Getting under our skin: the cultural and social history of vermin

Introduction. Vermin in history

"That nauseous venomous insect" : bedbugs in early modern Britain

Bedbugs creeping through modern times

Praying lice : creeping into religion, science, and sexuality

Lousy societies : infesting the lower classes and foreigners

The perils of lice in the modern world

The flea in humanity's ear

Fleas become killer comedians : literal and linguistic weapons

Rodents gnaw through the centuries

The two cultures of rats, 1800-2020

Conclusion. The power of vermin.