Treatment

The treatment, of course, involves the removal of the insects and their ova, usually called "nits". In children, clipping the hair as close as possible, or perhaps shaving it, is, of course, the quickest way of relieving the patient of these pests. When this is not practicable, the scalp should be thoroughly washed with tincture of staphisagria, or with ordinary kerosene oil. A few applications will kill the living insects, but do not appear to destroy the vitality of the ova. These should be removed as far as possible with the fine-tooth comb. Many, however, will still remain and the best way to get rid of them will be to go over the scalp carefully and clip the shafts of all the hairs to which they are attached. The head should be washed for a week or ten days, for fear some of the eggs may have escaped detection. It is almost needless to say that soap and water, freely used, are essential adjuvants to the means just mentioned.