IZ NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 
made an examination of conditions at Camp Upton with special 
reference to the complex mosquito problem of that section. 
Another very important phase deserves consideration at this 
time, namely, the desirability of adopting every reasonable pre- 
caution to prevent epidemics after the establishment of peace. 
Various infections have been widely distributed as a result of the 
wholesale movement and dissemination of troops and with entire 
nations suffering from malnutrition, conditions will be almost ideal 
for extensive epidemics when warm weather permits insects to become 
active carriers of disease. The peril is greatest in portions of Europe 
though sections to which troops return will by no means be free from 
danger. Doctor Prinzing, in his monograph on ‘“‘ Epidemics 
Resulting from Wars,’ states that, ‘‘ Until comparatively recent 
times the most serious human cost of war has not been losses in the 
field, nor even the losses from disease in the armies, but the losses 
from epidemics disseminated among the civil populations. It was 
the war epidemics and their sequelae, rather than direct military 
losses that accounted for the deep prostration of Germany after the 
Thirty Years’ War. Such epidemics were also the gravest conse- 
quence of the Napoleonic Wars.’’ Wasted resources and reduced 
man power in certain European countries mean arelaxation of sani- 
tary precautions and with the renewed activities of insects another 
season, there will be almost unexampled opportunities for the spread 
of disease unless precautions are adopted and rigidly enforced at 
the very outset. 
Special entomological service. The plan was to promote the 
production of larger and better crops and was a development from 
and continuation of the insect pest survey and information service 
conducted during the summer of 1917. It is emergency war work. 
A series of weekly reports or digests were issued throughout the 
active part of the season, the first appearing May 23d and the last 
August rst. These were distributed to farm bureau agents through- 
out the State and to a number of specially interested persons, par- 
ticularly those in position to influence the adoption of better measures 
for the control of insect pests. This was supplemented by cor- 
respondence directing the attention of observers to features of special 
importance. The service was possible only through the cooperation 
of the farm bureau agents and a number of observers in various parts 
of the State, the latter mostly earlier correspondents of the office. 
In addition to the weekly reports mentioned above, special circulars 
were issued warning of probable injury by grass webworm, potato 
