LETTER:Herbal remedyfor headlice

From Ms Dinah Murray

Sir: Helen Kon's plaint about the pervasive headlouse ("Face the fact: life is lousy", 14 June) moves me to write. There is an effective alternative to pesticidal headlice preparations: quassia, a bitter bark, sometimes drunk infused as a tonic and obtained from any good herbalist. Simply apply a post-shampoo quassia-infused final rinse to drive the resident lice away. Two or three more applications at two-day intervals should catch the newly hatched lice and break the laying cycle. After that, a weekly application should keep them away.

Because it is not pesticidal, the vermin do not develop a resistance to this treatment. What is more, it doesn't smell, doesn't cost much, is completely harmless - and it leaves the hair beautifully shiny.

Yours sincerely,

DINAH MURRAY

London, N19