PAPERS OX MEDICINE AND PUBLIC HEALTH 279 



mosquito axd malaria control ix 

 illinois 



Harry F. Ferguson, Chief Sanitary Engineer, Division 



of Sanitary Engineering, State Department 



of Public Health, Springfield 



All counties in Illinois sillier more or less from malaria 

 and mosquitoes. In the northern and central portions 

 of the State where much of the land has been fairly well 

 drained for agricultural and other purposes, malaria is 

 much less prevalent than in the southern counties, and 

 the mosquito pest has been greatly reduced except in 

 certain special areas. The death rates from malaria are 

 especially high in the southern counties, and that portion 

 of the State has been termed the "malaria belt of Illi- 

 nois 5 '. 



The accompanying map of Illinois shows the malaria 

 death rates by counties for the fiscal years from June 1. 

 1919, to June 30, 1922. When it is considered that for 

 each death from malaria there are approximately 300 

 cases of that disease, the case rate in the southern coun- 

 ties will be seen to be quite high. Moreover, many deaths 

 are caused by illnesses which would not have been incur- 

 red if the individuals had not previously been infected by 

 malaria and left in a weakened physical condition. This 

 is especially true of children, for if children are infected 

 by malaria in their growing years their growth and vital- 

 ity are probably greatly reduced. 



As an example of the economic loss from malaria, ref- 

 erence may be made to Jackson County. Vital statistics 

 show that there are occurring in Jackson County between 

 2.700 and 3,000 cases of malaria a year. Assuming that 

 the economic loss per case is $100, which would be a con- 

 servative figure, and include the cost of medicine, doctor 

 bills, and loss in productive earnings, the economic ] 

 to Jackson County is over $250,000 yearly. Thus that 

 county and other similar counties could well afford to 

 spend considerable sums yearly until mosquito-breeding 

 places have been eliminated. 



Drainage work that has been going on for many y 

 in Illinois to reclaim land or make it more productive for 



