The Washington times., 1901-08-04
THE MALARIAL MOSQUITO.
Washington Parks Comparatively
Free From the Pest.
Not in Sufficient Numbers to War
rant the Health Authorities in
Waging Systematic Warfare
Against Them-some Suggestions.

The parks of Washington, it is stat
ed at the Agricultural Department, are
comparatively free of the malaria pro-
ducing mosquito And considering the
size of the city the pests are not num-
erous enough to warrant the health
authorities acting in the matter, as is
the case just now in New York City.
There are two kinds of mosquitoes that
worry the human family. especially at
night, viz the ordinary variety that
sings and bites without evil results and
the mosquito anophele, that injects ma
lariaI poison. 1t is the latter pest that
creates business for the doctors and
the drug stores.
The public parks of Washington are
practically free from both kinds of
mosquitoes. This is due, it was stat
ed al the Agricultural Department to
the fact that the fountains in the parks
are stocked with fish. which destroy
the larvae of the mosquito, and also
because the water never becomes stag
nant The anophele makes it appear
ance in the spring of the year, gener-
ally during the months of April and
MAY. These malaria producing mos
Quitoes abound in stagnant pools and
in marshy places. They live on the
surface of the water in contradistinc-
ton to the nom poisonous mosquito,
which thrives under the surface.
Kerosene oil is the deadly enemy of
both. and it's effect is instantaneous.
The only place around Washington
where the anophele has '1een found in
large numbers is in that section of the
city adjoining the Eastern Branch.
A recent bulletin on the mosquito, is
sued by the Division of Entomology.
gives the following valuable sugges-
tions for relief from the annoying and
dangerous pests:
''Of remedies against mosquitoes in
houses, the best is a thorough screen
ing of windows and the placing of nets
about beds. If the insects are trou-
blesome in sitting or sleeping rooms
during the evening, the burning of py-
rethrum will so stupefy them as to
make their presence unObjectionable.
Pyrethrum for this purpose should be
prepared by moistening the powder suf-
fciently to allow of its being roughly
nodded hy hand into little cones about
the size and shape of large chocolate
drop. These cones are then placed in
q pan and thoroughly dried in an oven.
When fired at the apex, such a cone
will smolder slowly and send up a
thin column of pungent smoke. not
hurtful to man, but stupefying to mos
quitoes. In actual experience, two or
three such cones burned during the
course OF an evening have given much
relief from mosquitoes in sitting rooms.
1t does not kill the insects. however,
and is at best but a palliative.
1.-The mosquitoes found on the cell
ings of bedrooms in the evening may
be quickly and easily killed by means
of a smsll, shallow tin cup (such az
the Id of a blacking box) nailed to
the top of a stick and wet inside with
kerosene. This cup is placed over the
quiescent mosquito. which Immediately
drops or flies against the oily surface
and is killed. But, altogether, the most
satisfactory means Of fighting mosqui-
toes are those which are directed to
the destruction of the larvae or the
abolition of breeding places. These
measures are not everywhere feasible,
but in many places there is absolutely
90 necessity Cor the endurance OF the
mosquito plague. The principal rene