Browning chief., 1945-09-28


DDT, much publicized insecticlde,
saved thousands Of lives Of our fighting
men and civilians In countries where
our operations were extended, but 1t Is
not the panacea that we would like to
believe.
The irony Of the story Is that it was
discovered nearly seventy years ago
by a German chemist named Zeidler,
but was almost forgotten until redis-
covered during the present war by
DR.. Paul Muller and DR.. Paul Lauger.
These Swiss scientists asserted recent
ly, upon their arrival In America, that
with proper control, flies, mosquitoes
and other harmful insects can be elm
mated entirely from the United States.
But along with these insects would 60
our pollep-carrying insects, bees and
other beneficial friends of mankind,
also perhaps our birds and fish. Gone
also would be many plants and trees
that depend upon insects for polinlza-
ton. As they point out, 1t is a job for
entomologists, not laymen.
DOT has been made available to
the public in limited amounts. There
will soon be a sufficient supply to
meet every demand. Manufacturers of
the products, whether in liquid or pow
der form, are careful to give complete
instructions as to its application, which
must be followed
Scientists Tell Of
Effective DDT Use
Despite its inherent toxicity, DDT
In the desired insecticidal concentra-
tons in air is Of such low order that
1t will not cause injurious effects in
humans, Dr.. Paul A. Neal, chief Of the
research section Of the division of
industrial hygiene Of the q. s. Public
Health Service, has reported. It was
this knowledge that made It advisable
to spray from the air the Jones Beach
area on Long Island, N. Y, and part
of the city of Rockford, Illinois. In
both cases the purpose was to control
insects, Jones Beach to kill sand fleas
and Rockford to kill polio-carrying
flies, believed to have been the direct
cause for the serious infantile paralysis
outbreak In many sections.
1t. Col. A. L. Ahnfeldt, q. s. Sur
geon Generals office, after a study Of
results secured in the army, reports: :
I'm peace time DOT may well change
the destiny Of the earth's population
%. Our postwar world will no longer
be scourged by typhus and malaria and
other insect-borne diseases. DDT is
not a cure-all, but In the perpetual war
between humans and disease, DDT is
one Of the most effective weapons yet
discovered by man."
"DDT will be to preventive medicine
what Listers discovery of antiseptic
was to surgery and should close the
door forever on those diseases which
are companions Of death-dealing in
sects."
In the field Of agriculture, the results
have been far from disappointing. Re
markable results have been obtained
by some Of Its application, while In
others the results were either negative,
incomplete or its use not recommended
due to effect on birds and other insects.
viii Prove Boon to
Hard-Worked Farmer
While agricultural use of DOT must
still be considered in its experimental
state, reliable and complete tests at
various state experiment stations have
proved that 1t Is the best insecticide
now on the market for the control Of
the apples most destructive pest, the
codling moth.
1t will kill Japanese beetle adults,
while current remedies are. based en-
tirely upon their repelling value.
The grape leafhopper and other leaf
hoppers are highly susceptible to DDT
and excellent results have been OBJ
tained with it against Oriental fruit
moth. It also has proved effective
against apple red bug, pear thrips,
grape berry moth, fruit tree leafroller,
apple maggot, cherry maggot and many
others.
In California, 1t was proved that DDT
was effective against codling moths in
walnut and other orchards. At Missouri
1t was found that three per cent dust
was effective In controlling blister
beetle. squash bug, white fly, thrips,
sowbugs, corn earworm, Colorado po-
tato beetle, spotted and striped Gu
cumber beetles, northern corn root
worm, pavement ant, lace-bugs, leaf
hoppers on grape flea beetles on egg
plant, and ten per cent dust for
reaches, fleas and squash bugs.
The U. S. Department of Agriculture
rf.aI kt,nk tr--
found experimentally to be definitely
more effective than those currently
used for control Of some 30 pests that