The Savannah morning news., 1900-12-31
rHE MOSQUITO DEFENDED.

a New Jersey man has come to the
defense OF his fellow citizen. the mos
quito. During the past year or 80 many
eminent scientific gentlemen have been
engaged IN giving the mosquito q black
eye. hgurauvely speaking. They have
alleged. ana quoted an sorts or expert
menls 20 prove the allegations. that tho
musical and pertinacious little Insect s.
not only a nuisance in the way OF de-
stroyiug sleep aud inducing profanity. but
Is actually the purveyor Of malaria. yellow
fever and possibly other horrible Ills An
Italian professor OF great renown
only recently published a paper IN which
he demonstrated that the mosquito was
Ia reality an animated incubator OF ma
laria germs. as well as persistent
squirter OF those germs into the human
system. Got ria OF the mosquito. said the
Italian doctor. and you will get rid Of
maiaria. A Savannah doctor. commenting
on the Italians experiments and conclu-
slons said 10 "a representative OF this
paper: "Giyo me pure water TO drink
and pure air 20 breathe. ana an OF the
mosquitoes OF Now Jersey may bite me
and / viii not have malaria" The United
states army surgeons ga Cuba have re-
Gently been Investigating the mosquito
with relation 90 the yellow fever and 81 L.
reported that they have found the connec-
lion between them quite close. Il Is be-
lloyed tina, certain cases OF fever have
been traced directly 10 incubation BY
mosquitoes.
Notwithstanding the expert evidence
against the mosquito as a deadly enemy
OF mankind. the New Jersey man referred
to above has no hesitation in saying that
the insect Is poor. maligncd, outraged,
benefactor OF the human race. II Is not
appreciated because It Is not understood.
In the great plan of Nature. every living
;s.:.s ~.as designed ger some good nur-
pose. what that purpose is. is often dif-
ncult to be ascertalued-os In the case OF
the mosquito. The New Jersey man, how
ever. has lived la close daily communion
with the mosquito all OF his life. and
therefore believes he has learned It's ee-
cret. lie does not pretend To deny the
presence Of bacilu upon or within the In
sects little combined drill aud blood pump,
but he asserts that the inoculations made
by the mosquito are actually beneficial
10 the person bitten. They are. he says
preventives OF malaria, upon precisely the
same principle that vaccination Is a pre-.
yentivo OF smallpox. The mosquitoes bate
may deposit a few malaria germs In IN,
blood. ana a slight malarious condition
may result. but It is only temporary. anc
serves TO render the bitten immune q,
the disease for the season. Beyond that
says the New Jersey man. the bite OF IN,
mosquito IS a preventive ana cure Of rhcu
matlsm. That he knows from his owl
experience. lie has seen well-scated casei
OF rheumatism cured by. or at least after
/ bites from mosquitoes.
| Il ~ impossible TO say what the 0bJec
OF the New Jersey man IS in thus cham
/ ploning the cause OF the mosquito agalns
the eminent scientists. Il may DC tha
| he Is a land agent. ana has some swampI
aud marsh tracts Tor sale. II may b
that he has Ia mind the establishment o
a great malaria and rheumatism hospl
tai. with the mosquito as both doctor anS
apothecary shop, without cost TO the pro
moter. Or Il may be that the man 4
merely Indignant because dcnizons OF hii
native state have been ruthlessly attacke,
and Tor state pride ne wishes TO defens
them