The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1890-09-11
THE BUSY MOSQUITO.
A Whole Book Has at Last Been
Dedicated to the Pest.
Besides Being an Ageravation to tho Best
Natured Person the insect Carries
Disease Germs from One OF Its
Victims to the Other.

Natured Person the insect Carries
Disease Germs from One OF Its
Victims to the Other.
Messrs. Appleton are printing book
on the mosquito, says the Boston Globe.
A great many people, already aware
from personal experience that mosqui-
toes are undesirable associates, will be
surprised to find out what really seri-
GUS enemy Of the human race the in
sect is and always has been-the insect
is found as fossil among the geologi-
cal remains of former ages, apparent
ly never, at any period, having been
extinct, and always having been indus
trious.
There seems to be no doubt that the
mosquito is capable Of communicating
a poison. The fact that If it is allowed to
remain long enough to draw out suf-
ficient quantity of blood but little irri-
tation remains seems to prove this,
but 1t is also said that it is capable Of
inoculating mankind with malarial dis
ease.
DR.. Ffnlay, Of Havana, asserts that it
is his belief that the mosquito is an agent
in spreading yellow fever. He says
that the insect after puncturing the
skin of the yellow fever patient, retains
some Of the germs Of the disease, and
that he communicates these to the next
person he visits. So sure is he that the
mosquito is the active If not the only
agent for the dissemination Of yellow
fever, that he holds that the disease
L.
not flourish.
The book will servo one good purpose
at least. 1t will do Justice to that
much-maligned insect variously known
in different parts of the country as the
dragon-fy, mosquito-hawk, devils darn
ing needle and snake-feeder. 1t will
place him in better light, for, instead
of deserving the obloquy which has
universally been cast upon him he ap-
pears to be entitled to much considera.
ton, as the insect relied upon to destroy
the mosquito.
Captain @. N. B. Macaulay of the
United States army has given his ex-
perience. In the summer of 1885 he
was on duty at Fort Abraham Lincoln
in Dakota. To show the thickness Of
the mosquitoes at that time in the
neighborhood of Fort Abraham Lincoln
he says: "On the target range, during
the end Of June and about three weeks
in July, could not stay unless had
there for riding-thick trousers, leather
gauntlets and thick cache nez' tucked
under my helmet and collar of my
tunio"
The air was filed with clouds Of these
tormentors, yet at the appearance Of
two or three dragon flies the mosquitoes
would suddenly disappear. He was
curious to see how they caught their
food. Ho noticed that they few in an
irregular kind Of skirmish line, moved
slowly, and overy now and then msde
''dabs" at apparently nothing. Each
one Of these ''dabs" meant mosquito.
Another authority, who seems to hold
that it would be questionable policy to
attempt to destroy the mosquito, it be-
ing In his opinion scavengef, says
that other enemies may be relied upon
to do that work. He suggests that to
Danish the mosquito the best plan is to
drain meadows, bogs and swamps, to
fill up stagnant pools and level rain
holding hollows contiguous to dwell
ingA
Certain artificial remedies are also re-
lied upon. The use of coal oil in swamps,
by odorizing the air and floating upon
the surface of the water itself, is Q very
practical and energetic remedy. It de-
stroys the mosquito in its early stages.
The use Of lanterns, SO arranged as to
attract and destroy the mosquitoes, Is
another remedy. The mosquitoes are
attracted to them, and are destroyed in
the cans Of coal oil or kerosene or other
similar mixtures which may be used.
They should be placed around houses.
hotels and in marshes. The expense
and trouble of management are small, as
they are only used during few months
Of the year. Indeed, almost every
method imaginable of catching and de-
stroying the insect has been suggested
except the very simple one Of putting
salt on its tail and clubbing it to death.
These scientific authorities are not
above offering suggestions for the relief
OF persons whose situation makes them
liable to suffer from the bites of these
insect tormentors, and who can not wait
for the propagation OF the dragon ny.
They recommend lemon juice, vinegar,
Oil OF peppermint and oil Of pennyroyal.
A very strong infusion of roots of triti-
cum repens is successfully used at Sim
brisk as preventive against mosqui-
toes, and weak solution Of quassia wood
boiled in water, has also been recon-
mended.
Limits Of Natural Vision.
The limits of vision yary with eleva-