i6 . Proceedings of the First Convention 



Mr. Kerr : I know of no better way of stating what a rural 

 community can do than by reading very briefly what one small 

 community has done. Of course, one could not judge from it 

 how much greater good can be done, but in our little com- 

 munity we ran against some difficulties which may be typical 

 of some similar other cases, and in a few words I will explain 

 them. 



WHAT A RURAL COMMUNITY CAN DO. 

 ]\'Ir. Walter C. Kerr. 



Any rural community can rid itself of mosquitoes and their 

 capacity for disseminating malaria, providing it is free to act 

 along the well known lines which have been adopted for ac- 

 complishing this purpose. 



My personal experience is limited to an area on Staten Is- 

 land, containing about two square miles, ranging from Arro- 

 char to New Dorp, and from tide water to the top of the hills 

 lying about one mile back from the shore and rising to an 

 elevation of 400 feet. 



All the watershed of this area finds its way to the sea 

 through New Creek, which with several branches wanders 

 through the low land between the hills and tide water, and is 

 bordered by marshes formed by overflowing of the creek at 

 high tides. The higher levels are composed of serpentine hills 

 whose characteristic undulations cause numerous storm water 

 ponds in pockets, the natural drainage of which is imperfect. 



The conditions of this locality favor the breeding of mos- 

 quitoes ; the salt and brackish water varieties breeding in the 

 salt marshes of the lower lands approaching the beach, while 

 many fresh water varieties breed in the highland ponds. 



In the spring of 1898, a purse was raised among the prin- 

 cipal residents, and an oil wagon with pumps and hose secured. 

 Men were trained to handle the oil spraying outfit, while others 

 were employed to cut drains from the hilltop ponds. The 

 work was prosecuted diligently during all of one season, and 

 some 25 or more ponds were treated with oil about once a 

 month. The ponds were finally drained. 



The oil treatment was successful in killing the mosquito 

 larvae, but the practical limitation was found there, as else- 

 where, in getting the oil onto some of the ponds, where the 

 mechanical operation was impeded by boggy shores, bushes, 



