The Mosquitoes of New Jersey 205 



Anti-Mosquito Work of the American Mosquito Extermination Society 



In 1903 there was formed in New York a National Society for the 

 suppression of the mosquito pest, known as the American Mosquito 

 Extermination Society, under the leadership of William J. Mathe- 

 son as president, and Henry Clay Weeks as secretary. A conven- 

 tion was held in December of that year and later a little folder 

 entitled "Mosquito Brief of the American Mosquito Extermination 

 Society" was published. A summary of most of the main facts 

 concerning the mosquito problems as we know them today is set forth 

 in this little folder and the publicity which the movement received 

 did much toward making the layman understand the nature of the 

 problem. After a comparatively short career this society ceased to 

 be an active factor in mosquito work. 



Anti-Mosquito Work in Greater New York 



About the year 1904 Dr. Alvah H. Doty, then health officer of the 

 Port of New York became vitally interested in the problems of mos- 

 quito control within the limits of the city and led a movement 

 which resulted in the establishment of a large amount of salt-marsh 

 drainage in Staten Island and about the City of New York itself. 

 After Dr. Doty ceased to be connected with this phase of the city 

 work the work of mosquito control lagged for a number of years. In 

 the year 191 5, under the leadership of Dr. Haven Emerson, then 

 health officer of the city of New York, an appropriation of $150,000 

 was made for the purpose of finishing the drainage of the salt 

 marshes within the limits of Greater New York. This work was 

 carried on under the immediate direction of Eugene Winship, sani- 

 tary engineer of the Department. 



Unification of Anti-Mosquito Work in New Jersey 



It will be remembered that since 1906 the New Jersey Agricul- 

 tural Experiment Station has been steadily engaged in installing 

 as large an amount of salt-marsh drainage as the funds, which 

 the Legislature saw fit to appropriate annually, would permit. It 

 will also be remembered that the various local campaigns have 

 been steadily continued and extended. All this work in the year 

 1912 crystallized in the form of a bill which passed the Legislature 

 under the caption of Chapter 104, Laws of 1912. This act is known 

 as the County Mosquito Extermination Commission Law and pro- 

 vides for the appointment of a non-paid mosquito commission in 



