The Handbook of Medical Entomology is the outgrowth of a course of lectures along the lines of insect transmission and dissemination of diseases of man given by the senior author in the Department of Entomology of Cornell University during the past six years. More specifically it is an illustrated revision and elaboration of his "Notes on the Relation of Insects to Disease" published January, 1912.

Its object is to afford a general survey of the field, and primarily to put the student of medicine and entomology in touch with the discoveries and theories which underlie some of the most important modern work in preventive medicine. At the same time the older phases of the subject—the consideration of poisonous and parasitic forms—have not been ignored.

Considering the rapid shifts in viewpoint, and the development of the subject within recent years, the authors do not indulge in any hopes that the present text will exactly meet the needs of every one specializing in the field,—still less do they regard it as complete or final. The fact that the enormous literature of isolated articles is to be found principally in foreign periodicals and is therefore difficult of access to many American workers, has led the authors to hope that a summary of the important advances, in the form of a reference book may not prove unwelcome to physicians, sanitarians and working entomologists, and to teachers as a text supplementing lecture work in the subject.

Lengthy as is the bibliography, it covers but a very small fraction of the important contributions to the subject. It will serve only to put those interested in touch with original sources and to open up the field. Of the more general works, special acknowledgment should be made to those of Banks, Brumpt, Castellani and Chalmers, Comstock, Hewitt, Howard, Manson, Mense, Neveau-Lemaire, Nuttall, and Stiles.

To the many who have aided the authors in the years past, by suggestions and by sending specimens and other materials, sincerest thanks is tendered. This is especially due to their colleagues in the Department of Entomology of Cornell University, and to Professor CharlesW. Howard, Dr. John Uri Lloyd, Mr. A.H. Ritchie, Dr. I.M. Unger, and Dr. Luzerne Coville.

They wish to express indebtedness to the authors and publishers who have so willingly given permission to use certain illustrations. Especially is this acknowledgment due to Professor John Henry Comstock, Dr. L.O. Howard, Dr. Graham-Smith, and Professor G.H.T. Nuttall. Professor Comstock not only authorized the use of departmental negatives by the late Professor M.V. Slingerland (credited as M.V.S.), but generously put at their disposal the illustrations from the Manual for the Study of Insects and from the Spider Book. Figures 5 and 111 are from Peter's "Der Arzt und die Heilkunft in der deutschen Vergangenheit." It should be noted that on examining the original, it is found that Gottfried's figure relates to an event antedating the typical epidemic of dancing mania.