The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1883-09-01
MOSQUITOES AND MALARIA.


out any rcdceming qualifications what
ever. In general way il is commonly
believed that every animate thing in the
world subscrvcS some wise purpose in
the economy OF nature. Perhaps this
view is correct, inasmuch as so far as
human wisdom can reach there has been
no idle or useless work in the course OF
creation. SO far, however, the uses,
the utility and the value of mosquitoes
have not become strikingly apparent to
naturllsts, or, for that matter, to any
one else. But in addition to being an
unmiiigated pest, scientist now comes
along with more serious charge and
asserts that besides making our days
miserable and our nights slccplcss this
nocturnal musician is breeder Of dis
ease and 4 most efficient purvcyor Of
malaria.
DIR. King contributes an interesting
and valuable article on this subject to
the September number of Tile Popular
Science 1i01hb6. Il does not deal with
the question in light or humorous
vein, but in all seriousness. In fact,
we learn for the first time that the mos
quital origin of malaria disease is not 4
new theory, but has long attracted Al
tcntion from men ofscicncc. Linncus,
Drake, Ehrcnburg and Sir Henry Hol-
land have all had something TO say of
the insect origin of disease. More re.
Gently other eminent men have taken
up this interesting question and have
petty well established the fac; tha; GER
tain diseases are mitch more frequent
and more malignant in their character
where insect life is mos, active and
tccming. DR.. Mott, the distinguished
specialist. in 1913 wrote 4 long essay
on yellow fever. in which the insect
origin Of that disease WAS maintained.
In 1881 Il distinguished French physi-
clan, residing in Havana. wrote ~ allie
treatise on the mosquito IS an agent in
the transmission OF yellow fever.
The facts relied on 10 establish this
theory are numerous. II is ndispu;a-
bic tina, malaria is most prevalent in
low, moist places, in marshes, swamps
and fens and similar localities. These
places are also the homes Of the mos
quitocs, the spots where they breed and
thrive best. II is rare that malaria j,
developed under lower temperature
than 90 Fahrenheit. The same tenn
pcraturc is necessary for mosquito de-
velopmcnt Malarial diseases arc check
cd As rule by temperature of \.
the same temperature proves fatal gcncr-
ally TO mosquito life. At the sea coast
and in warm ATTITUDES, malaria and
fcverS prevail most there. too, are
mosquitoes and insect life generally
most abundant. Malaria can be trans
mittcd, carried miles by atmospheric
currents. and ihi, is equally true OF the
mosquito. As malariLl districts are
cleared up and become more ihckly
settled, periodic fcvcrs have 4 tendency
to disappear. The same rule holds As
TO the mosquitoes. As the swamps
and stagnant pools are drained or dried
up. the places most favorable TO mos.
quito propagation disappear and the
number of insects becomes less. II is
well established that malaria IS mos,
active and dangerous when the sun is
down and seems almos; inert during
the heat Of the day. y similar habit,
rs all know, governs the life OF mos
quitocS, who most generally remain in
their quiet retreats during the day and
make their sallics a; night. Ii has also
been observed iha; even IN badly infcc-
ted mallrial districts. the Use of fire in
doors and by those who sleep in the
open air affords IN almost certain pro-
lection against malarial disorders. The
same precautions and especially the
smoke that accompanies the fire is often
adopted to afford security against the
attacks Of mosquitoes.
Malaria, As 1 rule. does not penetrate
into the ncart OF large cities. Such
generally is the case with these insects,
although the suburbs may be thorough
~ infected with them; the walls, trees,
lights and many others objects attract
and obs,ruct them on their way. Just
aS malarill disorders are most prevalent
late in the summer and in autumn, so,
too. do mosquitoes abound At those
times. IL is 4 curious fact that malaria
is frequently arrested by canvass cur
tlins, gauzc and mosquito nets. iu,t As
mosquitoes themselves are. Sir Francis
Day. who has discussed this question,
advises travellers to employ mosquito
nets Through which malaria can sci.
dom or never pass" /; is stated on
the authority OF such eminent medical
writer's Is DrS. MacCulloch, Johnson.
Ia Roche, Oldham and other, that the
action OF malaria is ncutralled even in
the worst mallrial districts ii persons
will adopt the prccau,ion of cnvcloping
their heads and bodies with wells OF
some close material like gauzc. Any
thing that will keep out malaria will
keep out mosquitoes also. and We may
readily trace a close connection between
the two circumstances.
Statistics are abundanily quoted in
Prof. Kings paper TO show that sickly
seasons and localities are usually accom-
panied with an extraordinary number
OF winged insects, many OF them being
blood-Sucking diptcra. These insects
are not very troublesome throughou;
England, yet in the swampS and aguc
districts of Essex and Lincolnshire the
use of mosquito nets is as necessary as
in tropical climates. They are equally
abundant in the fever districts of Italy.
1t is true many mosquito wounds may
be received and no fever result, just As
a lancet may scratch the arm and not
produce vaccinia unless the edge is
charged with vaccine poison. Ii is not
known whether the saliva injected by
the mosquitoes probosciS is the cause of
the malaria or whether that puncturing
instrument is so loaded with minute
bacteria as to produce this result
There is no evidence anywhere TO prove