The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1900-05-15

One of the most abundant and OBJ
noxious crops raised on most North
Carolina farms is the mosquito. Of
this bloodthirsty pest we have two or
three genera and about twelve spe-
cies.
It was long ago observed that
mosquitoes and malaria are common
in the same neighbOrhOods. OF re
cent years medical men have begun
to suspect that there was some nee
essary connection between the in
sect and the disease. This suspicion
seems TO have been demonstrated as
a truth, according to the recently
made report of an English scientific
expedition, sent to study the cause
of the destructive malarial fevers
common on the east coast Of Africa
about Sierra Leone.
Malaria or chilIs and fever in man
kind is caused by a microscopic, ami
mai parasite or ~protozOan, scientiff-
caIly called "Hemaotozoan mala-
riac," which was discovered in 1880
in the blood of malarial patients. 1t
has been supposed that this parasite
lived naturally in stagnant water
and from thence in some unexplained
way obtained entrance into the hU-
man body. Once in the body the
parasite finds it's way into the blood
stream. 1t attacks and breaks down
the red blood discs, and by its action
sets up ii kind of fermentation which
produces the well known symptoms
called chills and fever.
The English scientists sent to AT
RIGA to study the disease claim that
the parasites only by accident found
in water and in all such cases its
presence there is explained by the
fact that dead mosquitoes have fallen
into the water and their bodies, which
contained malaria germs have been
been dissolved. Malaria is most
frequently carried from man to man
by mosquitoes which bite first a sick
person and then q we'll one. The
only real connection between swami
Ply lands and malaria is that the
SwampS breed mosquitoes and these
serve as carriers of the disease. Ac-
cording to the British scientists those
who in Africa took satisfactory meas
ures to prevent being bitten escaped
malaria, whereas those who did not
take such precautions suffered from
the disease. Swamps will not cause
malaria if mosquitoes are absent.
NO MOSQUITOES, NO MALARIA.
This discovery has the very great
est Importance for the human race,
and for no class mor so than for
farmers. 1t is entirely safe to say
that considering the loss of time and
working power as well as money di-
rectly paid out for doctors services
and medicine, malaria costs the far
mers Of North Carolina at least one
million dollars a year.
A little of that sum with proper
hygienic precautions inand about the
home Will practically extermimate
these dangerous insects from every
farm and neighborhOod. Our North
Carolina mosquitoes nearly all be-
long to two genera, "Culex" and
"Anophcles." Only the latter are
supposed to transmit human malaria.
''Culex'' causes a similar disease
in birds. In a rough way one may
distinguish Culex from Anopheles
by observing that when drawing
blood "Culex" stands level on its feet
with the hind part pointing to the
horizon, whereas ''AnopheIes" stands
almost upon its head with the hind
part pointing towards the zenith.
Each locality has a different pre-
dominating species of mosquito at
different seasons. The undersigned
will be glad to receive specimens of
mosquitoes from all parts of the
State for the purpose of properly
identifying them and the time of
their appearance recording. The in
scots should be caught carefully by
ii leg while trying to suck blood and
" tine but long needle thrust through