Henderson daily dispatch. (Henderson, N.C.) 1914-1995, 1937-04-05
BY DIR. A. ID. GREGG,
Vance County Health Officer.

Last week we discussed the dis
agreeable subject of flies, mosquitoes
while not so disagreeable is some
times painful, and often very unheal-
thy. Others may write Of the beautiful
things of the world while it falls to
my lot to tell of the ugly and dis
agreeable. Yet the unpleasant things
must be reckoned with if we are to
enjoy the beautiful. So when the hot
days and warm c.eningS of Summer
approach and we wish to enjoy the
cool outside of our lawns or particip-
ate in the moonlight rides and lake
side picnicS we must take into con-
sideration the mosquitoes both the
pest varieties and the Anophele5 or
malaria carrying tribe.
AS certain kinds of plants will
flourish in certain localities or spe-
cial types of soil, so different kinds
of mosquitoes are found breeding in
and live around different kinds Of
waters. The common pest mosquitoes
which bite us day or night mort any
where in the county, or even in the
city during warm rainy seasons will
breed in any thing that will hold
water for to 10 days. They will breed
in tin-cans, old jars, watering places
for your chickens, even in flower
vases in your homes and the little
gold fish ponds or lily ponds in the
yard are frequently hot beds for mos
quitoes of this type. This is why the
County Board of Health passed an
ordinance prohibiting the dumping or
leaving cans or any vessels that will
hold water on premises near per-
sons dwelling place, if this provision
is carried out people in and around
the town will not be troubled much
with mosquitoes. The anopheles which
transmit malaria fever through it's
bite seldom breed around houses but
in ponds or branches Of clear water,
where there is little or no current.
They will fly to the wall pictures dur
ing the day. Like all Williams they
work under cover of the dark, so
when our lights are out these little
aSsains dart out from their hiding
places and if we are asleep we may
not feel their poisonous little lance
into our skin, and be unaware of their
presence but in a few days we come
down with a chill and high fever and
we are disabled for maybe long pc
riod of time with malaria fever.
When we go camping; or fishing
on the lakes and streams we are not
in danger of contracting malaria until
evening shadows begin to darken the
forest and streams. 1t is dangerous
to sleep near any of our ponds or
streams in the Summer unless pro-
tected from mosquitoes by netting or
-creens.
The mosquito illustrated the once
much discussed saying that 1.-The Fe-
male of the Specie is deadlier than
the Male" for the male mosquito
never bites human being. Ordinarily
mCcquitoes never leave their breeding
grounds more than two to three hun
dred yards but may go with the wind
for a mile.
The malaria control division of the
United States Public Health Service
recognizes the great Gripping effect
of malaria in our land and are yearly
spending thousands of dollars in
draining breeding areas that are
heavily infected with malaria. The
are not natural carriers of
malarial parasites until they have be-
come infected by biting some per-
son who has had malaria. The mos
quito then transmits the parasites to
their offspring and the visciOus circle
of man to mosquito and mosquito
back to man again begins, and never
ends until the breeding place of the
mosquito is destroyed.
If you live in a community where
malaria occurs, prepare now to pro-
tect yourself and family by proper
screening of your home. A fine mesh
wire screen should cover all windows.
and outside doors and kept closed
after shutdown. The expense Of the
screening would be no greater than
the cost of treatment and lost time
from a case of malaria, also there is