New-York tribune., 1901-07-15
PRICE THREE CENTS.
DOWN WITH "SKEETERS"
THE IDEA THAT THEY ARE A RESiOvA-
BILE NUISANCE is GAINING GROUND
STEADILY IN MANY STATES.


For centuries the human race has regarded the
mosquito as an inevitable afiction- Only re-
Gently has the idea been conceived that this
insect Is a removable nuisance 1t now remains
Tor some man to write his name imperishably
upon the scroll of fame by discovering a prac-
tcable way-to exterminate the pest. II John D.
Rockefelers recently founded Institute Of Re-
search could. by bending it's energies in this
direction for year two. give to the world a
thorough exterminator of mosquitoes IL Is g.
most certain that even the Anarchists and So
cialists would forgive the Standard Oil magnate
for using his brains TO make money. And when
1t is considered how many of the most beautiful
spots upon the earth made almost unfit for
habitation by the presence of mosquitoes few
VIII think that research along this line is be-
meath the dignity Of the most scientific
How this mosquito plague can be best and
most thoroughly abated has been puzzling the
pubic ever since the committee appointed
the time of the Spanish to investigate the
prevalence of malaria reported that the
quito was the real cause of the extensive spread
OF the disease among the soldiers The idea has
crept northward along the Atlantic Coast filling
the people with interest. and is resulting in
numerous exoeriments being made at Hartford
Conn: East Orange. n. j.. and at Trenton by
the State authorities in the OF crude petro-
leum Oil fer the determination of the pests.
Petroleum has been found n he The cheapest
and most effective means of Kidding infested dis
tricts of the mosquito. Experiments under the
supervision cs the Board of Health have recently
been made Hartford in sprinkling literally
with oil the low marshy which border on
the Connecticut River on the east side of that
city, with the result that there has been COM
parative freedom from mosquitoes this summer.
The experiments have been successful that
they will probably be repeated next year
extended scale.
DIFFERENCE IN THE BREEDS
The experiments now being tried in Trenton
WILL 1t is hoped. decide as to what particular
breeds of the mosquito are most active in di1-
seminating disease ring germs. In fact so
widespread has been the awakening Of the pub
lie interest in the idea that this annoying af-
Fiction can be banished that boards of health
in many parts of the country are enlisting in
an active crusade against the insect In almost
every case where petroleum has been used an
immediate scarcity Of mosquitoes follows. The
method most generally employed and most COM
monty successful consists Of throwing liberal
quantities of crude petroleum the surface of
stagnant pools and other sheets of water where
the mosquitoes breed. This forms an oily film
on the surface and destroys all mosquito larvH
in process of growth. The oil is found highly
eficacious in lessening the prevalence OF the
places generally at distance from hab-
itations little objection to its Is found.
| There is some speculation among medical men
| In this city the unusual number OF small
| pox cases in the district between One-hundred-
I and-thirty- -atth-st. and -hundred-and- sixty
| fifth SITS. and OF Union-ave. in the Borough
/ Of The Bronx. The close proximity OF this dis
| trict 70 North Brother Island has given rise TO
a theory that the mosquitoes carried from Long
| Island by the wind attack the smallpox patients
i North Rrofher Island afterWdrd bringing
the contagion to The Bronx. If the disease con-
] tinues TO spread steps may be taken to deter
| mine whether any beneficial result would follow
/ the sprinkling Of petroleum on the mosquito
| breeding places on Long Island
/ VIEWS OF AN ENTOMOLOGIsT.
This question OF exterminatirg the mosquito
| is one TO which have given careful attention"
! said George Southwick, the entomologist Of the
! Park Department. Tribune reporter last
! week Il have heard of the different theories
! advanced in several quarters. such as that OF
/ breeding dragon files. commonly known as
| devils darning needless and other theories Of
| a like nature but realizing the hostility of all
i such theories to the maintenance Of the true bal
! ance of nature I have thought them impracti-
! cable and have considered them as only theories.
: The only method of sllaying this trouble which
/ Will be all permanent must come through
/ experiment conducted along more prac-
! ticalIy scientific lines. II such experiments
prove fruitful there will be lack of assistance
! from the proper authorities"
| ITO what do you attribute the comparative
, lack of mosquitoes in Central Park?' asked The
Tribune
| Mainly to the cleanliness OF the park and TO
. the abundance of fish in all the ponds. and the
numerous aquatic fowl that here abound"
What do you think of the theory that the
development of mosquito larv@ Is checked BY
the rodlike tendrils of fresh water vegetable
growths. which by their constant oscillation dis
tllrb the development OF the larve?"
There may be something in that. said MT
Southwiek. but such vegetable matter exists
/ also in mosquito infested districts by the sea.
I so there is evidently something more deterrent
needed. II is a puzzlng and troublesome prob
| lem which demands close study and careful
, treatment and 1 hope that some one will soon
| be found who will be true benefactor TO his
getflpg AT the root OF the matter.