Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-31
Mosquito Breeding
Places Discovered
Near White House
Catch Basins in Public
Buildings Given Rapid
Treatment.

The determined campaign against
mosquitoes in Washington and the Dis
trict has been under way less than a
week, but health authorities have found
valid explanation of why the pests
have bitten three Presidents at the
White House.
Investigations Of the Treasury Depart
ment and State, War and Navy Depart
ment buildings by experts of the Public
Health Service have disclosed catch
basins Of stagnant water that are de-
scribed as potential grounds for the
extensive breeding of mosquitoes. These
catch basins have been found in other
public buildings, particularly in the
foundation work of new construction,
and are being treated as rapidly as
possible.
Hoover Frequently Stung.
Comdr. Joel T. Boone, the White
House physician, recalling that Presi-
dents Harding and Coolidge were both
cred by mosquitoes, asked for a report
on Mr.. Hoover's experience several days
ago and learned quite emphatically that
the presidential person had been stung
frequently. DR.. Boone suffered an at
tack of malaria In Haiti in 1916 and
recurrence Of the illness here in 1920
and he has been deeply interested in
eliminating mosquitoes from the Dis
trict Being in hearty sympathy with
Mr.. Hoover's complaint, he conferred
with various officials of the Govern
ment and District with the result that
cooperative campaign was under
taken.
The Office of Public Buildings and
Public Parks, of which Lieut.. Col. U. S.
Grant, Sd, is director; the Public Health
Service, and DR.. w. G. Fowler, District
health officer, are cooperating under
the active direction of DR.. w. F. Draper.
assistant surgeon general of the Public
Health Service. Surveys carried on un-
der their auspices have revealed the
conditions at the public buildings.
Stagnant water along drain pipes,
catch basins in Easements of building
and bird baths in many of the public
/ parks have been found to contain larvae
of the mosquito. These places are
treated with oil spray as rapidly as they
are found. Conditions at the buildings
on both sides of the White House are
held responsible for the appearance o.
| mosquitoes at the Executive Mansion,
because of the precautions taken there
under DR. BOOne'S SllDreVlSlOn.
Screens and Pipes Inspected.
Screens and drain pipes at the White
House are regularly inspected, ana
places where water might stand are
carefully watched. The water In all
bird baths is changed daily, and the
small traps set out by the Agriculture
Department in the south grounds for
, the Japanese beetle are emptied and
cleaned daily. So rigid is the inspection
that a special fish that feeds on mos
quito larvae is KEEP. in the fountain.
This fish can be obtained at the Bureau
of Fisheries.
Health authorities are concentrating
on localities where water Stagnates,
especially around construction JOBS,
having found the foundation work OF
the new Commerce Department Build
ing breeding place.
Surg. Gen. Cumming has assigned to
DR.. Draper two sanitary experts for the
work and these men are working with
the various agencies to wipe out the
breeding places r. E. Tarbett, sani-
tary expert of the Public Health Serv-
ice, who has done notable work In mos
quito eradication along the Texas
Mexican border, and DR.. T. H. D. Grif-
fits. in charge of malaria investiga-
ton for the service, have mapped out
the campaign.