# How did people in the old days deal with chiggers? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 5, 2012, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-people-in-the-old-days-deal-with-chiggers/633782 "2012-09-05T19:11:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2012, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-people-in-the-old-days-deal-with-chiggers/633782/21 "2012-09-06T13:45:04Z")
In the [old-timey computer game Adventureland](http://m.ca.ign.com/walkthroughs/598637), you were supposed to rub mud on chigger bites. That took me a long time to figure out considering I didn’t know what a “chigger” was. ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2012, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-people-in-the-old-days-deal-with-chiggers/633782/22 "2012-09-06T14:39:14Z")
“The wonderful thing about chiggers Is chiggers are wonderful things Their tops are made out of angry Their bottoms are made out of stings!” ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2012, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-people-in-the-old-days-deal-with-chiggers/633782/23 "2012-09-06T14:58:31Z")
> [@Mosier](#): > > I’m having a bit of trouble with step 1. Yeah, that is the tough one… LOL But … Who works like that in a place like that anymore? Sure works though. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2012, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-people-in-the-old-days-deal-with-chiggers/633782/24 "2012-09-06T15:06:55Z")
I was chigger-bit in my special place once. Worst 2 days of my life. ---
**Author:** ![TGWATY](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b5e925/32.png) [@TGWATY](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TGWATY)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2012, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-people-in-the-old-days-deal-with-chiggers/633782/25 "2012-09-06T17:41:28Z")
> [@GusNSpot](#): > > 1959, down in the river bottoms swinging a double bit axe from can see to can’t see. Not just a short exposure time so who bothered to sniff until after the showers, come sparkin time. > > One pair of jean, socks, boots & a shirt for all summer, wash then at your peril. Every morning, take the clothes from the corner where you left them standing the night before & shake sulphur in & on all. 2 different spray bug killer coats on inside & outside, then mink oil the boots. > Garlic toast or clove with breakfast if you were really serious and then rinse your hands it a mixture of kerosene & rose water. > Don’t sniff. > Load your personal galvanized 5 gallon water can, you’ll drink it all just to survive the first 4 hours until you refill at lunch. Between the dew & your sweat, you will be soaked soft in the first 15 minutes but nary a chigger, tick nor mosquito will trouble your brow. After about a month, the jeans will be tougher than chaps & not a spike will get you after that. ) > Don’t sniff. > At the end of the workday, stand the clothes in the corner for the next day and shower with LAVA soap from top to bottom using lots of elbow grease. > Clean & dry. > Sniff. > Moccasins, soft & thin struttin jeans & a soft T will have you ready for anything if you are 16 or 17. > > Your pony’s hooves will thunder up the lane as you rush through the full moons glory as the black haired girl watches… This at least confirms to me that it was serious problem that required extreme measures. ---
**Author:** ![ExcitedIdiot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ea5d25/32.png) [@ExcitedIdiot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExcitedIdiot)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2012, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-people-in-the-old-days-deal-with-chiggers/633782/26 "2012-09-11T17:19:56Z")
> [@getitrite](#): > > The fact that sulfur makes me think that if the body had a increased amount the chigger might not find you as tasty. Try eating more garlic, which contains sulfurdioxides. Found this in wikipedia the entire article is to long for a quick post. > > Hippocrates, Galen, Pliny the Elder, and Dioscorides all mention the use of garlic for many conditions, including parasites, respiratory problems, poor digestion, and low energy. Its use in China dates back to 2000 BCE.[1] Well, if Pliny the Elder said it, it must be true. ---
**Author:** ![Cyros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@Cyros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyros)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2012, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-people-in-the-old-days-deal-with-chiggers/633782/27 "2012-09-11T23:32:27Z")
> [@ExcitedIdiot](#): > > Well, if Pliny the Elder said it, it must be true. I’d trust him over that young whippersnapper Pliny the Younger. 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-people-in-the-old-days-deal-with-chiggers/633782.md?page=1)