PAPERS OX MEDICINE AND PUBLIC HEALTH 283 



ments to carry on mosquito control during 1924 and pro- 

 vision vriil probably be made in the city budget for snch 

 work each year in the future. The work has been found 

 to save lives, to eliminate the pestiferous mosquito, and 

 to make a considerable economic saving to the commun- 

 ity. The cost of the work at Carbondale for 1922, not 

 including the supervision by a State sanitary engineer, 

 was about $2,600. At least 250 cases of malaria were 

 prevented, and considering the economic loss as $100 per 

 case, the net economic saving to the community for the 

 mosquito-control work was over $20,000. The cost for 

 the second season's work (1923) was only about $800 and 

 thus the economic saving was even greater. 



Following the example set by Carbondale, the city of 

 Belleville undertook complete malaria-mosquito control 

 during 1923. The work was assured by the interest and 

 financial assistance of the local Lion's and Rotary Clubs, 

 the Board of Trade, and the city officials. Financial as- 

 sistance was also given by the International Health 

 Board and a State sanitary engineer directed the work. 

 From vital statistics for previous years and a house-to- 

 house canvass at the beginning of the control season of 

 1923 and another canvass at the end of the year, it was 

 found that the mosquito-control work reduced the ma- 

 laria in the city to about one-eighth of what had existed 

 in previous years. 



Malaria had not been quite as prevalent in Belleville 

 as in Carbondale, but nevertheless the control work re- 

 sulted in preventing at least 110 cases and made the city 

 practically free from the bothersome mosquito. The 

 season's control work cost $3,020 and from the record 

 of the number of malaria cases during previous years 

 and during the control year it is conservatively esti- 

 mated that the net economic saving to the community 

 was over $8,000. The cost of control work for future 

 years will be less because of some permanent work done 

 during the first year, and thus the economic saving will 

 be correspondingly greater. 



The work at Belleville was locally considered very 

 beneficial and profitable and provision is being made in 

 the city budget, with some additional financial assistance 



