Omaha daily bee., 1916-06-08
Fighting
the Mosquito
at OurDOOr
By WOODS HUTCHINSON, M. d.

Surely in great metropolitan city
| like New York, where all swamps and
ponds and sluggish rivulets and pools
are either drained or filled up and
built or paved over the mosquito can
no longer be a menace That he not
only can be, but is, the bitter expert
ence of last summer and fall is album
dant and convincing proof. But why -
| he, and what can we do about in
First OF all, while most mosquitoes,
and all fresh water ones, fly only
few hundred yards from the pool In
which they are Matched, certain salt
water breeds show an appalling tend
ency to migrate and allow themselves
TO be carried ten, fifteen and even
thirty miles by the southerly winds
This means that the whole scope of
the marshes OF Jamaica and Great
South Bay, Staten Island and the Kill
Won Kull and the adjacent sweep OF
the Bayonne and Raritan bay marshes
may at times, particularly in the late
summer, when the wind is right, fur
nlsh swarms to pour into New York
City
This has been recognized for years
/ by our wide-awake city Board of
Health, and extensive measures OF
drainage OF the marshes by bitches
have been set on foot, and the active
cooperation of the New Jersey health
officers secured, as we'll as OF expert
advisers from the United States Pub
lie Health service, who have had ex
perience in Panama A very great
1 Improvement in the mosquito pest in
all these regions has already been
won, everything is now lined up and
ready for grand campaign OF abate.
nent and determination this coming
+ summer.
The only thing needed TO make il
successful is vigorous and out.
4 spoken public opinion behind Il, and
in support Of IL to overcome the stin.
glness and laziness Of certain owners
OF marsh property, who are quite
! wiling that the city and state shall
drain and improve their property and
add enormously to ITS value, but in
dignantly refuse to bear any part OF
the expense or even keep the bitches
cleaned out after they have been dug.
The other cause Of rural mosqu-
toes in city fats is that we fail 10
realize how tiny and trivial and tenn
porary puddles and pools and colee-
tons OF water will serve for mos.
quitoes to breed in. Any puddle OF
wet spot which lasts three weeks OF
more furnishes firur class incubator
IN which the mother mosquito NAV
deposit her eggs, see them develop
into wigglers, hatch out, spread their
wings and fly away.
4 In fact, incredible as il may seem.
the chief source and breeding ground
Of the buzzing and biting swarms
which, made life burden in parts OF
New York City last summer and fall
were hundreds OF little puddIes and
pools and damp spots left and sup.
piled by the frequent rains Of wet
summer in vacant lots. in old cellars.
by the side of entertainments, In un.
improved parks and open spaces.
Even such tiny and temporary
lakes as the water in tomato can
or the bottom OF broken bottle, or
an old boot or rubber, or a Clipped
cup or saucer, if they happen to be
sheltered from the rays OF the sun,
will prove sufficient haven to hatch
the mosquito water baby" and send
him singing and singing upon his
way.
Here, Of course, everybody can
help. Children not only not least
but most OF all Make point OF
kicking over and emptying any can,
bottle or piece of croekery capable
Of holding water which may happen
to catch your eye. II you come
across any puddles. FIJI them up or
scratch shallow ditch on the down
hill side, to drain them dry, or il
they are too big or the soil or rocks
about them too hard, go TO the house
and get the kerosene can and pour
enough oil on them to coat them all
over