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Observations on the behaviour of land-leeches (genus Haemadipsa)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

Extract

The descriptions which have been given by travellers leave no doubt that land-leeches can cause considerable annoyance, and that the protective garments and substances that were applied by them to the skin and clothing were unsatisfactory. It was thought that other and more elaborate clothing would not supply the answer, as they would be hot and uncomfortable to wear. Accordingly, a search was made for an efficient repellent. Altogether seventy-eight substances were examined, and of these hydroxycitronellal was the most powerful but expensive and not readily obtainable. Di-methyl phthalate was efficient and the most generally useful. As di-methyl phthalate is a liquid which easily escapes from containers, creams incorporating the substance were evolved. Formulae for these creams are given.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1950

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