The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-05-13
DEATH BY KEROSENE.
CONTINUED From Tenth Page

continued From Tenth Page.
obtains his supply of fever germs by
Iting person already suffering from
he disease, and after retaining these
germs in his own body for certain
line he transfers some of them by his
bite into the bodies of persons not af-
ected, much in the same way that
yaccine virus is taken into the sys-
tenn.
"In due time malarial fever develops
with all its troublesome and dangerous
consequences, and the patient affords
i new source of infection to other mos
quitoes and through them to other per-
sons. When we think of the suffering,
sickness, doctors bills and death of
friends and loved ones, all caused by
so small a thing as a mosquito, which
through our carelessness has been
allowed to hatch out in some stagnant
water near our homes, ought we not to
use all reasonable means at our dis
poSal for his determination?
From Bulletin No. % of the United
States Department of Agriculture, pre-
pared by L. o. Howard, it is shown
that there are about two hundred and
fifty species of mosquitoes known, of
which about thirty have been found in
the United States. Those that carry
malaria have all been found to belong
to the species Anopheles, and these
are abundant in the Southern States.
Howard says: SO far as is. definitely
known, the larvae of all mosquitoes
are aquatic; that is, they live
in water.
Breed in the Water.
1T is believed that mosquitoes
can hatch out only in water
1t is safe to conclude that
the presence of mosquitoes indl-
Gates also the presence of standing wa
ter not far away. Wherever the female
mosquito finds standing water she lays
upon its surface a number of eggs, per-
hans about two hundred in one night,
in a tiny brown boat-shaped mass
which floats upon the water. In from
twelve to twenty-fOur hours these eggs
hatch out and the young larvae be-
come the common 'wrigglers' or wig
gle-t tails often seen in stagnant water.
while these larvae live under the
water they must come to the surface
from time to time for air, for they
breath air through a long, peculiar
shaped tube which they thrust above
the surface of the water when they
rise. They remain in this larvae state
several days, and then pass to the pupa
or chrysalis form, from which 1t in
turn, energies into the full grown mos
quito. The time occupied for the whole
process of transformation is perhaps on
the average about ten days, though this
is much modified by the temperature.
Kerosene Is Certain Death.
kerosene oil has been found to be
quickly fatal to all forms of mosquito
life. A very thin film of kerosene oil
upon the surface of a pool of water
will kill every larva in a few min
utes. When they come to the surface
for air the oil is drawn into their air
tubes and they quickly fall dead on
the bottom. The vapor of kerosene is
also deadly to the female that APP
proaches the water to lay her eggs,
and she falls at once upon the oiled
surface of the water. About one ounce
of oil to every fifteen square feet has
been found to be about the right
quantity.
.'It is not known how far mosquitoes
may fly from their breeding places.
This doubtless depends very much up
on the force of the wind. While I'M
der some circumstances mosquitoes
may be blown one, two or three miles
by the wind there are strong reasons
for believing that they usually do not
get very far from their breeding places.
While it is probable that many mos
quitoes come into the city from
bitches and stagnant pools near by It
is also very probable that by far the
greater NUMBER WHICH WHY OS W
day and night are Matched out within
the city very near our homes, perhaps
in the back yard, where some water
has been allowed to stand in a tub,
bucket, barrel or other vessel. Every
housekeeper ought to make regular
weekly inspections of his premises to
see that no water is left in such YES
sells for the breeding places of mos
quitoes The sewer traps at the street
faWnra hla breeding
places for them. A tablespoonful of
kerosene poured into these traps once
every ten days would insure their
freedom from mosquito larvae.
1T is to be hoped that the people
will give this matter their attention,
for I really believe that by little ap-
probation of the thoughts l have sug-
gested and by very little trouble in
cooperation we may rid ourselves very
largely of these little pests which an
noy US so much and which, as we see.
are so dangerous to our health and
our lives"
IIEO NnIhN tn TNnEE