concept

Different species of cimex, including the bedbug (fig. 1). Coloured etching by J. Pass, 1801.

The manager of a hotel discusses the extermination of bedbugs with a lady. Wood engraving by 'Henriot' (H. Maigrot).

The male tropical bedbug (Cimex hemipterus). Pen and ink drawing by A.J.E. Terzi, ca. 1919.

A man using RIPA insecticide to kill bedbugs and get a good night's sleep. Colour lithograph, ca. 1900.

The common bedbug (Cimex lectularius). Pen and ink drawing by A.J.E. Terzi, ca. 1919.

The female tropical bedbug (Cimex hemipterus). Pen and ink drawing by A.J.E. Terzi, ca. 1919.

The tropical bedbug (Cimex hemipterus). Pen and ink drawing by A.J.E. Terzi, ca. 1919.

Special report series (Medical Research Council (Great Britain))

Special report series / Medical Research Council (Great Britain)

Report of the Committee on Bed-Bug Infestation : 1935-1940.

MSS.2208-2216 comprise notebooks and essays. MSS.2210-2211 are broader in subject than the rest of this block of material, comprising lectures in physiology; the remainder of the manuscripts in this block focus on issues of specifically tropical medicine. Kala-azar and malaria are particularly featured. MS.2208 also includes a list of birds in Dunduan. MSS.5692-5697 consist of illustrative material (primarily water-colours from microscope slides relating to tropical parasitic diseases), correspondence, cuttings and offprints, and miscellaneous other papers relating to Donovan's work on tropical medicine. Note that Amy Skelland, Donovan's research assistant, was the artist of many of the water-colours. The ones known to be by her are initialled 'ACS'; the ones known to be by Donovan are initialled 'CD'; many however are not initialled. (See also WTI/DON/B.3)

6 volumes and 10 files or bundles of unbound papers Holograph volumes and loose papers; water-colour drawings; 1 photograph (in MS.5697); some printed material (in MS.5696).

Donovan, Charles (1863-1951)

Reports on public health and medical subjects

46 pages, 2 unnumbered leaves of plates : color illustrations ; 25 cm.

Report on the bed-bug.

Note on the infection of a mouse by means of bed-bugs, Cimex hemiptera Fabr., fed on the peripheral blood of a case of kala-azar / by H.E. Shortt and C.S. Swaminath.

