The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-19
SHOULD Be FEW MOSQUITOES.
If THE HEALTH BOARD CAN DO
1T. THERELL RE NONE IN TOWN.

III r. HE DE sNON Il Nv xVW We
And Everywhere the Insects VIII Have .
Hard Time This Summer-<;eneraI war
Declared Against Them In Long
Island. Jersey and Round About There.
1t Is generally agreed now that the mos
quito must go. He-and she. particularly
she, for she is the worse Of the two-must
especially 60 from New York city, and from
reports that are coming In from all sections
OF the country where they have exerted
pernicious activity It appears that pretty
nearly everybody has got tired Of them.
So far as this city is concerned officially.
a beginning was made last summer toward
the destruction OF the pest. which the soien-
lists now say does more to sprinkle malaria
around than any other one thing. This
year the Health Department, under Com
missioner Lederle, will take up the work
with renewed vigor and with better ad-
vantages. and those who are at the head OF
the movement promise that there will be
mighty few mosquitoes in New York this
summer. and that in a very few years, pos
sibly only one or two. there won't be any
such thing as a mosquito in the whole city.
The work that the health authorities are
doing will be well supplemented this year
all around New York by wealthy residents
Of the suburban districts. William c. Whit
ney has already begun to reclaim from the
pest a district Of Jamaica Bay marsh con-
tanning more than forty square miles; and
others, come banded and some working
a lone. are doing the same on perhaps
A Sun reporter had q talk few days ago
with a man who has identified himself with
Health Commissioner Lederles work, and
having spent a good part OF his life IN the
study OF the problem, is well quaii1ed to
talk about it.
The movement against the mosquito,
said he, -has now extended all over the
world. Here we are fighting the mosquito
to Danish malaria. In Cuba they have
fought II to get rid 81 yellow fever. One
against the pest has been carried on In and
around Havana, where the authorities have
carried on the work under military SUPER
vision.
$50 far as our plans here are concerned.
we are going to do all we can this summer
to break up the pest. The most active part
OF the WORK VIII begin in a few days, but IT
is already in progress to some extent. We
have a sort of three-fold plan.
First, we have asked physicians all over
the city to report to us at once any malaria
cases they may get. In that way we hope
to find out in what sections the greatest
trouble IL. In the case OF the hospitals
there is an order to the same effect. Sec
ond. we have asked all doctors to keep
malaria patients under mosquito bars
80 that the disease may not be unnecessarily
spread. Third, we have made arrange
ments to 60. at a minutes notice, TO any
spot where a doctor tells US he thinks there
is malaria.
BESIDES this. we are trying TO make
everybody appreciate the fact that the
l.. aplx, Ian n hn
public health, but is also detrimental TO
property values. The department Is con-
stanfly waging a campaign 40 far as filling
up pools or draining them on or making
them impossible as ,mosIuito-oreedins
map Of the city. showing just where all
these pools are and our men are instructed
to look after them all they can. Whero
the pools are on private property We try
to pet the cooperation OF the owner Where
he doesn't work with the department will
lingly we will take steps to compel him
to helpus.
we are trying to educate the owners
that II IL to their interest to cover up all
old wells, roof tanks and cesspools. 20 that
the mosquitoes can't breed In them. From
THE worst spots in the city for mos.
quitocs are now on the eastern shore OF
Long Island and the southern shore OF
Staten Island, The work OF retaining
the work Of reclamation is carried on as
II soon will be. unless all signs fail II will
result in one of the best Investments that
could be made.
I'VE are now enjoying the, cooperation
Department 70 degree that Y
highly satisfactory. Central Park itself
has always been a breeding place for the
but Park Commissioner Wilcox
has promised US his aid. and the park will
be virtually free from the pest and perfectly
sanitary this summer.
We have made a creditable beginning
and we will soon do a great deal more.
The Health Department has already
issued several thousand pamphlets warn
Ing people to 20; rio Of the MOSQUITO Psss
rule on which emphasis Is laid Is mo stand.
ing water A new pamphlet will be issued
The heads Of the Health Department
are much inter rs,, IN the w Work o. recla-
ing on In the district west OF Jamaica Bay.
This work 1, under the direction Of Henry
c. Weeks, who, in the summer OF 1901. did
extensive work In the reclamation at Centre
Island for group Of men W " which F cI
gate Hoyt and William d. Guthrie were
prominent. That work has already been
highly Endorsed by the Government ohicials
The work now being carried on Tor Mr..
Whitney will not be finished at his expense.
Al least, that is not the plan. He 10 merely |,
showing the rest Of the people In his neigh |
borhood a good example and inviting them |
to follow Il to the end. His particular |
part OF the work will be around his sum. |
mer racing home, to the east and south OF |
Creek.
The scheme OF development. however, |
looks forward to the retaining OF all the !
jamaica Bay meadows west Of Big Channel |
and RUNE Bar, including the marshes |
around Canarsie Landing. Bergen Beach, |
Barren Island, Plum Beach and those back |
~ Coney Island in Sheepshead Bay and !
T;rayeserd Bay. Mr.. Weeks Is confident |
hat everlasting good OF great extent will |
RESULT 10 ali the district mapped out for /
operations, and that the benefits Of even the |
preliminary work will be felt In large de- /.
pr,e this summer at the beaches and sum- !
merine dist ricts, of which Manhattan Beach |
Is the most notable
Oiling all standing water which cannot |
h, drained of Immediately will be the first !
,art OF the actual work. Then there will /
per Gin tho task OF ditching large areas 40 as
n free the marshes from the water that lies !
.ta enant upon them and TO lay foundation |
'or the filling in with soil which is sure to |
cone later.
DR.. John B. Smith carried on Q good work |
m New Jersey last year. As state Ento- /
noloeist he was not able 70 do half as much |
rs he wanted to do officially. but he aroused !
, n,blio sentiment which In bound 70 work ,
MOI