The Omaha guide., 1945-09-22

DDI, mucn puDllclZed fnSecticide,
saved thousands of lives Of our
fighting men and civilians In coun-
tries where u operations were ex-
tended, but it 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 ~rediscovered during the pres
ent war by DR.. Paul Muller and DR..
Paul Lauger. These Swiss scien-
lists asserted recently, upon their
arrival In America, that with proper
control, flies, mosquitoes and other
harmful insects can be eliminated
entirely from the United States.
But along with these insects would
go our pollen carrying insects, bees
and other beneficial friends of man.
kind, also perhaps our birds and
fish. Gone also would be many
plants and trees that depend upon
insects for p~olinization. AS they
point out it is a job for entomolog-
lists, not laymen.
0D4 mas OCGu AIduC dNdlldDle u
the public in limited amounts. There
will soon be a sufficient supply to
meet every demand. Manufacturers
of the products, whether in liquid
or powder form are careful to give
complete instructions as to its ap-
%plication, which must be followed.
Scientists Tell of
Effective DOT Use
Despite its inherent toxicity, DOT
In the desired insecticidal %cOncentra-
tiOns in air is of such low order that
it will not cause injurious effects in
humans, DR.. Paul A. Neal, chief of
the research section of the division
of Industrial hygiene of the U. S.
Public Health service has reported.
1t was this knowledge that made 1t
advisable to spray from the air the
Jones Beach area on Long Island,
n. Y, and part of the city of Rock
ford, Illinois. In both cases the pur-
pose was to control insects, Jones
beach to kill sand flrls and Rock
ford to kill polio-carrying flies, be-
lieved to have been the direct cause
for the serious infanile 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, re-
ports: "In 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 in
sect borne diseases. DOT is not a
cure-all, but in the perpetual war
between humans and disease, DOT
is n of the most effective weapons
yet discovered by man."
"DDT will be to preventive medi-
cine what Listers discovery of anti
septic. was to surgery and should
close the door forever on those
diseases which are companions of
death dealing insects"
In the field of agriculture the re
suits have been far from disappoint-
ing. Remarkable 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.
Will Prove Boon To
Hard Worked Farmer
While agricultural use Of DOT
must still be considered in its ex-
perimental state, reliable and COM
plete tests at various state expert
ment stations have proved that it Is
the best ~insecticide now on the mar
ket for the control Of the apples
most destructive pest. the cooling
moth.
1t will kill Japanese beetle adults,
while current remedies are based
entirely upon their repelling value.
The grape leafhopper and other
l~eafhoppers are highly susceptible
to DOT and excellent results have
been obtained with it against Orien-
tai fruit moth. 1t 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 it was proved that
DOT was effective against cooling
moths In walnut and other orchards.
At Missouri it was found that a
three percent dust was effective in
controlling blister beetle, squash
bug, white fly, thrips, sowbugs, corn
earworm, Colorado potato beetle.
spotted and striped cucumber
beetles, northern corr rootworm.
pavement ant, lace-bugs, leafhop-
pers on grape, flea beetles on egg
plant, and a ten percent dust for
reaches, feas, and squash bugs.
The U. S. department of agricul-
ture reported that "DDT insecticides
were found experimentally to be
definitely more effective than those
currently used for control of some
30 pests that attack field crops, man.
livestock and trees. These included
cooling moth, cabbage looper, catal-
pa sphinx, cotton ball-worm, cotton
fea-hopper, eastern tent caterpillar,
elm bark beetle, green-striped maple
worm, gypsy moth, horn flies on cat
tie, Japanese beetle, Lygus and four