The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-06-11

SPECIAL COMMITTEE or FLORIDA
MEDICAL ASSOCIATION WILL
ENoEAVoR TO EDUCATE THE
PUBLIC As TO THE CAUSES AND
PREVENTION.

year ago by the Florida Medical AS
| ISOLATION for the purpose Of carrying
on an active campaign against the ma
larial fevers In this state, now intend
publishing bulletins on the necessary
methods to combat this injection. It Is
hoped that by this method Of conduct
ing an educational campaign that much
can be accomplished In the immediate
future toward reduction Of this much
prevalent disease, and also to prepare
the way for a more drastic campaign
later, having in view the entire eltni-
| membered that In previous bulletins
published in the daily press throughout
the state was discussed the prevalence
of the disease, the economic loss sus-
tanned, the method of transmission, the
success that has been attained In
eradicating the disease wherever or
ganized effort has been made to do so
or at least a marked reduction In the
number of cases, and the lack Of such
organized effort in the southern states
Any movement toward the eradication
OF q disease must have from its incep-
ton, If 1t is to be successful, the com
plete cooperation Of those whom 1t is
intended to benefit.
To secure this, it is very necessary
that subject like malaria, its cause
and prevention, should in all its as
poets be thoroughly understood by the
general public. This committee be-
lieves that they have clearly shown
how the disease is transmitted. The
prevention of disease is a much sim
plifed problem when the factors neces-
sary for its transmission are known
Smallpox remained undated for CEN
turtles until Jenner discovered the value
of vaccination as a preventive meas
ure, rabies claimed its victims by the
hundreds until Pa5teur worked out the
prophyfact1c treatment for a person
bitten by a rabid animal, diphtheria
when once Il gained foothold in home
or institution claimed victims in spite
or all that could be done until the i'm
munizzng dOcage Of anti diphtherftic
serum was given to all exposed to the
infection, yellow fever was rampant
and remained unchecked until Reed
demonstrated that mosquitoes were re-
SpOBsibie for the transmission of the
disease, and lastly the crowning sue
cess of workers in preventive medicine
against typhoid fever infection, at the
present time being so successfully
demonstrated in our army now in
mobilization camps along the Mexican
frontier. The results obtained from
these various preventive measures
against disease have been notable and
crowned with glory many workers In
l.
however no field that offers such op-
poTtunfty Of benefit to the human race
as that Of the elimination Of malaria.
The subject Of the prevention Of ma
laF1a may be discussed from two main
standpoints, mechanical and medical.
Mechanical means at our disposal
for the prevention Of this disease con-
sist in the destruction of the mosquito
and protection against the bites of teh
insect. As an auxiliary to both Of these
We can employ certain chemical means.
With the knowledge that the ma
laTia1 mosquito Is not a migratory in
sect, that is, as a rule does not fly any
great distance from the breeding
place, the elimination of this disease
carrier is not the formidable PROPOSE
ton that IT might at first appear to be.
In other words any community where
malaria prevails, may by a study of
the topography OF their immediate
surroundings, eliminate tF'E mosquito.
Foremost as a tnosqui eradicator
stands drainage. The insect must have
water in which to breed, so that by a
system OF drainage properly estab-
hstled, many a malariaI community
could in a short time be rid of the dis
&c Sc. There is mass OF evidence on
tAis point where in some Of the older
states the lands have been draind for
AGRICULTURAL purposs, at a time when
TRANSMISSION
had 4 been given a thought. Thus
in Michigan and other middle western
states when that section was the seat
OF extensive lumber operations ma
laFia was very prevalent, but with the
draining OF the cleared timber tracts
the disease has disappeared. When II
Is impossible to drain water of of
excellent results Will be followed the
digging OF trenches allowing the salt
water to flow in at high tide, the
brzekish water destroying the larvae
This means was adopted at Fort De
Soto, military post on Mullet Key, at
the mouth Of Tampa Bay. Life at this
place was for years during the hot
months almost unbearabIe as a result
Of the r1yTt1ds OF mosquitoes that in
hs6fted this post, but the expenditure
Of few hundred dollars in the digging
Of trenches allowing the flow Of water
into the breeding places at high tide
has practically caused the insect TO
disappear. Again, II IL often practical
to ill I'm certain 1ow1ands where drain
age may not be feasible. The Italian
government has done an immense
amount OF work along this line, there
by rot only destroying the breeding
PLACES OF the disease transmitting in
sect, but also retaining land since
put to valuable uses for agricultural
puEHOSGSs ARSS0 &kGHS OF
exten sfve drainage schemes and re-
claiming swamp lands necessarily in
wolves government exploitation, but
the lesser but by no means less i'm
portant means Of destroying the breed
ing places Of mosquitoes must rot be
lost sight OF, Il should be ramsTn-
bersd that every receptacle capable OF
retaining water offers a haven Of
refuge TO the mosquito looking for q
place TO deposit her eSGs. TIN cans.
flower pots, Bottles, barrels. sea shells
and other tunumeFabfs wats- contain
eFs, must have no place lying around
a community DESTROYS OF Kidding Itself
Of malaria, Water containers In use
about q house should be scTeenad.
standing water that cannot be either
drained o. the places flied in, should
be treatsd with coal of. The wixefsr
while living IN water, has to have afr.
and comes to the surface every few
inmates for this purpose. OF q smell
amount Of which will rapidly spraaN
sets as p1sehaaieaI obstruction that
the wiSg1sF Is unable 70 psnstrnke, re-
sbitiug IN it. death, Places where
standing water cannot be screened and
where Il Is not DESTROYS TO cover with
oil, should hsvs placed IN thsm gold
hsh or other 1arvae sattng raiHpows.