The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1886-12-04
-,,e NOISY MOSQUITO.

~ =, pbvsiologist Tells Why ths
VI co., rorrible Insect Wa Made
Of ta u,os,,ito's function in the econ
c rhs ,uv of Nature has always peeh enc OF
's,'d ss mysteries of science, Owing to the
oa1 Inoonplarity of this insect in every
" a4 .1p Skinned community the coniectures
upset D1,rled respecting his mission and
" 60 occupation have rarely besn favorable
as his character and motives. In no
n,r,or of the earth is the mosquito ac-
1',1tod with benevolent feelings for the
''as r,n,n %spe,ies. Both in ancient and
% ",o1orn times he has been regarded AZ
al .ho most malicious and unprinciplcd
'ns .,emv of mankind. The purpose for
a ~ rbich he was created has been con-
lA si,cred as inexplicable a mystery as the
". ~doctrine of original sin. The most
" n.loyolcnt theorists have never been
~ able 10 suggest an hypothesis that would
" alternately account for his abnormal de-
payty.
spanish Psychologist living in the
VN Wp>t Indies has recently asccrtained
'' ,e secret of the mosquitoes existence.
w Ne announces the discovery with an air
us nj confidence. and has Il compact array
!. of statistics and scientific data in sup
l. mort of his theory. Science introduces
" him As Dr.. Finlay. of Havana, and
VI briefly states that he has demonstrated
u TO hi, own satisfaction that the mosquito
y was created in order 10 facilitate the
spread of yellow fever and presumably
other diseases. The Havana mosquito,
after singing Il yellow fever patient,
retains on its exterior the germs of the
disease, which are speedily conveyed to
the next victim attacked. DR.. Finlay
does not believe that the pestilence can
be transmitted through the air or by
contact. If there were no mos
Qntoes, the diseas. would
not be contagious. Yellow fever
would be comparatively harmless il
there were no active agents on the wing
to I facilitate the process of incubation
and to spread the germs. Woe betide
the tropical country in which there is
an outbreak of this dread disease in Il
brisk mosquito year!
Whatever may be the scientific merits
Of Dr. Finlay's theory, it will be gcner-
ally accepted as the closest approach
yet made to an adequate explanation of
the mosquitoes reason for being. 1t
corresponds with all that is known of
his evil propensities and depraved in
Sincts. The unhappy native of New
Jersey, hiding his face under the blank
Ct, has convicted himself of a lack OF
Imagination when he has fancied that
the winged tormentor was thirsting for
drop of his blood. DR.. Finlay teaches
him that the mosquito is plotting
greater mischief than the filching Of in :
nocent gore. The sting is stepped in
other peoples miserics. The noisy
visitors wings are tipped with malaria,
diphtheria, consumption and every i'll
to which flesh is heir. The mosquito
comes to faint the victims blood with ,
all the poisons of adjacent townships.
tic %scatters broadcast the germs of dis {
ease and death. He undermines the 1
strongest constitutions; he ruins the I
reputation of the fairest and most !
healthfnl suburbs. He brings chills. .
md-fever from the next town to a local =
iy which, as all the residents know, is {,
entirely free from il. He impairS the 4
value OF country real estate by the inn II
p%ortation of malaria from remote re- 7
gmhls. lie is the most active agent in +
the spread of contagion in the healthi- p
est hamlets. He not only tilches from "
tAe nnwary victim the blood Of inno- =.
cenee, but he leaves behind in the il
wound the sting Of disease and robs y
whole communities of their good names =,