ins MOSQUITOES 



be handled by still larger organizations — even by States. 

 Mr. Matbeson's clever phrase, referred to in the intro- 

 duction to this book, " There is no more reason why peo- 

 ple should sutler from mosquitoes than that thej^ should 

 sutler from smallpox," is not an over-statement ; and that 

 the effort should be made when it promises success is 

 so self-evident that it only requires a few enthusiastic 

 and enlightened individuals in a community to convince 

 everyone of the desirability of an organized effort. 



Setting aside the question of yelloAv fever, which oid^^ 

 at intervals concerns even the States along the Gulf of 

 Mexico, and is of vital and constant importance only in 

 tropical regions, a mere passing thought shows the eco- 

 nomic loss to a neighborhood in the jn-evalence of ma- 

 laria. While the actual death-rate may not be high, the 

 number of persons incapacitated for their full share of 

 work is alwa3's great. Families suffer in one way or an- 

 other, and the community, when the matter is considered 

 in a broad way, is a great loser. Aside, too, from ma- 

 laria, it is perfectly obvious that a mosquito-ridden 

 neighborhood is not a desirable jilace of residence. The 

 very fact of the abundance of mosquitoes keeps real 

 estate values at a depressed point. I know of one case 

 where a stretch of land near a large body of water af- 

 forded many excellent cottage and villa sites, but mos- 

 quitoes were so numerous that even domestic animals 

 could not be ke]>t in a healthy condition, and the sole 

 population consisted of a few smoke-dried fishermen and 

 their dogs. In this locality, by enterprising work on the 

 part of one man, who organized a comi)any for the pur- 



