Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-06-17

Anopheles mosquitoes do not fly for great
distances. After the breeding places are
found they should be drained or filed in
with earth or they should he rendered un-
inhabitable to the Anopheles larvae by
covering the surface If the water with a
thin film of kerosene OIL or by Introducing
certain fish which feed upon the larvae
such as top minnows, sticklebacks, young
sunfish or goldfish.
Pending the result of such discriminating
measures, all houses in malarious localities
should be carefully screened to prevent the
entrance of mosquitoes. After screening,
thorough search should be made in the
house for mosquitoes which have already
gained entrance. Such as are found roost-
ing upon the walls should be captured by
placing inverted vial over them. or they
may be stupefed by burning a small
amount of pyrethrum powder upon a tin
dish cover. Persons wishing to avoid ma
laria should not sit out of doors exposed to
the bites of mosquitoes at night. Persons
having malaria should be carefully screened
at night to prevent them from being bitten
by mosquitoes, which, becoming thus in
fected, would become potential carriers of
the disease. Such patients systematically
treated with quinine. the dose being always
given at the beginning of the chill will
soon be rid of the disease The time of the
dose is important, and the reasons for the
time have been abundantly proven by the
study of the life of the parasite in the
blood cells.
AS to Yellow Fever.
''One of the most important of these dis
ease transfer relations of insects which
has been demonstrated is the recently
proved carriage of yellow fever by certain
mosquitoes. The cause Of yellow fever has
always been mystery, and indeed it is a
mystery today in measure since although
undoubtedly disease of parasitic origin.
the parasitic organism itself has not vet
been discovered
During the summer and autumn of 1900
and spring and summer of 1901 the work
of commission of surgeons of the United
States army has demonstrated in Cuba be-
yond the slightest possible doubt that vel
low fever is not conveyed by infected cloth
ing OF yellow fever patients or by contact
with such patients or by proximity to them,
but that it Is conveyed by the bite of a
certain species Of mosquito known as Ste
gomyia fasciata, which abounds in regions
where yellow fever is possible The bite
of this mosquito, however does not con-
vey yellow fever to healthy person until
twelve days have elapsed from the time
when the same mosquito has bitten a per-
son suffering with the disease.
1T follows from this fact that by keeping
yellow fever patients screened from the
possibilities of mosquito bites we can pre-
vent the yellow fever mosquito from becom-
ing infected. 1t follows further that by
preventing healthy people from being bitten
by mosquitoes we can keep them free from
the disease even where infected mosoui-
toes exist. And it follows still further THAI
by the adoption of remedial measures look
ing toward the destruction in all stages of
the yellow fever mosquito We may reduce
to minimum the possibilities of the trans
fer of the disease
After demonstra ting the fact the medi-
cal officers of the army in Cuba have put
these measures into effect, and the results
nave been most gratifying. The health of
Havana has constantly improved. and at
the date of present writing the published
statement has just been made that during
the month of October, 1901, there was not
a single case of yellow fever in Havana
While October is usually the severest month
for that disease, and in fact during the
past ten years the average number of
deaths in the city during that month from
yellow fever has been 6f.27. This discovery
and this practical demonstration of its
truth, 1t seems must soon change all meth
DDS OF quarantine in the United States; and
it seems certain that in the future the gulf
cities Will no longer dread the disease or
remain subject to the great vital and eco
nomic loss to which they have been subject
from occasional yellow fever outbreaks
during past generations