<p>"To illustrate this article more satisfactorily for the naturalist, we have given figures of many of the most rare and curious species, which are delineated in the annexed engraving. Fig. I. represents the cimex lectularius, or common house-bug, magnified. It is said to be the only one of this genus that is for ever destitute both of elytra and wings. Its offensive appearance and nauseous smell are sufficiently experienced in those houses where they are suffered to intrude, Their sting is attended with a slight inflammation, and very painful. 2. Cimex annulatus, of a light brown colour, and oval shape. This is magnified being in nature about the size of a large cherry-stone. The thorax has two annular black hands crossing it from side to side close to which the escutcheon joins, which is very large, entirely covers the abdomen, and is marked all over with different shaped spots like eyes; whence it has been named the-argus: it is a native of Sierra Leone, in Africa. 3. Cimex corticatus; a very curious species, drawn to its natural size. It is singularly thin and flat, and near an inch long; the eyes are small and round; it is furnished with a beak that extends to the middle of the abdomen; the escutcheon is large and triangular; the elytra or wing-cafes are entirely opake and small, not covering the abdomen, which appears denticulated, and of a yellowish green; the head, corslet, and elytra, are of a beautiful fawn colour inclining to red: it is found at Brasil, 4. Cimex cristatus, a very singular insect, somewhat resembling a spider. It is near an inch and a quarter long; the head very- small; the neck long and slender; the thorax is small and black, the escutcheon large and crested, rising high, and dentated like the comb of a cock. The whole insect is of a fine ferruginous brown, except a large oval spot on the extremity of each elytrum, which is of a beautiful gold green: it is a native of the island of St. Vincent. 5. Cimex crenulatus, from Antigua; about three quarters of an inch long; the head is small, and red, striped with black; eyes round and projecting; the thorax is red, marked with black; the escutcheon greenish black; the elytra the same except at the ends, which are dark brown; the wings are a light transparent straw-colour; down the center of the abdomen passes a broad line of a shining bluish green; the sides red, indented with lines of black. 6. Cimex papillosus; a large and handsome species, very thick, gibbous at the […]tern, and much compressed: the head is small, the thorax rising high and large, the escutcheon triangular, all of a bright yellowish olive colour; the elytra are the same, except at the tips, which are membranaceous and transparent; the inner wings are nearly the same, but of a brighter colour. The abdomen is of a dark purple, annulated, and dentated at the sides, which have a bright coppery gloss; the anus terminates in two angular points, with a small thorn or cornicle on each side: it measures upwards of an inch, and is a native of China. 7. Cimex Druraei, so named from Mr. D. Drury, author of the Illustration of exotic insects, who first introduced it; it is an ugly species, about three quarters of an inch long: the body is large, squat, and wholly of a deep scarlet, except two broad transverse bands of black which cross the abdomen, and four round spots, two upon the thorax, about the size of tares, and two just above the anus, but smaller; the wing-cases or elytra are of a dark olive-colour; and the inner wings are the same, but membranaceous, and somewhat lighter: this is a native of South America, and is reckoned a very rare and curious insect. 8. Cimex Senegalensis, a large species, found in Senegal, measuring in its expanded state, from wing to wing, near two inches: the head is dark mazarine blue; the thorax cream-colour, charged with two oblong square blue-green spots, which gives it the appearance of being toothed, or like the letter m inverted; the escutcheon is of a triangular form, and of the same deep blue-green, with the abdominal point terminated by cream-colour; the elytra are blue-green halfway from the chest, and then fringed with a yellowish brown; the inferior wings are membranaceous, and nearly white; the abdomen is red, annulated with black, obtuse, dentated at the sides, and bordered with round black spots. 9. Cimex aurantius, the general cast of the insect being an aurora or golden c-lour. It ranks among the handsomest of the bugs: the head and thorax are of an auburn brown, surrounded with a cream-coloured margin on the anterior side, in the form of a crescent; at the points of which an angular return is made, of the same colour, which enters the elytra in shape of a spine the superior and inferior wings are very similar, the latter being the lightest; the abdomen is large, broad, and annulated with chestnut belts on-a golden ground; the anus is gibbous, terminating in a blunt chestnut protuberance, with a spine on each side; it is a native of India, and is found in the islands of Java and Ceylon; and measures full two inches in its alar extent. 10. Cimex paradoxus, the leaf-insect described above, from Dr. Sparrman. 11. Cimex Merianae, thus named from madam Merian, who first discovered this frightful insect at Surinam, and figured it from the life in her inimitable collection, from which our figure is taken. It is the largest known species of the cimex tribe, measuring three inches and a half from head to tail, and near six inches in alar extent. It is of a rich ferruginous brown colour, armed with a single sharp curved spine on the head, and another at the anus; eyes black and very prominent; two large dark-brown spots on the thorax, about the size of peas; two others more oblong behind; and others of various forms and sizes on the fore-legs; the elytra are reticulated with white, and are very thick and strong; the interior wings are membranaceous, and of a delicate straw-colour. Fig. 12, is the larva of this gigantic cimex, which differs but little from the perfect insect, except in the want of its wings. It is the same with the larvae of all the bug species; the body being nearly the same in their creeping or caterpillar state, as when they have protruded their elytra and their wings. This is not only the largest, but the most destructive and voracious, of the cimex genus, attacking and devouring, in its creeping state, toads, frogs, lizards, aquatic insects, and even fish; and in its winged state, preying upon reptiles, birds, and the larger animals, and even on the weaker individuals of its own family."--Encyclopaedia Londinensis, loc. cit.</p>

1 print : etching, with watercolour ; platemark 24 x 19.1 cm

Galleries and Reading Room

Library

Shop

Café

We’re undertaking research with website visitors to find out some more about you and what you thought about your visit. This survey will take less than 10 minutes to complete. Thank you for your time!

Wellcome uses cookies.

Bedbugs

Images

Catalogue

Report of the Committee on Bed-Bug Infestation : 1935-1940.

Donovan, Charles (1863-1951)

Report on the bed-bug.

Note on the infection of a mouse by means of bed-bugs, Cimex hemiptera Fabr., fed on the peripheral blood of a case of kala-azar / by H.E. Shortt and C.S. Swaminath.

Different species of cimex, including the bedbug (fig. 1). Coloured etching by J. Pass, 1801.

Wellcome uses cookies.

Bedbugs

Images

Catalogue

Report of the Committee on Bed-Bug Infestation : 1935-1940.

Donovan, Charles (1863-1951)

Report on the bed-bug.

Note on the infection of a mouse by means of bed-bugs, Cimex hemiptera Fabr., fed on the peripheral blood of a case of kala-azar / by H.E. Shortt and C.S. Swaminath.

Different species of cimex, including the bedbug (fig. 1). Coloured etching by J. Pass, 1801.

Wellcome Collection

Today’s opening times