Contents

Don’t Panic and Don’t Get Muddled

Some basics about nits and head lice

Lousiness is Next to Cleanliness

Louse eggs and louse lives

Head banging

How head lice spread and thrive, at home and in school

Keeping Warm and Moist

Why they like our hair, and why we scratch

Chemical Warfare

Poisons, potions, lotions, gadgets and zappers

Combs – Up There with the Wheel etc…

(This is the important bit) Combing, conditioner, routine and elbow grease

Population Dynamics

They come, they go, they go on holiday with us

Lice in Art and Literature

A louse, by any other name, would still be horrid

Vampire Bugs

They drink blood

Head Lice Only on Heads? Yes

Other lice live elsewhere, but they’re still fascinating

The Little Book of Louse Records

Biggest, smallest, oldest, largest infestation. Yeuch

A few final words

Look, find, remove, rejoice image eat only if really necessary

The End of the Matter

Louse lexicon, websites, reads and index

Acknowledgements