Genre:

News-Commentary, Drollery

Subjects:

Public Health, Disease, Spontaneous Generation, Monstrosities

People mentioned:

Roderick I Murchison

    Discusses proceedings of an enquiry into the British Museum where T H Turner claimed that want of ventilation in the museum had led to a giant flea being 'generated' in the reading room. Punch believes the flea ranks 'among the Megatheria of insect life' and that it should be 'brought up by Habeas before the Zoological Society'.