Observations on termites in Jamaica.

Termites

Termites (Isoptera) are plagued by bad press. They destroy the livelihood of tropical farmers, literally eat their way through our homes, and even threaten our cultural heritage, including assaults on the Statue of Liberty in New York, the ancient books of the Vatican, or the historical city of Isfahan in Iran. One estimate from 2005 put the annual damage at about US$ 50 billion worldwide, with...

On Epidemic Varioloid Varicella in Jamaica, 1863

In the commencement of last year (1863) a peculiar epidemic made its appearance in Kingston and the adjoining parish of St. Andrew's. It appeared to be of the varioloid type, but presented varying characteristics as to intensity. In some of the cases I saw, the eruption was apparently that of simple varicella, while in others, from mere inspection of the eruption, a medical man unacquainted wit...

Some Observations on Clostridium perfringens Strains Isolated in IRAN

Estimating tree resin dose effect on termites

The aim of this study is to determine the effectiveness of a natural tropical tree resin in controlling termites thus providing protection from their destruction. Tree resin from the bark of tropical trees offers the potential for this protection. Termites were fed by filter paper soaked in tropical tree resin dissolved in a solvent at different concentrations for 15 days. The number of termite...

Malignant melanoma in Jamaica.

A 4f-month-old female infant had a melanoma arising in the mucosa overlying the maxilla. Melanoma in infancy is a clinical curiosity. Transplacental transfer of melanoma from mother to foetus has been reviewed by Skov-Jensen, Hastrup & Lambrethsen (1966). There is no evidence that such was the case here. This lesion in situ, the resected specimen and a photomicrograph of the lesion are shown in...