The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-06-28

mosqutfoes can be exterminated seems
about equally preposterous with the
idea that they are responsible for the
shakes for yellow fever and for other
Ills of mankind even more terrible, like
elepha ntiasis. But modern science has
no sooner found the offenders guilty
than it has decreed that they must pay
the penalty of their bloodthirsty
crimes. The mosquito is very much in
the air nowadays, and societies for the
of this venomous little
nuisance may be expected to spring up
on all sides as soon as the facts in the
case are generally known. A notable
textbook for the campaign is the in
little volume by L. o. Howard
Of the United States Department of
Mosquitoes; How They
Live; How They Carry Disease; How
They May be Destroyed. which has
just been published by Mcclure. Phil
lips & Co.
Considering how much mankind has
suffered (much of il unsuspectingly)
from mosquitoes, II is surprising how
little was known about them until quite
recently. They have been taken as a
visitation of Providence, like hot
waves and blizzartls and fogs, and peo-
pie have slapped and sworn and rubbed
on "pennyrfle' and camphor. without
going cut of their way TO study the
habits and weak points of the pest. But
now that the scientists have proved
that the mosquito is responsible for
malaria, and have tracked the beast
to his lair, the time has come for a
decisive stroke. 1t is part of Mr.. How
ards purpose to demonstrate that the
extirpation of the mosquito is not a
very difficult or very expensive task
quite within the power of the most
plasue-ridden districts. Vigor will
doubtless be lent to the campaign by
the fact that more city people than
ever. before are taking their summer
holidays in the mountains or by the
seashore. They are not 30 callous OF
the bites OF these thirsty marauders as
the old inhabitants. and are not sc
likely TO take the infiiction as a matter
of course. And especially they have
no desire 20 come back from sum
ner's outing with their teeth chatter
ing every forty-eight hours from ma
laria- In Long Island. for instance. a
sweeping attack has been made along
the north shore with such results that
one of the participants declared that
there was mo more reason for endur-
ing the mosquito scourge than for al
lowing smallpox TO ravage communi-
ties as II used TO do before the days o.
Jenner3l
The weak point IN the strategic stu
alton of the mosquito is that, like other
! pira ties. he operates from a base on the
water. Therefore It is only necessary
TO drain off unnecessary pools. and
when this is not possiblel to kill the
larvae with kerosene. or to stock the
water with fish. 70 make an end OF our
musical but bloodthirsty buccaneer be-
fore he gets a fair start in life It Is
not, fair, but it is business. An mos
| quitoes," says Mr. Howard, who Ia:
! for many years made q speciality o.
the subject, $50 far as known arr
aquatic in their habits II has never
been shown that any of them lay their
| eggs anywhere except IN water" More
over. the larvae must come to the sur
, face 10 breathe, 80 that an oil-f7lm il
fatal Those who have ever lived IT
country houses where the rain barrel
was an adjunct to daily life have had 6
chance 10 study these ''wiggiers'' a,
| the children call them, and the activity
| justifies the name. The author says
The thorax Of all Is much swollen
and with all pupae the bodies seen
lighter than air, 50 that they Goat a
the surface without exertion. The alb.
domeH, with oval oar-l!ke flaps. may bs
quickly. and violently agitated SO as u
draw them down below the surface
when It becomes necessary TO oscar
aquatic Insect" This activity is neces.
sary because all stagnant pools. such as
mosquitoes chiefly breed IN. abound
with carnivorous life, and such {
/ tempting fat norsei as a mosquito
pupa, If 1t stayed quietly at the surface
would stand no chance OF surviving.
| How long do mosquitoes live? Tt
/ this question science has not yet found
a conclusive answer. because tests II
captivity are misleading The evidence
seems 70 show. however. that for IN
sects they are long -lived-they are moi
! good enough 70 be in danger of dyinf
young DR. Veazie of New Orleans has
{ kept INeTH 1il~t IoT 4 month
water or food they live about five days
/ If there is no water In a house thee
Will leave II for a drink, unless bloot
| Is TO be had. No mosquito was eve
known to drink water when II coulC
get blood. But as that delicacy is lin
tied in quantity relative to the hosts O
mosquitoes. II follows that most of then
must find other food. and they thriv'
pretty well on a vegetarian diet OF
bananas they i've for weeks. and il
some cases for two months. It is GER
tain that some, at least of the adults
/ live through the winter, but ii is no
known whether those Matched In tn
spring live through even half a sum
mer. The venerable superstition, how
ever. that when a mosquito has ono
gorged human blood she can never bit
again. has been thoroughly exploded
and the danger Of the yellow feve
mosquito lies in the very fact that afte
biting a yellow fever patient the SAM
insect viii seek fresh victims. II 1
said by the way. by the physician
lwho have studied the subject in Cuba
! that the yellow fever mosquito vii
not convey the disease until at leas