The Waterbury Democrat., 1933-09-13
WHY HAVE MOSQUITOES ABOUT THE
PLACE?

These fine summer nights 4 Ia curious how
visitors In search OF healthful environment VIII
to escape them, yet never grow even slightly
sarcastic about calling tho place II health re-
sort. II Is our funny education. Few Of our
educated" citizens know why or how mosdui-
toes breed or how to suppress the nuisance
Even that droll Yankee character. the village
health officer, who owes his position to polis
tics, has only vague notions. II any, about the
method OF Kidding tho community Of the mos.
quito nuisance.
1t Is pretty widely recognized now that the
presence Of fics In a place whore food 10 served
stamps the place as dangerously unsnnitay.
authorities plaster the walls with permits. H.
censes. certificates OF inspection" the wise
customer will discover he has mslaid his APP
petite or has got to run to catch train if tho
flies get around 70 him with the waiter In
spite of the Ok. Of tho politicians Of the health
department. tho presence of flies IL u sure index
Of uhcleanliness on the premises or close
enough to constitute a menace to the health Of
any ono who eats there.
or tomato can mosquito is not an agent In the
spread of disease. Only the comparatively
rare Anopheles (distinguished from the COM
mon Culex by Its appearance of almost stand
Ing on Its head when II alights) carries mala-
ria. and tho StegomyIa distinguished by Its
black color marked with svery bands) carries
mato can breed, the Culex, carries merely Ill
temper. irritability and an unhealthful dstaste
for rambles through field, swamp, woods and
berry patch
Mosquitoes do not go far from their breeding
place In quest of food. Therefore their pres
| ence Is index Of open stagnant water
somewhere on close to the premises. 1t
may be only as much water az Will stand IN an
old tomato can thrown back of the garage
in the deep grass weeds In the lot at the
rear 1t may be a cistcrn or a little pool that
is not stocked with minnows to eat the wggle-
tails (mosquito larvae) 1t may be an obs
structed rain spout somewhere about the roof.
Or an unscreened bucket of water anywhere
1t may even be a foot track or wheel rut In
muddy spot. Anywhere that water can stand
a week or ten days will do to grow 'skeeters
The female deposits her eggs on the water; the
eggs hatch into larvae ('wiggletails"l In, day
or two After a week the wiggletails are trans
formed into pupae which lie quietly at the sur
face of the water. and after two or three more
days the adult winged mosquitoes emerge from
the pupae through rent in their covering.
Draining or emptying all standing water, and
spraying with oil. kerosene. crude oil. old lubri-
eating oiD any standing water that can't be
drained. screening cisterns wells or barrels
or troughs that hold water. will control the
nuisance If pool or fountain or little ponG
or brook can't be kept covered with a thin oil
film (to smother the wiggletails) keep 1t we'll
stocked with minnows which eat the wiggle-
tails even gold fish. which are not so fond
of them as are mnnows.
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Cherchez La Femme
At this time of year when the rules for first
ly always the wrong position of head and right
arm Is advised. i want to do what can to
correct this error. I'd like to know who brig
mated the practice of placing the arm or hand
under the head. TX. RI
Answer-fve been trying to solve that mys-
terry for years. but It battles me. believe
news photographer introduced the modification
as II brings out the beauty of the volunteer
subjects face, That's the only earthly reason
OF the resuscitation method introduced by
schafer---but the American Red Cross prefers
to omit the name OF schafer as well as change
the technic to make a prettier picture.
Experimentation
u q person whose thyroid gland II deficient
(l,ypotl.yroIdissat lacking in iodine. A says yes
says no. that thyroid extract must be given,
hut not Iodine. MRS Il. d.
Answer--Yes. In many cases a suitable iodin
ration In sufficient treatment. Only the patients
physician can safely prescribe the right amount
OF iodin. or thyroid extract ~ he finds that nee
copyright 1898. John y. Ollie Co.,