The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-11-22
FIGHTING THE MOSQUITO.

SAhAAN0 IhE MOSQUITO.
Methods Successful at Panama Might
Work Here.
Without question the ability Of
science to exterminate the MOSQUITO.
given the proper paraphernalia for
that purpose. We venture to suggest
that 1t will not do to argue success
In New Jersey and on Long Island
from the achievements reported from
tho Isthmus Of Panama. Contrary to
the prevailing superstition, the mos
quito Is not at It's best as regards
numbers In the tropics. The insect
prevails there as In Vera Cruz, Ha-
vana. Rio and other FAR southern To-
calities but he gets more numerous
and more ferocious as one travels
north. and In Alaska and Siberia be-
comes an actual menace to human
life. To rid the canal zone OF mos
quitoes was easy compared with the
project Of the scientists In this re-
gion.
On the Isthmus. in Vera Cruz, Ha-
vana. and other tropical and semi
tropical districts the mosquito Is sell
dom seen In such vast clouds as In
various places near New York. The
Insect 10 not nearly 30 numerous IN
the tropics a. In New Orleans, whore
scme years ago the local authorities
triumphantly announced its final sx-
termination and where subsequently
1t appeared In myriads. It Ii doubt
full whether the measures that have
been SO successful on the isthmus,
methods which have never been re-
iaxed for an instant, will bring about
similar results In these parts even II
II be feasible to adopt and practice
them. We do not believe that the
system established by Colonel Cor
gas In the canal zone would be ef-
fective In this neighborhood even II
IT. application we're feasible. He had
comparatively few mosquitoes TO deal
with and unlimited means at his dis
posal. We have them not only in
bewildering numbers but of myster-
ious origin and habits.
There are many collateral fallacies
In connection with the mosquito. One
will solemnly announce to you that
the mosquito can not propagate with
out water. Another will say that It
can not move more than half a mile,
though that limit has been extended
lately to five miles. This would 20
to show that II you destroy the
breeding places. abolish water bar
rels and tin cans and the like and
every neighbor within
radius Of Ave miles to adopt similar
tactics you at least would be exempt.
II isn't true. We know of houses
that were closed. say on June 1, the
water turned of. the screens put In
and the windows closed. These
houses were left In that condition un-
III early October. No mosquitoes
could get In or out. Nevertheless
when the premises were thrown open
four months later mosquitoes were
there In greatly Increased numbers,
doing business at the old stand and
making life n torment az before. Al
few years ago. after a mosquito cru
'ade In Orange. It was boastfully an
nounced that the pest had been elm
mated. The following year mos
luitoes appeared In countless swarrns.
and the leader OF the once triumph
ant crusade fed forever from the set
tlement and betook himself to more
neighborhoods.
Do we really understand the mos
quito? To base a hypothesis upon
'he alleged success OF Colone Gorgas
ln Panama seems very problematical.
The local scientists say they can do
the trick II provided with the neces-
sary means. and possibly they may.
But what assurance have we that
their postulate is correct? How do
we know that the methods which ap-
pear to have been successful in Pan
anna will At the needs I'm this vicin-
it.-New York Sun.
A Correction.