The Democratic advocate., 1909-03-05
PERILs FOR ROOSEVELT.
DR.. Watson Says Insects In Africa
Are Dangerous.


DR.. VIM. t. Watson, Of Baltimore,
delivered lecture In that city Tues
day night on the relation OF insects to
the dissemination OF disease, and said
President Roosevelt's great danger in
Africa would be his liability OF being
stung by insects. He said In part
"The attention of the whole world
viii soon be concentrated upon Presi-
dent Rooseyelt's trip to Africa in
search Of big game. Mr.. Rooseyelt's
hunting trip will begin in the British
East Africa. While there are some
dangers to the hunter from the large
game, yet they sink into inslgnificance
when compared to those with which
he is exposed from the bites Of sever
al varieties of insects. The dangers
from insects, however, have been won
derfully lessened by the medical men,
who, by means of the most laborous
and painstaking research, and in some
instances at the sacrifice OF their own
lives, have located the dangers and
pointed out the way OF escape
"On the shores of Lake Victoria
Nyanza, not far from where Mr. Roose-
welt begins his hunt. the deadly sleep
ing sickness now prevails. No one
has ever been known to recover from
this disease untreated Dr. Koch
recently spent year In this region
studying the disease and methods OF
prevention and cure. On the island
where he lived a population OF 10000
persons had dwindled In few years
TO 10000, and quite half OF these were
afflicted with the disease.
The disease is conveyed 10 man
only by the bite OF ny which has
previously bitten person with sleep
ing sickness. The ny lives In bushes
along the margins OF the streams and
feeds for the most part upon crocodile
blood DIR. Koch recommends as
means prevention the destruction OF
and the destruction of erocodilaa,
thus depriying the fly OF its food
and shelter. o.
Ticks In some parts uf the world
live very much as bedbugs do In our
/ own country. They inbabit the crew.
ces Of houses by day and feed upon
the inmates al night They are re-
sponRible for the deadly disease
known MS human tick fever The
germs OF this disease are taken from
the person bitten. then transmitted
through the egg TO the Offspring and
from the offspring 10 the people they
feed upon.
The fiea is now known TO be an in
dispcnaable link In the propagation OF
bubonic qlBgue. This scourge, which
~ now raging In India and causing IN
the neighborhood Of 900 900 deaths
/ annually. has been asctrtnIncd TO be
essentially rat disease, in which
human beings participate.
The mosquito has been tried and
convicted upon the charge Of convey
Ing to man three Of the most deadly
scourges-malarla. yellow fever and
elcphantiaslA A bite from a moa-
1 quito In tropical countries may mean
death TO the one bitten from yellow
/ fever or malaria, or a hideous and
| lifelong deformi,y known az cle-
| phantinsia
The common house fy in not
biting ny, but, nevertheless, Ia the
most dangerous insect Its legs when
/ studied microaeopicaily are seen TO
l 10 be particularly adapted for carry
/ ing germs OF disease. When they ailght
upon the sputu ~ the Tuberculosis
or upon the eycretia 0f the typhoid
/ patient the germs adhere TO the
gpinea upon their legs When the
| nics fall into our milk or crawl over
our bccfsisak our food becomes In
| 0cnlated With the germs Of this dis
case Screening against alea should
be universally practiced and their
breeding grounds done away with
The house ny lays lis eggs and grows
10 maturity only In stable refuse.
The increasing use Of automobiles
and the consequent doing away with
/ private stables will materially dimin.
ish the number OF flies