The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1918-05-04
ANTI-MALARIA CAMPAIGN
To Be Started to Protect United States
Soldiers.

Washington, May 4.-The public
health service has just begun the most
extensive anti malaria campaign ever un
dertaken in the United States with a
view to protection of the health of the
soldiers in the southern cantonments
Congress has authorized this crusade and
provided the funds and ii is expected
that 100000 will have been spent by
Uncle Sam in this work by July |, 1919
This is exclusive of the governments
part in the cooperative health work now
being carried on in the vicinity of these
cantonments by the public health service,
the American Red Cross and the local
health authorities
Because malaria is conveyed only by
the bite of certain mosquito which flies
only short distance from its breeding
place, the eradication of the mosquito
will be undertaken i'll zones two miles
wide around each camp likely to have
malaria. Breeding and hiding places viii
be ditehed, drained and cleared, lIndrain-
able still water in which the mosquitoes
breed will be oiled and minnows will be
installed to eat the mosquito laryas off
the top of the water Even dynamite
will be resorted to in this nationwide
health campaign to eliminate dangerous
breeding places and the work supple.
mented by screening and by use of quin-
Inc for preventive and curative purposes.
Cooperation of the state and local
authorities and of the people in each
place is expected Posters will be put
up in the postoffices, railroad stations
and other places in the South, Previous
operations of the federal health service
against the mosquitoes have been enthu-
~; L., l. Il
place affected, because of the results in
the reduction of malaria and eradication
of the mosquitoes. For years the public
health service has studied the most prae.
ticabe means for preventing malaria and
demonstrations have been conducted in
many places in the South.
In the building of the Panama canal |
one of the greatest difficulties encoun
tered was the presence of swarms of
mosquitoes, which conveyed yellow fever
and malaria to the workmen. The en-
tineer largely responsible for the success |
in the campaign a1linst yellow fever
mosquitoes in the canal zone will super |
wise this anti malaria campaign and as
ISOLATED with him will be an officer of |
the public health service widely recog-
nized as one of the foremost authorities
in the United States on mosquito borne
diseases Under them will be expert
enced officers of that service and sanitary
engineers. along with large force of
laborers and large equipment.
Malaria is one Of the most serious dis
eases in certain sections of the country
During certain seasons more than 80 per
cent of all calls made by physicians in
many districts in the United States are
for malaria. 1t is one of the greatest
health problems now, not only so far as
the soldiers are concerned but also be-
cause of the necessity to produce a maxi
mum of food and other supplies related
to the war. The efficiency of the laborer
in the South. according to public health
service officials, has been markedly re- 5
duced by the disease. These experts say
that the anti-malaria campaign will re- q
duce malaria generally and stimulate
similar work by local health authorities c