The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-05-07
pnoyIDING AGAINST DISEASE.

We believe the scientists are pretty generally agreed that mosquitoes are largely responsible for yellow fever and other malarial diseases. Experi- ments have been so exhaustive and so carefully conducted that there can be little doubt of the fact that this clsas of disease is caused by germs. and that toes and are by them disseminated and deposited in healthy persons. thus bringing on the same disease in the new patient This is why. according vorite breeding places for mosquitoes. and Why certain diseases are more prevalent there than elsewhere.
 If this Is true, it follows that the obvious methods of preventing or stamping out these diseases Is to get rid of the cause. If the mosquitoes are responsible for the existence and spread of malarial levers, 1t is plain that the first and proper thing to do is to de- stroy them. Hardly any higher civic duty rests on any town or community than to preserve the health of the citi- zens. If it Is made plain to the author ities that there is a local and remov- able cause for any epidemic that may exist. or for any unusual unhealthiness among the people. all will agree that the authorities would be culpable. if not criminal. if they neglected to remove that cause. In this connection. we note that pr. Allen. Health Officer of the city of Louisville. lis planning a campaign against disease and mosquitoes for the summer" and one of the city papers says:
 It is intended by Dr. Allen to com bat the mosquito evil with greater the Board of Public Works, at Dr. AL lens suggestion. twice covered tn" bonds and stagnant pools of water about the city with oil The experi- ment proved a success. and fewer mos quitoes than common annoyed Louis vile citizens and carried disease germs. This year Dr. Allen expects to have the ponds covered with oil at least four times. The oil spreads over the sur face of the water and prevents the eggs of the mosquitoes from matching. The Fiscal Court will be asked to cooperate in the movement and sprinkle oil on the ponds in the county.
 It will be seen from the above that both the county and city authorities propose to take a hand this year. and that is we'll While mosquitoes, as q general thing. do not wander far from their breeding places. 1t Is a well-es- tablished fact that high winds will often carry them for miles and leave them in places where none would be found under ordinary circumstances.
 Montgomery has been sngularly free from epidemics of yellow fever, but sometimes we have them. We also have more or less malarial levers every summer. though they are few, compar- ed with other sections of the country. And. finally. we do have some mosoui- toes of our own. They are not so large, so numerous, or so ferocious as are those of some other places-New Jersey. for example-but we have them every summer. and even if they are in- dividualy small. one of them is strong enough to carry pretty good load of fever germs. That they will do this is as certain as that any of the breed are guilty of it.
 would 1t not be a measure of pru- dence, or, rather, is it not a civic duty which the authorities of our Capital City and of Montgomery County owe to the people, to prepare in time to Al
 abate an evil which may become seri- ous? There are not many breeding places for mosquitoes in the city or in us Immediate vicinity. but there are some--enough to breed such numbers as will not only be an annoyance. but menace to the health of the citizens But there are in the surrounding coun- try numerous ponds. lagoons and swamps which breed them in countless numbers. and they can find ways to reach us, or will be driven here bv tho winds. It will not be an expensive or serious job to take such precautiop. ary measures as Dr. Allen recommends TOT Louisville. and the proverbial stitch In time may be the means of preventing both annoyance and dangerous diseases. The subject is an important one. when considered in all It's actual and possible bearings.
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