Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1902-05-23
TIE MOSQUITO WAR.
Drainage and Fish the best Method
For Checking the Pest

For Checking the Pest.
The biological department of the
Massachusetts Institute of. Technology
has been engaged the past winter. I'M
der the direction OF Professor William
I. Sedgwick, In study OF the condl.
tons most favorable to breeding mos
qultoes and OF the best way to get rid
of these conditions. Heretofore the
use OF kerosene oil sprayed on the sur
face of the breeding pools has been the
remedy most commonly employed. The
mosquito larvae, thrusting their long
breathing tubes out OF the water, take
in oil Instead OF air and are speedily
sufrocated. 1t is suggested by Profess
or Sedgwick's department, however.
that the use OF oil, while excellent for
the time being. is only a temporary
expedient after all, and that drainage
or swamps in the neiShborhood of
towns and cities and the stocking of
ponds with certain varieties of fish
are the most efficient means OF perma-
nently eliminating n pest which, il is
now known, is the cause OF all human
malaria.
The question OF draining the marshes
and stagnant pools, which are the
breeding places OF the MOSQUITO. has
been interestingly illustrated in the
neighborhood of Boston, where the so
called fresh pond marshes were for n
long time source OF malariaI infec-
ton throughout the neighboring towns.
Under Massachusetts law which
gives boards OF health authority to
abate such nuisances the boards of
TWO or these towns. Belmont and Cam
bridge, co-operated in building a canal
half a mile in length, which successful.
~ drained considerable area of the
land. The cost was only $1,000. and
not only was the improvement which
resulted highly important from a SAM.
tary point OF view, decreasing the
number or mosquitoes and greatly re-
ducing the prevalence OF malaria, but
many acres of meadow and woodland
were redeemed and made useful. IT Is
believed at the Institute Of Technology
that similar scheme of drainage may
be found useful, from many points OF
view, in the case of q large number
OF cities and towns In other parts OF
the country.
Even with the best system of drain
age, however, there must still be ponds
and sluggish waterways. Here IL ia
recommended tAa< kee<osn from mos
.Quitoes may often be secured by intro.
ducing certain varieties OF fish which
feed on mosquito larvae Among those
mentioned are the stickleback. the ton
minnow, the sunfish, or pumpkin"
and the goldfish. Ii has been maintain
ed for some time that carp, OF which
the goldfish Is one variety, did not eat
mosquito larvae, but experiments under
taken by AIR. w. l.. Underwood at the
institute have apparently proved the
contrary, at least so far as the goldfish
are concerned. Mr.. Underwood put
goldfish in an aquarium together with
number of the larvae Of the anopheles
mosquito-the variety, that is. which
carries the germ of malGria-and was
able to show that under these condi-
tons the goldfish ate the larvae without
question and apparently with great rel
1sh. To convince the skeptical he took
OF the operation, which are
soon to be published in one of the mag.
azines. Goldfish will thrive and null
tiply in shallow waters like those
which sare commonly frequented by
mosquitoes even when ice forms nearly
to the bottom of the ponds. and they
seem to be particularly desirable In the
waters OF park reservation. where, IL
anywhere. the mosquito is so distinctly
out OF place.