The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-04-23
HEALTH BOARD
HOLD MALARIA
ISPREVElVTABLE
ERADICATION OF THE MALARIA
MOSQUITO BY O6ITERATloN OF
BREEDING PLACES Is URGED.

BREEDING PLACES Is URGED.
One Of the most prevalent OF all pre-
ventable diseases in the state OF Flor
ida is malaria. 1t is 50 common as
to be a meance to the general good
health and efficiency OF any commun-
ity, especially in the south.
This is the proper time OF the year
to get ready to prevent the spread
OF this disease. which is sure to come
with the warm days and nights. The
cause should be removed. There was
q time not far distant when the real
cause was unknown and people were
excusable for not preventing it. The
methods and manner in which the in
lection was spread is comparatively a
recent discovery and mode Of trans
mission the most brilliant discovery OF
sanitary science. After all these dis
coveries and despite the fact that we
have more knowledge of the cause.
transmission and prevention. and more
accurate means of diagnosis and a
specific remedy, still malaria counts
its victims by hundreds of thousands
annually. It is estimated that over
seven million people in the United
States are infected with malaria.
AS is well known malaria is trans
variety known as anopheles and this
is the only way to get the disease. It
is a preventable disease IL certain
measures and precautions are taken
and carried out successfully. The best
and most thorough method of elimi
rating malaria, would be to wipe out
the anopheles mosquito entirely. and
this is not the impossible task that it
sounds, but it requires community ef-
fort and in many instances. would be
possible only through a large expen-
Giture of energy and money.
To destroy the anopheles mosquito.
It would be necessary to prevent them
from breeding. They breed in still
water and pools, and by the grassy
edges of streams. 1t is often thought
IL. some communities the cost of elm
mating these breeding places would be
too heavy. Nevertheless much might
be done by draining or filling up pools
where practicable. Malaria and mos
quitos, were formerly quite prevalent
in the marshy districts of Satin island
and the low lands OF New Jersey, not
far from New York city. BY drainage
and the use of oil, the mosquitoes have
been greatly reduced in number and
there has been a corresponding de-
crease in the prevalency of malaria.
1t should be remembered that the
bold voracious mosquitoes that bite SO
impartially day and night, do not
transmit malaria. however great nuis-
ances they. may be in other ways. The
anopheles mosquito is shy. bites only
at night and does not sing as loudly
as the common mosquito. Otter water
which cannot be drained or oiled prop
erly, can be rendered comparatively
ivv rdS 70 hro0
ing. by the Introduction of small fish.
or what is commonly called top min
nows which devour the mosquito
wigglers. While mosquitoes breed III
water. they shelter themselves in brush
and high weeds. especially during the
day when the sun is shining. IT Isl
therefore a good plan to cut down all
such weeds, especially in the vicinity
of houses so that the mosquito cannot
find a shelter nearby.
1t is a wise precaution in districts
in which the anorEe1es MOSQUITO is
found for persons. as far as possible
to remain afte.' dusk in places that
are properly screened. A good screen
should have a mesh of 16 wires I'D the
inch. painted eyer 20 lessen tn size of
tho oles. In addition to screens for
the house. sometimes 1t is necessary to
use mosquito OATS, WHICH dIc SIMPLY
pieces of fine mesh material placed
over the bed in such manner as to.
protect the sleeper.
When drainage is too expensive or
not practicable, oiling should be done
as supplementary measure. The OBJ
ject in using oil (pertoleunl) Is to de-
stroy the larvae of mosquitoes. To do
this successfully, the surface of the
water must be completely and con-
tinuously covered with a film of oil.
The larvae cannot penetrate the oil
film with their breathing tube-this
being cut off from the air they die.
do not lay eggs on the sur
face of oiled water. The larvae OF
the anopheIes MOSQUITOES are the most
easily destroyed for the reason that
they rest and feed In a horizonaI po-
sition at the surface.
For complete description Of how
to OIL waters for the prevention of mos
quito breeding and their development.
the Florida State Board of Health will
gladly send out a pamphlet on "Oiling
as an Antimosquito Measure" to any
one upon request.