The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-10-07
DoTYs WAR ON MOSQUITOES
Health OHicer at New York Makes
interesting Experiments,

experiments.
staten islanders are watching with
Keen interest the mosquito DISCRIMINATING
operations of DR.. Alvah H. Doty healtf1
oIlcr OF the port of New York. on the
ponos and old cisterns in the former
tr,a, OF concord, says the New York
ia ipuile. Dr. Doty says he chose that
locality for his experiments because NJ
the large number of shallow ponds the
prevalence of malarial disorders and tbe
general unsan1tary conditions due to old
cesspoolS and c1sterns, and the raising of
dents. VI TIC resi-
II. Doty frankly admits that the hest
way 70 get r1d OF the pests he is fightine
is to I'LL up the ponds and pools emnt1
tlle ralnWater barrels and stagnant els
terHS, ana provide proper drainage for
the houses, but in the absence of an an
preparation large enough for these i'm
proVementS he is endeaVoring to find To-
cal ana temporary relief by treating tbe
iiIiecleu PiaceS with crude petroleum. In
experimenting with the larvae of thu
mosquito, better known as the .sviseIa
talf' OF the rainwater barrel. DR. Dotv
discovered that bichloride of roercI11.v
one OF tire most powerful of disinfecta nte
anu gefmlc1des known, was very slow in
kllllng them. Carbolic acid also was NOT
SO deadly in the case of the babv mos
quito as in that of bacilli The larvae
ilVeo III weak solutions of these Chemicals
IWenty-tour hours. He then nlaced q
lew drops OF petroleum in vessel CON
tanning several larvae in an ounce of
water and was surprised to see +he
creatures die quickly. He continued hds
experiments. until he proved that the
oVu1n was also sterilized by the oil. and
l ia Tue Iuiiy developed mosquito did not
me 70 stay IN his usual hauntS after oil
nad been sprinkled on the grass This
was enough to encourage him to exneriN
ment on large scale and he called into
oonsIltatlon Edwin NJ: Skinner the chief
d dngilieee Oh the state board Of health, to
ueVlse a means of applying the oil so
thoroughly and effectively that tbe ma.
tured insects would be driven aways
tnelr larvae destroyed and their unhatcb
Gu ova ster1l1zed by single Applicant ton.
Spr1nkling was not efficacious &c nraJ1i
Gus experiments had demonstrated The
female mosquito deposits her eggs on
the surface of the water where fhey 70
main several days, and as they quicken
slnk 10 q oepth OF from four to six
lncnes. The larvae make frequent ex
curslons to the surface to breathe
through little tube near the tail then
return to their lower positions and resi-
on submerged grass a moment or two
reach them effectually DR.. Doty deemed
II necessary to force the oil to the hot.
tom OF the pond and ningle it with the
grass, roots and mud, as well as with
tne water. Enough oil to prevent the
larvae breathing would rise to the SIR
race. he reasoned. in any event.
Mr. Skinner devised a raft with a
ffIaieWorK OF light tubing beneath. per-
fora IOrated, SO that jet of oil under pres
sure could be forced downward aborf two
feet every six inches This raft he cor
nected With a hose attached to an ordi-
nary wagon oil tank. The first effort to
use use the machine convinced Mr. Skinner
Lnat more pressure than gravity afforded
was required to force the oil lets to fhe
oottom OF an ordinary pond, and he ar
aanged TO connect with the oil tank a
at q pressure of about 1900 pounds to the
square inch. By discharging a small
quantity of the air into the oil reservoir.
a. mn rihnterVals sufficient force was secured
Inc raft is dragged to and fro across
the pond by ropes in the hands of 1abor9
eers. sending its Jets of oil to the hot
LON IN It's passage. The weeds on the
iere A F. are ies SPRAYED with ordinary sprink-
a use oI the water, and also to drive
away the mosquitoes which take refuge
ir on the net not sunshine in such places.
CIT II. Doty has received aid from the
standard Oil company. which has con.
LT1outed carload of oil, and from the
compressed Air company, which charges
p pis ar Icy CYLINDERS without cost The
PROVIDED Two policemen of the sanitary
squad to prevent interference with tbe
Werk bY property owners, and to keen
the curious out Of the way of the work
men. All the expenses of the experiment
neyond those mentioned are borne Nv
Dr. Doty in person
Dr Doty says there are two varieties
OF mosquitoes on Staten island, the orfII
nary Atlantic coast mosquito, scientif1caI
~ known as the culeX and the malaria
uissseIninat1ng pest. scientifically designat-
ed as the anopheIes. The common fnsect
mas nearly transparent wings and a sin
gle probosciS, with two antennae. or feel
eIS. Inc anophelcs has lust hor6a,Afs
MinSs, three-pronged proboscis and two
antennae. DR.. Ootv showed the raportn,.
specimen of each under q powerful
Inagnifylng glass The larvae of the
malaria transmitting anopheles rests at
the top of the water instead of beneaff
the surface. and lack the h-~,+l,sy7--
or the ordinary variety. They prefer
dark and shaded water, Shiny with de-
caylng vegetable and animal matter
They breed in covered pools and cisterns
and pans of water placed for fowls in
shady places and allowed to become foul
Last wednesday DR.. Doty found a
noticed OF the malarial mosquitoes in an
old house near the Concord ponds he is
treating. An old cistern was alive with
thelr larvae. Pans placed under trees in
the yard to water chickens were verita-
pie culture places for them. and afforded
the only plentiful supply of eggs and
larvae Tor observation the doctor has VET
secured. Within few hundred wards of
Inns mouse. now vacant four persons are
contined to their beds by malarial all
ment Ooi 1iS1'-
DR.. Doty has sterilized six pools and
numerous abandoned pools and cisterns
at concord and will continue the work
until he has freed the worst breesIin ~
place on the island Of the pests of fails
In the attempt.