The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-07-30
a uKEAT SHOWING Il Ok
ANTI-MOsQUITO CRUSADE
Continued from page II


that they We're treated with kerosene.
1.-THE president of the Board of Health,
acting in behalf of the Board, proffered
every assistance in the power of that
body, which has reHgiously been carried
out to the present time, thus rendering
the campaign assistance which it would
not otherwise been financially able to
obtain.
The superintendent of Public Works.
through the Superintendent of the Car
Dage Department, offered assistance of
that department and valuable work mas
been done: 1t was agreed, as no funds
were available, that public subscription
be asked for. and L am glad to say that
the response was sufficient to enable
the committee to proceed with the
work. the results during the past year
5ustifying the expenditure and realizing
to a great extent our expectations in
abating the nuisance.
To further the efficiency of the work
an agent of the committee was appoint
ed to take general charge of the move
ment and carry out detail work. The
following committees We're proposed
and adopted: General, executive, fl
nance and advisory. The President of
the Board of Health was made perna-
nent chairman of the committee with
executive power to act. Under this
power the appointment of Mr.. A. D.
Larnach, as agent of the Citizens
Mosquito Committee, was made and his
work during the past year has proven
the choice wise one An official cir
cuIar was at once gotten out, stating
objects and instructions for carrying out
!, the work, and published in several ian
guages, and while in Washington 1
heard remarks of complimentary ma
ture for the energy and mode of push
ing our Territorial crusade.
In carrying out this great work the
BOARD of Health have lent every moral
and financial aid in it's power-the use
of it's offices, Office force. sanitary in
spectors, horses and wagons, etc. The
Garbage Department has done and is
still doing excellent work. One of the
chief functions of department of
health in this connection is educational.
People must be taught the danger as
they already know the annoyance from
mosquitoes. They must be taught how
mosquitoes are to be eradicated from
any given section of the country and be
enlightened to the point where they will
gladly cooperate in the work of any
central organization which is endeavor-
ing to abate the nuisance and disease
caused by mosquitoes. Should the
Board of Health endevor to use its pow
ers in forcing owners of large tracts of
low lying property, to fill and drain
these tracts, especially if they are I'M
productive, would perhaps be an abuse
of the function of government. On the
other hand. by educating owners UP to
the point where they can see the adj
vantage of this drainage work as we
- nd re int
will be combined for the improvement
of all parts of this city.
The beginning we have made here
would not have been possible without
the public interest and cooperation
shown during the past year. The move
ment has passed beyond the humorous
stage through which all radical meas
Jres seem to have to pass. TO be sure
the "skeptics" have been very much IN
evidence but I believe that even the
most skeptica1 would, if he answered
honestly, be obliged to admit, much
good has been accomplished in dinlin-
ishing the numbers of this pest. The
heavy and continuous rains for several
weeks in the winter months, simply
showed the necessity of getting rid OF
the places where water has the chance
to accumulate and become stagnant.
of mosquitoes showed the error of the
idea of determination and mentioned
the fact that many gallons of oil had
been spread broadcast, not taking into
consideration that relatively but a drop
had been used. even if the idea had
been to rely on the oil for determination
apparently ignorant of the fact that
the successful plan of abatement must
mean the destruction of breeding places
and not the temporary work of killing
the mosquito, after they have reached
the larval and pupal stage, by sprink-
ling oil on the water.
The first National Anti Mosquito Con- |
vention was called in New York city |
last December. Among those VINO par
ticipated were some of the most pro-
minent scientific and business men of
the country, for example, Fredk Z.
Beach, editor Scientific American; /
VIM. H. Baldwin. Jr.. Esq, president |
L. l. r. r.: Preston II. Baikchu, Sur |
geon u. S. Public Health and U. s. NJ.
n. Service; Robt w. de Forrest, presi- |
dent Tenement House Commission;
VIM. c. Gorgas, Col. and Asst. Surgeon
General U. S. A; John Clafiin. Esq, I
president H B. Claf1in Co, n. Y City;
/ Leland O. Howard, Phi. D., Wash, ID.
C; Gone of the most prominent entomo-
logists in the United States); DR.. Ernest
j. Lederle, president Department OF
Health of New York; John B. Smith,
State Entomologist of New Jersey, and
there are many others of equal fame
deserving of mention. At the annual
conference of State and Territorial
health officials, recently held at Wash
ington, D. c., and at which it was my
privilege to be present, the mosquito
problem received attention. Probably
no place has shown more remarkable
results in fighting this plague than Ha-
vana- Assistant Surgeon General