MARMITE SOLDIERS MARCH ON MOSQUITOES

 

DETAIL: Good news for holidaymakers who are susceptible to mosquito bites: Marmite WMD (Weapon of Mosquito Destruction), is the simplest method of prevention from attack – so keep the marmite soldiers on the march.

 

Dr Martin Schweiger revealed the Marmite effect at a meeting of Co-op members in Leeds, ahead of the launch of a new advice leaflet for travellers.

 

Generally, though active from dusk until dawn, female mosquitoes prefer to bite in the evening. It is normally advised to cover the body (trousers and long sleeves), avoid dark colours that attract the insects and put repellent on all exposed skin.

 

However, it appears that when Marmite is eaten the skin emits an odour that is undetectable to humans, but which repels blood-thirsty mosquitoes. Mosquito attraction may be to those who emit a Vitamin B12 odour, however, the off-putting factor of  odour emissions may be linked to the Viatmin B1 Thiamin contained in Marmite. Dr Martin Schweiger said: ‘This theory is supported by the rise of malaria in countries where staple rice has been dehusked and the thiamine-rich outer coating is discarded.’

 

Vegetarians fret not, Vegemite is said also to have a similar effect.

 

COMMENT: A curd or soup made from Marmite/Vegemite  is one way of absorbing the necessary Vitamin B1, which are good for the holiday ‘runs’ too, but sandwiches and soldiers conform better to the British way of eating. One wag suggested Marmite-flavoured kaolin or talcum powder would be a novel control agent!

 

Ah! But where there is anything natural that works follows the profiteering synthetics!

 

To halt the pestilential ‘March of the Midges’, a team of researchers, led by Professor Jenny Mordue, based at Aberdeen University, Scotland, are planning to odour-scan ‘midge magnets’ – people who attract more midge bites than most. They will then compare the odours with the scents of people who naturally repel the insects, thus creating an effective bug spray. Their findings might eventually aid malaria-mosquito stricken areas in Africa and Asia. They intend to do this by selling licenses for the repellent, or spin off their own company to develop the brand according to www.wired.com news.