396 TlIE JOURNAL OF SCHOOL HEALTlI

I FOR THE MEDICAL DIRECTOR I JOHN LAMPE, M.D. AND EVALYN S. GENDEL, M.D.

Louis Wexler, M.D., a dermatologist from New York City, wrote in the March 1969 American Journal of Nursing (69:3 :565) concerning pediculosis and scabies. Pediculosis continues to be a problem for school health workers, hence this article is of interest. To quote briefly, “Head lice are more common in people with long hair (women, children, and hippies), and are transmitted through personal contact or by contact with infested hats, hair brushes, combs, pillows, and so forth. As a rule, all patients with itching and infected scratch marks on their scalps and necks should be examined for pediculi.

“The adult head louse is grayish. It lays its eggs on the hair shafts, and nits mature in three to fourteen days. The head louse is of minor importance in the transmission of louse-born diseases.

“Simple, effective treatment is available for head lice, pubic lice, and scabies with 1 percent gamma benzene hexachloride (Kwell). The medication is available as a cream, lotion, and shampoo. It is not neces- sary to shave tiffected hair when Kwell is used. Only the cream or lotion is used to treat scabies; the shampoo offers a convenient four-minute tretitmerit for pediculosis.

“The cream or lotion is applied in a thin layer to hair in infested arid adjacent areas. After 12 to 24 hours, the medication is washed off thoroughly. The patient should then put on freshly laundered or dry- cleaned clothing. If necessary, an additional course with the cream or lotion may be repeated in four days.”

“To use the shampoo, the person wets his hair thoroughly ni th wnrrn water. One ounce or two tablespoonfuls of the shampoo ori the affected area is worked into a lather which is rubbed into all hairy areas. This is continued for a t least four minutes. The hair is then rinsed thoroughly, rubbed with a dry towel, arid combed with a fine-toothed comb to remove any remaining nit shells. If a second application is needed, which seldom occurs, the treatment can be repeated in 24 hours, but not more than twice in one week”

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Wilbert W. Lewis, Ed.L)., has been appointed Consultant in Mental Health in Education a t the National Institute of Mental Health, Dr. Morton Miller, Director of the NIMH’s Division of Special Mental Health Programs, announced today.

In his role as Consultant, Dr. Lewis will plan, organize, and conduct R compre- hensive consultative program in the area of mental health in education. He will provide consultative and technical service to State and local agencies operating education and special mental health programs.

Dr. Lewis, an educator experienced a t both the college and national levels, comes to NIMH from the faculty of Peabody College in Nashville, Tennessee, where he was Professor of Special Education and Psychology from 1962 through 1969. . . . (Announcement in The National Institute of Mental Health News Feature Service,

Chevy Chase, Maryland, May 7, 1969)