The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-06-14
Special to The Globe.

Special to The Globe.
JERSEY CITY, n. J., June 13.-The
conflicting opinions prevalent here
concerning the value of petroleum oil
as a mosquito eradicator have thrown
a damper over the opening of the
summer season.
The recent attack on the recorder
of Bloomfield, n. j., by one of the new
species recently classified as gargan-
tum anOpheles has thrown much cold
water on the vaunted oil theory.
It is claimed that the new variety
has been developed by feeding on the
oil supplied by the board OF health and
intended for the destruction of the
pests.
Shorn Of it's fabulous attributes and
brought down to the plane of approx
mate fact it appears that the new
form of mosquito is at any rate a sub
ject of grave apprehension and when
fully developed a subject for consider
alton by both ornithologiSts and en-
tomOlOgists, probably supplying a
missing link between the Andean mos
quito and humming bird.
At this rate of progression armored
houses will become a necessity to resi-
dents Of the Jersey meadows, an au-
tOmobile mask and chain armor suits
being other requisites.
Evidently the American health au-
thorities are much at sea as to a
means for counteracting this growing
evil of American life.
Anyone who has lived in India,
where mosquitoes are plentiful enough
must be surprised at this inability of
the most resoureeful people on earth
to cope with an everyday nuisance.
India Has Mosquito Plant.
In India the mosquito plant"
(ocimum viride) settles this question.
The allied basiIs have been known
from time imnemorIa1 to the Hindu
throughout India as a defense against
mosquitoes and a prophylacttc in ma
lariouS districts.
They recognize several species, such
as rantulsi, or wild Tulsi;" sufaid-
tulsi, or white Tulsi;" ka1a-t uIsi, or
black Tulsi' (sweet basilI Ram tulsi
90. gratissimum) Krishna- tuISf; and
tulSi, par excellence, called also par
nasa 60. sanctum). One or other Of
these basfls is found growing every
where in India, especially about tenn
pies, and most Of them are grown In
gardens; in farther India especially
they are planted upon and about
graves; and a decoction of the stalks
and leaves is a universal remedy in
cases Of material fever.
The last-named species is sacred to
Vishuu, being called after the beautf
full Tulsi, who excited the jealousy Of
the fair maiden into the plant which
iVfshnu at once consecrated to the serv-
ice Of his most distinguishing rites.
The holy basiP' is therefore planted
before every Vaishnava house, and
every Vaishnava wears necklaces, or
armlets. and carries a rosary, made up
of sections of it's stalks or roots; and
Hindus are sworn on the waters of the
Ganges poured into the palm of the
hand, crossed with a sprig Of holly
basil; and sprigs Of the plant are borne
by the Brahmans at all funeral cere-
monies. One of the most charming
sights in India-tIe India of the Hin
dus-is that Of a fair Brahmini wom-
an, in the village of the Decean
CTight-hand" country, early every
morning, after having ground the corn
for the daily bread of the family and
performed her simple toilet. with the
fearless frankness Of the Athenian Ia
dies at the fair-fowfng fountains of
Callirrhoe, walking with stately steps
and slow, round and round (pra- dark
shtna. turning to the right. E.. with
the sums shadow the Tulsf plant
placed on the four horned altar before
the house of ''the father OF her chill
dren," invoking on him and them with
outstretched arms and upIifted eyes of
Eupphcatfon, the blessings Of au-in-
duIgent heaven-that is. praying for
less and less carboltc acid, and even
more and more oxygen-a perfect OBJ
ject lesson IN sanitation. art and relt-
giou. When the Victoria Gardens and
Albert museum were established in
Bombay the men employed on these
works were at first go peStered by mos
QuItoes and suffered so much from ma
jarious fever that, on the recommends
ton Of the Hindu karbari. Or manager,
the entire boundary Of the gardens
was planted with holy basil, and any
other basil at hand. on which the
plague Of mosquitoes was at once