ESSENTIALS OF CONTROL 



The essentials of control are indicated very clearly 

 by the study of the life history (development) and 

 habits of the mosquito, and rest on the application of 

 two general methods; namely, temporary and per- 

 manent. Temporary control consists in oiling the 

 breeding places or adding a poison, such as nicotine, 

 Phinotas oil, or salt (in the case of fresh-water species) 

 to the water. Manifestly this method requires constant 

 repetition, but is extremely useful and really essential 

 during the time that the permanent work is being 

 advanced. 



For the control of mosquitoes, especially the Anoph- 

 eles, the best method by all odds is drainage, im- 

 provement of irrigation methods, cutting deeper chan- 

 nels where the water spreads, etc. Thirty minutes' 

 labor in cutting a ditch deeper, or digging a new one 

 for a short distance, has very often absolutely elimi- 

 nated a nuisance that has bred malaria mosquitoes 

 season after season. It is highly important that con- 

 trol efforts should be systematic and thorough. Hap- 

 hazard, slipshod work only results in dissatisfaction 

 and new crops of mosquitoes. 



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