beattie and babs, n. — Green’s Dictionary of Slang

beattie and babs n.

[rhy. sl. = SE colloq. crabs; ult. proper name of music hall duo of early 20C]

body lice.

1960		J. Franklyn Dict. of Rhy. Sl. 37/2: Beattie and Babs Crabs (crablice), formed on the names of the famous entertainers. c.1930.
1972		R.A. Wilson Playboy’s Book of Forbidden Words.
1978		Maledicta II:1+2 (Summer/Winter) 116: The concentration in that article on proper names produced theatrical names ([...] Beattie & Babs = ‘crabs’, including the word as used for body lice).