The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-08-01
rake Down the Nets.

why sleep under a mosquito net? This
question and it is a pertinent one, too
is suggested by some recent interesting
scientific discoveries, the result of care
full chronological observations upon the
habits and character of the innocent mos
quito. 1t appears, from these discoveries,
that the gentle buzzer of the night is one
Of the most abused, slandered and ma
ligned inhabitants of creation to whom
Justice. if it ever be done, must come
through history-the history of the very
distant future.
According to the Boston Transcript,
there Is a philosopher who has discovered
that the mosquito is not only harmless.
but is continually comforting benefits upon
the human race, such benefits as cannot
be viewed in a sighting or neglectful
manner In the first place, it is asserted
that the presence of the mosquito is
warning of a hidden danger, malaria in
the atmosphere for the reason that it
cannot live in an atmosphere that is free
from malarial poison. Then we are in
formed that the mosquito is a sort of
Pasteur Institute attachment to any COM
munity in which it is found, since the
fluid it inserts into the human corpus con-
tains an attenuated form of malarial poi
son. and the incubation renders the body
immune from violent malarial attacks.
This feature. carries with it the intere sting
discovery that Pasteur himself is an imita-
tor. NO doubt the most startling discov-
cry of the aforesaid philosopher is that
the mosquito never swallows human blood
Science has said 1t. ana it is no doubt
true: but when the senses Of his mos
quitoship are dulled with overlooking and
a handslap quick enough to catch him
leaves q large red blotch, we are forced
to the conclusion that the eyesight of the
average human being needs the services
Of a specialist The last but not the least
interesting of these discoveries Is that
the mosquito Is a philanthropist. It is
asserted that he never inserts his probes
els into the cuticle of person who is not
susceptible to an attack Of malaria. 1t
is evident from this that the mosquito
is not "out for the stun" His sole OBJ
iect. it seems Is to warn the unwary ana
the careless of the danger that besets
them, and to furnish them free Of charge
an incubation of virus that Is guaran-
teed 10 keep off that dreaded malady. The
benevolonce Of the mosquito is, therefore,
an example to pattern after, and, instead
of pursuing him angrily around the room
until his remains look like a few pencil
marks on the wall. he should be coddled
and nurtured and given now the reward
which, owing to his nature, he cannot
hope TO receive in another world.
IL is said science cannot make mistakes,
and since these things are So we ask
again why sleep under mosquito nets?
At best they are warm and uncomforta-
BILE. shutting out the cool breezes which
are alleged 10 appear now and then, but
under nets how can We know whether they
do or do not come? But that Is not the
greatest advantage to be gained by the
removal Of the net. for. as we have seen.
the mosquito is an Indispensable physi-
clan, a valuable bencfactor who seeks
no fee FOR his services even though he
does present his bill II Is true. several
recent deaths have been attributed 10
mosquito bites, but were the truth OF the
matter known. 70 b. certain. from the fore
going discoveries that these events were
no more than coineident. 4 proper inves-
ugauon would doubtless have proven
that such deaths were due to violent ma
laria, owing TO the fact that the services
o. the mosquito were not called in In due
season.