The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-07-30

ar Inal k4tiies an amount S1EHfie1Snt =
meet the demand was pledged. a sn-
perintendent appointed and work be-
gun.
To start with, some OF the most in
telligent of our community were very
dubious as TO our being able to ac-
conplish anything, giving as some of
their reasons that mosquitoes lived
in damp grass. in aigeroba trees, in
fern leaves, etc. all of which are i'm
possibilities
These impressions have probably been
gathered from the fact that mosquitoes
seek shelter in all of the above men,
toned places
With the assistance of the regular
force of sanitary inspectors, a system
attic search for, and collection of Gin
cans, pots. pans, bottles and all con-
tanners likely to hold water. was made
and this debris carted to a seow and
dumped far out at sea. To demon
strate the good we claimed would re-
suit from such cleaning up. and 10 in
terest the citizens in the campaign
this work was done without any ex-
pense whatever to the householder.
and carried on for some months, sew
eral hundred tons of such rubbish be-
ing so disposed Of after which time.
the inspectors have been getting peo-
pie, that do not use the regular gar
bage service, to bury the objectionable
containers. This with the usual warn
ing against standing water, an appeal
, to regularly oil cesspools. etc. and a
thorough distribution of circulars giving
instructions as to mosquito control
Board of Health circular No. 1-were
! the first steps taken
The public hayebeen encouraged to
report places where mosquitoes were
unusually thick, and in no case where
/ such complaint has been made follow
ed up, and the instructions of the ex-
aiming inspector followed out, have
the pests been as troublesome as be-
fore. In most cases the annoyance has
been done away with altogether. This
is no hasty conclusion from one single
instance, but result from scores of ex-
periences extending from Waikiki to
Waialua.
There are very few of the general
public, that do not recognize the good
accomplished, and the difference in the
, mosquito nuisance noticed in and
/ around Honolulu, since the work start
ed A very conservative estimate is
less than usual. With the experience
gained in this years work it is the
opinion of your agent that next sea-
son still better showing will be made.
With regard to the cooperation of
the different departments, with the
Board of Health to assist this move
ment. while all have assisted to the
fullest extent. the Department of Pub
Every appeal for assistance has been
granted. from the loan of a gang Of
prison laborers to ditch, clean, or drain.
team of mules or wagon to gather
tin cans, to the loan of a shovel or
rake. All of these and many other
favor have been asked for and grant
ed readily. With such assistance from
the different departments. the work is
made much easier and more effective.
As far as possible for some time con-
siderable work has been done on per-
manent improvements, such as filing,
draining, or ditching, so that should
such another wet spell come, as we had
during the early part of this year,
there will not be as many places to
hold the water In one instance here
in town, one owner at the suggestion of
black sand to fill in a low-lying spot.
Dozens of instances where the amount
of filing required varied from a few
wheeIbarrow loads, to a dray load,
have been run across, and in every in
stance one more breeding place has
been permanently done away with.
This campaign which was started
not for the purpose of killing every
Tel T76e aS
experiment, and with the idea of doing
away with as many of the pests as
possible, has shown us clearly what
can be done, and it is sincerely hoped
that the mosquito movement will re-
main a permanent organization, as
few months of neglect or Indifference.
would cause things to drift along to the
conditions encountered at the start
Below you will find the financial re-
port which shows what funds have
been received and how spent. The most
rigid economy has been practiced, and
for the amount of money expended an
enormous amount of work has been ac- (,
complished All our subscriptions are
small. the total being less than 5000
per month. 1t is hoped that in the new
year of our work, many new subscrib- |
ers will come forward and help along !
a work that not only benefits them |
selves, but the whole community.
Respectfully submitted,
ALEX. D. LARNACH.
Entomologist Van Dine, who has made !
an exhaustive, and therefore valuable
study of the mosquitoes in the islands, |
gave an excellent lantern slide exhibit