232 ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. [May, 'lO 



MR. ROBERT DICKSON, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is doing good 

 work in blown larvae of the Lepidoptera. The specimens of inflated 

 caterpillars, mounted on their food plants, are admirable. 



DR. WM. A. RILEY, of Cornell University, says, "In these days no 

 one seems to have a good word for the house fly. But Moufet said 

 that 'they show and set forth the omnipotency of God; and execute His 

 justice; they improve the diligence and providential wisdom of man; 

 all of which reminds one strongly of David Harum's defense of dog 

 fleas." 



AN INTERESTING report to Mr. Gershom Smith, Comptroller of the 

 Pennsylvania Steel Company has been sent from The Spanish-Ameri- 

 can Iron Company at Daiquri, Cuba., which shows the value of econo- 

 mic entomology. The report of the work is by Mr. Bruno Fox, Sani- 

 tary Inspector in charge. 



In 1902 there were 1,362 cases of malaria and since that time there 

 has been a gradual reduction. In 1909 the cases numbered only 234. 

 During the year there were 1,391 men on the pay-roll and the average 

 number of patients in the hospital daily was fourteen, in other words 

 there was only one per cent, of the force on the sick list. 



The work of the Sanitary Squad consists of the daily collection and 

 burning of all household rubbish, the care and cleaning of the barracks, 

 a house to house inspection of sanitary conditions, care of water tanks 

 and water barrels in the mine cuts, petrolization of standing water, 

 general cleaning of the villages and camps and, fist, last, and all the 

 time war on the mosquito. The men themselves, who looked on the 

 whole matter of mosquito fighting as a joke and were thoroughly in- 

 different, are now beginning to appreciate the results, and are quick to 

 call attention when the wire-gauze covers to the water barrels in the 

 mine cuts are worn out or broken. 



The cost of the work for the year was approximately one thou- 

 sand dollars a month. The value of this work is difficult to estimate 

 in figures. The greatest value is contingent and appears in general 

 cleanliness, health, cheerfulness and efficiency. But there is one point 

 where its value in dollars and cents can be figured. With our present 

 force, it means at least ten men less in the hospital each day. Instead 

 of being a charge on the work, these ten men produce during the year 

 8,000 to 9,000 tons of ore, which far more than repay the expenditure 

 for sanitation. From the low motive of selfishness, therefore, it pays 

 and from every higher point of view the result would warrant the ex- 

 l < mliture, if there were no financial return." The above is a brief ex- 

 tract from this interesting report. 



