RE3IEDIES AGAINST MOSQUITOES 179 



of still pools, which are fine lor the egg-hatching and larva and 

 pupa raising by the mosquito. The arches over this stream I 

 found last spring to have been the favorite hibernating places of 

 the insect, and before they liad fully time to wake up and go to 

 business, I had millions of them destroyed by sprinkling with 

 coal tar. 



Last summer my attention Avas called to your suggestions about 

 the use of oil, by my brother-in-law, Dr. R. W. Baker, of your 

 city. At my request he called on you and procured some of the 

 literature issued by you on the sul)ject. 1 determined that I 

 would urge the people here to try the experiment. In October, 

 1899, tlie mayor having died, I was unexpectedly chosen in his 

 place, and I then tliought of trying to make the matter one for 

 municipal and methodical action. I therefore induced the Com- 

 mon Council to pass an ordinance, a copy of wliich I enclose to 

 you. 



My proposition was greeted by the papers and by the com- 

 munity generally with much merriment, and I was the subject of 

 some veiy sharp ridicule from the press at home and abroad. 



The ordinance, as you will see, was witliout penalty, and the 

 course designed to be pursued by me was intended to be per- 

 suasive and not coercive. Early in the spring (March) I dis- 

 covered tlie mosquitoes buzzing out from a pile of plank when the 

 snow was six inches deep, and the first reports of the police who 

 undertook to anoint the run and all public pools, was that mill- 

 ions of them were found adliering to the arches, and the oil-cans 

 when brought out from use under the arclies and in the pools 

 were covered with the dead insects. 



I issued to the people small leaflets, giving an account of the 

 habits and gestation period of the mosquito, and urging the peo- 

 ple to obey the ordinance and join me in a relentless fight against 

 the insect. I also asked many persons to make ex[)eriments and 

 report their success to me. 1 was soon overwhelmed with re- 



