Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1917-05-20
PREVENTION OF MALARIA.


Malaria is a preventable disease. In
tie Canal Zone it has been reduced
seventy percent since 1906. Col Gorgas,
who cleaned up the City of Havana,
reports that there were 909 deaths in
that city from malaria in 1899; in 1907
there were only 90 deaths. This mark
ed decrease is attributed to the meth
DDS of preventions that were put into
operation by the United States Gov
eminent.
To prevent malaria the United States
Public Health Service recommends the
following measurements:
1st.-The screening of houses
against mosquitoes.
2nd.-The using of mosquito net
ting over beds in houses not well
screened.
3rd.-The use of quinine in very
malaria districts, which keeps the
system free from the malaria germ.
4th.-The prevention of the
breeding of mosquitoes, by doing
away with stagnant water, and by
cleaning bitches of grass and
weeds.
Screening should be carefully done.
Windows and doors must be tight. Win
dows should be entirely screened, and
not half way The doors must be well
fitted. The wire gauze should be of
small mesh, an eighteen mesh, which
means there are eighteen strands to
the inch. The fire place in the room
must be absolutely closed against the
possible entrance of mosquitoes. The
use of mosquito netting over the beds
will give a certain amount of protec-
ton. They should be amply large so
they can be easily tucked in under the
ends of the mattress. They should not
be allowed to hang down on the floor.
The reason for this is because the
UlOSQullOSS may. anu w, hAuS A
the beds during the day time, and thus
may be able TO get access to the sleep
ing individual at night. unless this
precaution is taken. Great care is nee
essary to see that mosquito nets are
always in good repair, as a single tear
OF hole. will allow the entrance of
mosquitoes.
Mosquitoes breed in any standing
water. The malarial mosquito likes
shallow pools protected by shade, or
other vegetation, such places as poor
l. drained bitches. marshy places in
the woods, -wallows. and the like.
Mosquitoes lay their eggs in such
collections of water. They hatch into
larvae, or "wiggle-tails," and finally
change into adult mosquitoes, requir-
ing nine to fifteen days for develop
ment from egg to mosquito.
The empting of water containers
once a week are necessary. Drainage
is simple, but often costly; yet if done
it will do away with the source of
trouble.
/ Kerosene oil poured on the water
lone or two ounces for every Is square
feet is ample to kill the 'wiggle-tails'
or larvae This can be used in bar
rels. or other water containers; but
must be repeated every week The
Complying out of water containers,
such as are found in chicken yards, sta
bles, etc. once a week before re-flline
with water will serve practical pur-
poses.
The farmers should adopt the screen
irg method first, and then look after
the destruction Of breeding places o.
mosquitoes.
Quiuine is specific in curing the dis
ease. and also in preventing it. The
active symptoms Of malaria is easily
controlled by the proper administering
of quinine; but unfortunately the in
dividual who suffers with malaria does
not usually keep it up long enough &c
free his system OF the malaria germ
and the result, persons consequently
carry the germ in their blood without