Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1902-06-21

Insects meet Health In Rural Dis
,rtctsp Condemns the Mosquito
for Carrying Malaria and the
Fly for Typhoid.
just a. this time, when many pee
pie are planning a s%ojonrn III the
country In search Of health and rest.
il is somewhat discouraging to be told
that the possibility Of contracting any
one Of several fatal maladies is much
greater in the country n IN the
city. This icoL oclastic doctrine Is
announced under the seal Of the de-
partment of Agriculture. and there
fore demands considerable attention..
L. O. Howard. ~entomoloies ~ Of the
Department. has Just published "a bull
Ietin entitled How Insects Affect
Health IN Rural Districts. " giving IN
some detail the dangers of a country
visit. 1t is true that malaria AMI ty-
phoid are the principal alseases treat
ed, but there are a number of others
named which. while not so general,
are still more or less frequent in diff.
ferent localities.
Both malaria and typhoid prevail in
large cities, but thew are essentially
diseases which are less easily prevent
able in the country than in built-up
districts. Malaria has been long
known as a country disease, though
ITS assigned cause until very rece ntly
was erroneous. The old idea that ma
laria was caused by breathing the mi
asnia OF swamDs has now Leen discar-
ded for the modern one that is cans
cd bv the hites of MOSQUITOES OF the
genus %Anopheles. AS mosquitoes
breed in swampy places IL was yer.
natural TO suppose that the heavy at
mosphere common to such localities
was the disease carrying agency. The
fact that malaria is only caused by
the bite of mosquitoes is now nroven
beyond the shadow of a doubt.
Cities IN which malaria is at all
prevalent usually have adjacent swamp
lands. although the infectious mosqui-
toes may and do breed in all kinds of
still water pools. such as ponds. ditch
es, still water at the sideso OF springs,
and occasionally in old horse trouQhs.
etc. If one is gong TO the country
and wants to be immune from mala-
ria the DEPARTMENT expert recon-
mends "almost thorough search for
all possible breeding places within a
radius Of a mile - This limit is set as
ii is believed this particular genus
of MOSQUITOES rarely flies yerv far,
When the breeding places are found
they should be drained or filed in
with earth. or rendered ~unInhabita-
BILE to the Anophles larvae by cover
ing the service of the water with
kerosene. the introduction of GER
tain species of fish which prev on the
larvae, such as ~topminnows, stickle
backs. v"ung. sun. fish and gold fish is
also effective. These rather radical
measures should be ACCOMPANIED by a
careful screening of the house and
the destruction of any specimens that
may have found entrance. Assurance
is given that if these directions are
carefully followed ~ may live in the
most malarious country without fear
of contracting the maladv.
Typhoid In the country is a result
of the lack of modern sanitary plumb
ing and underground drainage. In
the spread of this disease common
house flies are the main carriers. This
was conclusively proved by the Army
Typhoid Fever Commission. which
investigated the shocking spread of
the disease at the army concentration
cauIus 4 tine summer of 1898. Unlike
is m squito the hv does not intro
duce me germs of the disease INTO
the human system through "A bite, but
bv communicating food supplies. The
common occurrence in the country
near TO mans habltation of stables,
which are exceptionally favorable
breeding places for flies, results III
large Numbers of flies eventually find
ing heir way into the kitchen. The
lack of under-drainage largely in
creases the opportunities of these flies
becoming infected with typhoid
germs, through the existence of any
one case in the ~neighborhood. These
two conditions. together with until
tered water. make typhoid u special
IRISH in the country.