The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-08-08
PRESENT MOSQUITO OUTBREAK WORST IN|
 HISTORY OF STATE.
Situation Caused ByS Pro- tracted Rains and Vast Undrained Areas.

New Haven, Aug - Dr. Edward H. Jenkins, director of the State Az ricu1tura1 Experiment Station, today pronounced the present mesquite out break the worst on record in Con- necticut. Appeals from every part of the state have been received at the station in the hope that some relief may be afforded. They have come from city and town officials, village improvement and civic societies, boys and girls camps, owners of suburban and shore property throughout the state, who insist in universal clamor that the pest must be suppressed. Health officers have reported a slight increase in malaria. They are fear full that some carriers of the disease may be infected by the bite of ma laria mosquitoes which are found in every part of the state and spread the disease broadly The carriers are present all over Connecticut in the persons of immigrants and they may at any time cause an epidemic.
 A feature of the appeals received at the station has been that more than ever before have come from inland towns, indicating that Connecticut is at this time completely in the grip of the mosquito.
 pr. Jenkins said today that the sit uation is caused by combination of the protracted rains of the past two months and the vast, undrained mos quito areas of the state. He called at tention to the fact that a year ago the Connecticut Anti-Mosquito Associa- ton and the health authorities of the state urged a change in the present inadequate mosquito laws and for leg fslative relief in disposing of the worst present mosquito breeding areas.
 Invasion FOrecaSted
 Last April pr. Jenkins called atten- ton to the indications that the state would be in the grip of the present mosquito outbreak by next summer. A %l-+ +3- I14 hot fnfn local authorities, as well as individ- uals, try to avert the wholesale inva- sion. He said that today the mosqui- to has drawn universal attention to societies unite with the state and town officials and private individuals in a movement to abate the nuisance, although complete elimination of the
 In stating exactly what he feels can be done and what the situation is Dr. Jenkins said: 'The weather for the past two months has shown what the mosquito can do when unmolested.
 Never was there such a pest Of mosquitoes in Connecticut, particular ly where there has been no systematic work to prevent their breeding.
 we find them swarmfng around houses, breeding in rain barrels, in waste heaps where cans are thrown and have filled with rain water and in efe gnaht pools everywhere. Even in one casepools in corn fields produced choice corn fed mosquitoes.
 Some of these things ought to be remedied by health officers. Section 240S of the statutes declare that any accumulation of waters in which mos quitoes are breeding is a public nui- sance and makes it the duty of the health officer when it is brought to his attention, that rain water barrels, tin cans, bottles or other receptacles or pools near human habitation are n breeding places to be abolished by means.
 Start Campaign
 Village improvement societies can do nothing which will contribute more to the health and comfort of their towns than by starting a local mos quito cleanup campaign Its effect will be very evident within a week or
 Where the work required involves more expense. ditchfng, oiling, etc., If any community or association will raise three-fourths of the money re- uuired the state under present law will contribute one-fourth and skilled direction of the work.
 Aside from the annoyance of swarms of mosquitoes they are a menace to public health. The malar- ial mosquito is not uncommon in the state and there are some sufferers from malarial fever at present
 The two things together are suff1- clent to start an epidemic Ol lAIS ulS- ease, dangerous both in itself and be- cause it leaves the patient debilitated and much more liable to attacks of pneumonia or influenza which may be prevalent in the late fall or win ter.
 Individual efforts in eliminating breeding places can accomplish much but far greater benefit will come from organized community activity. In some communities the mosquito nui- sance is purely a local problem, but in others it is a state wide matter, particularly near the coast because the salt marsh mosquitoes fly long distances inland in search of food.
 The recently published statement of pr. Copeland of New York City, that some mosquitoes travel only l. 900 feet does not apply to species that breed so abundantly along our salt marshes. These have been known to migrate more than 40 miles, practical ly the width of Connecticut, in search f food.