Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1918-02-20
BY DR.. C. H. WERNER,
County Health Officer

case IL Is found In towns only as
they approach rural conditions-that
is, in small towns and in the suburbs
Of large cities-not in the bodies of
large. 1t is for this reason that the
consideration of anti-malarial meas
ures specially applicable farm houses
and plantations is of interest.
AS is known, the direct cause of ma
larial fever is the presence of an ami
nal parasite in the blood of the man
developing it. This parasite in. in
nature, introduced into the blood by
the bite of a certain kind of mosquito,
which has been rendered infective
by biting man himself infected with
malarial parasites, and only thus is
it introduced
There are certain conditions neces-
sary for infection. Let us note them,
as they will show us what to guard
against. To become infected with ma
Iaflal 1eVer 1t is necessary:
/. To be bitten by certain kind
of mosquito. Only mosquitoes of the
genus anosphelina-and not all species
Of that genus-are concerned in the
conveyance of malaria. To guard
against all mosquitoes is no wiser than
to defend ones chickens from all
birds because hawks do prey upon
them
2. This mosquito must have been
infected by previously biting some
person infected with malarial para
sites. 1t is not true, as one often
'Years, that mosquitoes of swamps
which have had no access to men can
convey malaria. Sometime. usually
not less than to 10 days. must
elapse between the infection of the
mosquito and the biting which infects
the other man. This is the time for
the completion Of the sexual cycle Of
the parasite, which occurs in the body
of the mosquito, and for the product
OF this union-the sporozoites-to
reach the mosquitoes saliyary glands.
Until this-the extrinsic incubation OF
malaria-is accomplished the mosquito
is not infective.
No description of this mosquito will
be given except to say: /. That in
the female, the sex that bites, the
palpe-two little projections on either
side of the proboscis-are nearly as
long as the proboscis, while in the
other varieties the palpo are less than
half as long. The males of other
species, and anopheles as we'll, have
palpi as long as the proboscis, but in
the males they are covered with long
hairs and look like plumes. Males OF
any variety are seldom seen except
near the Matching place and are very
short lived. 2. That when resting
after a meal of blood the anopheles
has her two forelegs, proboscis, and
body all in one line or nearly so, usual
ly at considerable angle, As to 80 de-
grees, with the wall, while other mos
ouitoes are bumped up" both fore
and hind legs being bent on the body
toward each other. The anopheles is
a slight, graceful mosquito.
Nor shall go into its life history
save only to say: l. That the female
lays her eggs in the shade of grass
or bushes on the surface of clear
water in swamps, shallow pools, the
edges of little streams, etc. She does
not like deep water, and the larvae
are not found where fish can get at
them. They bred especially in water
containing green algae, frog broth,
ard will even breed in rain barrels
containing this growth. Otherwise
thew will not. 1t is a swamp, not
house mosquito.
2. That it is from Is to q days or
longer, depending on the temperature
from the time the egg was laid to the
birth of the adult mosquito
8. That the forms between the egg
and the mosquito-larva and pupa-
live in water but breathe air from the
atmosphere and must come to the sur
face every few minutes to get it.
4. That these mosquitoes are at
tracted by light for some distance and
are conveyed by light winds. How far
thew travel has not been determined
One specie-the white-footed anophlees
jim Panama was found in large num-
hers nearly a mile from the breeding
Mace. It was found, however, in a
village brilliantly lighted by cleo
tricitv. and the conditions were other
wise favorable for conveyance. Cen
eralIv speaking, one-fourth to one-half
of a mile, or even less, would be the
usual limit of her fight to such lights
as one has at farm house. Much de-
nends on the direction and character