Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1925-06-13
MOSQUITOES ARE
CRIMINALS, SAY
HEALTH EXPERTS
They Specialize In Transmission Of
Certain Diseases; Lower Re-
sistance Power
WORK AGAINST THEM
NOW AUTHORITIES URGE


tive work now, is the advice of Abel
Wolman, Chief of the Bureau of San
itary Engineering of the State De-
partment of Health. His advice is
summed up under these headings:-
Screen your house.
Drain or oil mosquito harboring
streams.
Clean up the banks of other fresh
water streams, and stock the streams
with larvae eating top minnows.
Mosquitoes are more than mere
pests Leaders in preventive medi-
cine-the men behind the microscopes
have proved them to be winged
criminals of the worst type. They
are the go-betweens in the transmits
sion of certain diseases. One member
Ct the fanny specializes in malaria;
another in yellow fever and dengue,
or break-bone fever; and others in
less we'll known disease filiariasis.
The least Objectionable, lower the
power of resistance and diminish the
vitality of the human kind whom they
beset and annoy Even this last class,
which is the one we have to combat
many parts of Maryland, is liability
in any neighborhood.
Our present knowledge of the hao-
its and methods of work of the mos
quito family has all been acquired in
less than half century. Until 1884,
when the tiny organism that is the
true cause of malaria, and that is
carried by mosquitoes from person to
person, was discovered by Laveran
the French surgeon, mosquitoes were
looked upon merely as unavoidable
evils. The subsequent discoveries by
other scientists Of habits and char
acteristics of the winged offenders,
and fmethods of control, has made
possible some of the greatest engi-
neering achievements of modern his
tory-the building of the Panama
Canal among them. Similar methods
applied to the control or extermina-
ton of the creatures in local and much
less difficult situations will be equally
effective and of corresponding adj
vantage so far as the health of in
dividuals and communities, and the
value of property are concerned.
Instancing some of the notable a.
chievements in mosquito control, Mr..
Wolman said, mosquito borne dis
eases are no longer mystery; the
idea is no longer prevalent that ma
laria is the result Of exposure to hui
mid mists and vapors. In 1901, DR..
Gorgas, by screening and anti-mos-
quito methods succeeded in wiping
out yellow fever in Havana, Cuba, in
a campaign that lasted less than four
months. This remarkable accomplish
nlent together with DR. .Gorgas' still
greater triumph in the results obtain
ed in his anti-mosquito work in the
Panama Canal Zone, furnished the
world concrete examples of the posi-
biiities OF mosquito control.
'eIn considering these possibilities,
it is we'll to remember that although
the mosquito is a winged insect, it's
life history carries it through four
distinct stages. To it's existence, in
three of these stages water is essen
t;al The eggs are laid in quiet water.
In two or three days, under favorable
conditions, larvae or wrigglers are
Matched from the eggs; in four or
five days more, the larvae become
pupae and during the next three days
the adult mosquito energies from the
pupal shell. Therefore, only eight or
ten days are required for the egg to
develop into mature mosquito, the
normal life of which probably extends
thru period Of several months.
"The established methods of mos
quito control consist of screening,
drainage, oiling and fish control
that is stocking the streams with the
top minnows that eat the mosquito
larvae. Of the methods Of extermina-
ton, drainage is probably the most
satisfactory because of its permanent
elimination of breeding places, but in
swampy and marshy lands it is often
necessary to supplement it with oil
spraying, while in ponds that cannot
be drained, if the banks are main
tanned clean and accessible, fish con-
troll is one of the cheapest and most
satisfactory ways of solving the prob
lem.
"Of their own volition, mosquitoes
seldom travel more than half mile
from their breeding places, but it is
advisable to extend the control area
to twice that distance, especially in
the direction of the prevailing wind"