494 SCIENCE PROGRESS 



Turning to the second half of the book, it is impossible 

 to give in a brief space an account of the many anti-malarial 

 campaigns in all parts of the world that are described and 

 reported upon by twenty-one different writers. It must 

 suffice to state briefly the results obtained in Ismailia, that 

 most striking example of the practical importance of Ross's 

 researches and of the efficacy of his methods, as set forth by 

 Mr. H. C. Ross. 



The town of Ismailia was founded by M. de Lesseps, who 

 intended it to be a model city, a thriving port and the head- 

 quarters of the Suez Canal Company. It progressed rapidly, 

 rising to a population of 10,000, until in 1877 malaria made its 

 appearance, 300 cases being notified in that year. From 1885 

 to 1902, the number of cases annually was seldom much 

 below 2,000, and in 1891 it rose to over 2,500, more than one 

 quarter of the whole population. In 1902 an anti-malarial 

 campaign was started under the auspices of Prof. Ronald Ross, 

 directed chiefly towards the extermination of the mosquitoes. 

 A marsh near the town was drained ; pools were filled up 

 and a mosquito-brigade was organised consisting of a European 

 foreman and two natives. The duty of the brigade was to 

 visit every house once a week, to treat the cesspools with 

 petroleum, in order to kill the mosquito-larvae ; to empty 

 all standing vessels or tubs containing water; and to clear all 

 irrigation-channels of reeds, so that the water could flow swiftly. 

 Penalties were imposed on the inhabitants if they did not report 

 to the authorities the existence of untreated collections of water. 

 The work cost ;^2,ooo the first year and about ;{^ 1,000 a year 

 subsequently. For this relatively trifling outlay the most 

 remarkable results were obtained. The number of cases of 

 malaria fell at once, in 1903, to 300; in 1904 there were 90 cases ; 

 in 1905, 37; since then no fresh cases of malaria contracted 

 in Ismailia have occurred : the disease is stamped out. It is 

 necessary, however, to continue the preventive measures, since 

 if the mosquito-brigade stops work for a week, the mosquitoes 

 return ; and there is always the danger, in that case, of a recur- 

 rence of the epidemic through infected persons from without 

 coming into the town. 



Nothing shows more clearly than the case of Ismailia the 

 possibility of combating malaria eff"ectually in any locality if 

 anti-malarial measures, especially that of mosquito-reduction, be 



