The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1909-04-20
LOSS FROM INSECTS.


An interesting bulletin lately by of En-
tOmology of the T. s. Department of Agriculture is entitled
Economic Loss to the People of the United States through
Carry Disease 1t by Dr. H. O. Howard chief
In the introduction there facts now
familiar, also some rather startling ones less commonly
known Among things definitely proved and generally ac-
cepted is mentioned chat malaria in its different forms is
disseminated among the individuals of the human species by
the mosquitoes of the AnOphee and that the maa
rial organism gains entrance to the human system so far as
known, only by the bite of mosquitoes OF TINS genus
and chat yellow fever disseminated by the bite of mos.
quito known StegOmya caOpus POSSIBLY by the bites of
other mosquitoes OF the same genus anu SO ir as mas
discovered this disease is disseminated only in this way
SO much for what has often been published here and else
where Probably what follows will come as shock to most
people, of the Insects named propagaOrs of Oath-
deadly disease being commonly regarded merely
agents of discomfort: Further has been scenthcay
demonstrated that the house fly an active agent
in the dissemination of typhoid fever Asatc cholera and
other intestinal diseases by carrying the causave organisms
of these diseases from the of patients to the food
ply of healthy Individuals and that certain species of eas
are the active agents In the conveyance OF Ouoohc plague
Moreover the tropical disease known farass is transmit
ted by species of mosquito" ,
This last item contains serious warning to all in
habans of tropical countries Filariass in develop
ment is the horrible disease elephanas prevalent in groups
of the South Sea Islands, which is the scientific name for
black leprOy The definition of "Flara" in the Standard
Dictionary follows: a. genus typical of Filaridae
namatode or thread worm of this genus, parasitic in
man and other animals F. medinemis is the guinea worm
F. sangun hOmins is formed in the blood of those affected
with chylura elephanasis.'
Proceeding the bulletin quoted says: puruent oph-
thalma of the Nile basin carried by the house fly SINH
lar disease the Fiji the insect
The house fly has been shown to be minor factor the
spread of tuberculosis The bedbug has
the dissemination of several diseases The literature
the whole subject has grown enormously during the
years and the economic loss to the human species through
these insects is tremendous At the time
entirely unnecessary the diseases question be contrO
ed and the suppression of the conveying insects absolute
y vital with certain of these diseases important the
Others can be brought about
1t is unnecessary to summarize the entire bulletin
It's demonstrations being generally known but
ments worth noting The of screening against
secs in the United States alone exceed ten
lions of dollars per annum PrOf Irving Fisher in one of
thp Tntar
SreSs, declared that tuberculosis
ed States more than billion dollars wear" The annual
death late from malaria in the United given
nearly 10000 These taken scores of startling sta
the bulletin. commenting address in
by Ronald Ross before the Oxford Medical Society in 1906
In considering carefully this suggestive argument of
Major toss does 1t not appear Indicate the tremen-
douS influence that the prevalence of endemic disease
must exert the of modp,n notions oIn5
uoeS 1t not bring the thought that those nations that
"ie must advanced IN sanitary science
meGlcIhe WILL other things being equal, assume the
lead in the worlds work? Who can estimate tIo ind,
eIce ol the sanitary laws Of the Hebrew scripures nm
on the extraordinary persistence of that race trounb
INJURIES Oh European GppressiOP- fnl of
plague years and of terrible mortality from nrpventaho
- ana what more striking example can be adj
''e' OF the effect Of an enlightened and scientifically
careful attention to the most recent odvonooa 20 ~
'Tn'Ne medicine upon tire progress of nations than
'"' "oFantY statistics of the japanese armies in to
IV'ehI luSSo"jananese compared with tho con
po o,n| STATISTICS for the British during the
III war Immediately preceding, the American
date? We" at S""e"hat earlier
win great chorus approval Yesterday tbe rTons
itIf f own certificate of good character, proclaimed
pft