New-York tribune., 1901-08-11
DOTY'S MOSQUITO WAR,
PROCESS BY WHICH THE HEALTH OFF,
GER APPLIES PETROLEUM TO
STAGNANT POOLS
STAGNANT POOLS

Staten Islanders are watching with keen in
terest the mosquito externinating operations of
DR. Alvah II. Doty, Health officer of the Port Of
NewYOrk on the ponds and old cisterns in the
former town of Concord. Dr.. DOty says he
chose that locality for his experiments because
Of the large number of shallow ponds. the prev
alence of malarial disorders and the general un-
sanitary conditions due to old cesspools and els
terms and the raising of pigs and poultry by
many of the residents.
Or. Doty frankly admits that the best way
to get rid of she pests he is fighting is to fill
up the ponds and pools. empty the rainwater
barrels and stasnant csterns and provide proper
drainage for the houses. but in the absence of
z appropriation large enough for these i'm
provements he is endeavorng to find local and
temporary relief by treating the infected places
with crude petroleum IN experimenting with
the Larvae of the mosquito, better known as
the "Wiggletail" of the rainWater barrel. Dr.
Doty discovered that bichloride Of mercury one
of the most powerful disinfectants and gernli-
cides known, very slow in killing Them
Carbolic acid also was not so deadly III the case
of the baby mosquito as in that of baciln The
larve lived in weak solutions Of these chemi-
Gals twenty-four hours. He then placed few
drops of petroleum in vessel containing several
Larvae in an ounce of water, and surprised
to see the creatures die quickly. He continued
his experiments until he proved that the ovum
was also sterilized by the oil, and that the fully
developed mosquito did not like to stay in his
usual haunts after oil had been sprinkled on
the grass. This enough to encourage him
to experiment a larger scale. and he called
into consultation Edwin NJ Skinner, the chief
engineer of the State Board of Health to de-
wise means of applying the oil so thoroughly
and effectively that the matured insects would
be driven away their larvae destroyed and their
unmatched ova sterilized by a single applica-
ton.
Sprinkling was not efHcacious, as previous ex-
periments mad demonstrat ted The female mos
quito deposits her eggs on the surface of the
water, where they remain several days, and as
they quicken sink to depth of from four TO six
inches The larvae make frequent excursions to
the surface TO breathe through little tube near
the tail, then return to their lower positions and
rest on submerged grass moment two. when
the proceeding is repeated. To reach them
effectualIy DR.. Doty deemed it necessary to
force the oil to the bottom of the pond and
mlngle it with the grass. roots and mud, wen
as with the water. Enough oil to prevent the
larvae breathing would rise to the surface, he
reasoned, in any event
Mr.. Skinner devised a raft with a framework
OF light tubing beneath. perforated, so that a
jet of oil under pressure could be forced down
ward about two feet al every six inches This
raft he connected with a hose attached TO an
ordinary wagon oil tank. The first effort TO use
the machine convinced Mr.. Skinner that more
pressure than gravity afforded was required to
force the oil Jets to the bottom of ordinary
pond, and he arranged to connect with the oil
tank a compressed air reservoir containing air
at a pressure of about 1000 pounds to the
square inch. BY discharsing small quantity
of the air into the oil reservoir at intervals sul-
Cent force was secured.
The raft is dragged to and fro across the pond
by ropes in the hands of laborers, sending its
Jets of oil to the bottom ia its passage. The
weeds and grass on the banks are sprayed with
ordinary sprinkers 10 insure sterilization in
case of a rise of the water. and also TO drive
away the mosquitoes which take refuge from
the hot sunshine in such places.
DR.. Doty has received aid from the Standard
Oil Company, which has contributed a carload
of oil and from the Compressed Air Com
pany, which charges his air cylinders without
cost The Health Department of New-York
City has provided two policemen of the Sanitary
Squad TO prevent interference with the work by
property owners and TO keep the curious out
of the way of the workmen. All the expenses
of the experiment. beyond those mentioned, are
borne by DR. Doty in person.
Dr. Doty says there are two varieties Of
mosquitoes on Staten Island. the ordinary At
Iaatic Coast mosquito, scientifically known as
the CUeX, and the malaria disseminating pest
scientifically designated as the anOpheles. The
common insect has nearly transparent wings
and a single proboscis. with two autenne or
feelers The anopheles has rust bordered wings,
a three pronged proboscis and two antenne.
DR. Doty showed the reporter a specimen or
each under powerful magnifying glass. The
larVse of the malaria transmitting anopheies
rest at the top of the water instead of beneath
the surfuce and lack the breathing tube of the
ordinary variety. They prefer dark and shaded
water Shiny with decaying vegetable and ami
cisterns and pans OF water placed for fowls
in shady places and allowed TO become foul.
Last Wednesday DR. Doty found hotbed OF
the malarial MOSQUITOES in an old house near