chemicals they think might work against disease vectors, especially lice and mosquitoes. Various companies make compounds that are purported to kill insects, but most are just marginally effective extracts from pyrethrum daisies, or toxic arsenic-based products. Chlorpicrin (tear gas) and a new compound from Geigy called Neocid look promising, but nobody knows whether either will actually work under field conditions. The Orlando lab’s job is to get those data, and then develop practical insecticides if possible.

Monday P.M. 3/9-42

My dear Ina & Boys,

I arrived here at 4:30 PM Eastern War time which made 11 hours to get here, a distance of 348 miles by the speedometer. Mr. Glass had already arrived & he was looking for an apartment with Mr. Burris the realtor. They came back to the lab just as I got out of the car. I went with Mr. Burris to see Mrs. Smith & I gave a check for $45. Of this $30 is the balance of 1 month’s rent & $15 covers deposits & gas electricity & water. The realtor will make the deposits & get the services connected. It is a good thing that I made a deposit with Mrs. Smith. One party has been trying all day to rent the house & she had made them wait until tomorrow. Mr. Glass helped me unload the car & we put the things inside. THe house looks even better than it did the other day. There is a closet in to the sleeping porch room & big closets in other rooms. Also shades are on all windows except the 2 little windows over the book cases. The bed rooms seem a little larger than they did the other day.
Mr. Bushland asked me to use their day-bed tonight & I will go out there. Tomorrow I’ll get the bed material that Ed brought down & fix a bed at the house. I am writing this in the car because I do not have a key yet & all are away just now.

With love
Walter.

February 26, 1942

Wash DC, Thurs 2/26-42

My dear Ina & Boys,

Cannot come home this week & it may be a week from now. Bruce will get here Sat. morning & I’ll have to go over the work I have been doing & leave it with him. Also, I have a trip to New Brunswick N Jersey to see some Rutgers College men & some mosquito repellent men. It looks like I may have to go to Chicago, leaving here Tuesday night to check on a steam sterilization the Army is making at Chicago. If so, I’ll probably leave there Wed. night & come to Pensacola by train then by bus to Panama City. This would make it at least Thursday night before I could get there.

February 26, 1942

We had a conference with 5 Rockefeller men this PM. 2 of them will work on the same problem I am undertaking at Orlando. They are interested especially in typhus as a post war disease.

With love
Walter.

Walter doesn’t provide much detail about the trip to New Jersey here, but that’s probably when he visited the Geigy Corporation‘s US headquarters to hear about a compound they’d been working on.