OTHER MEASURES AND EXPEDIENTS 213 



unless burned in comparatively large quantities in a tightly 

 closed room for a considerable period. A small amount of the 

 powder, however, will drive them from their hiding-places to 

 points where they can be reached. 



LePrince 1 sums up the possibilities of systematic destruction 

 of mosquitoes in dwellings as follows: 



"I think some very valuable experimental work can be done in this 

 country by applying this matter of destruction of Anopheles to houses, 

 where the house tenant is not in any way interested, by using the 

 children to do the catching ... 



HARASSING THE MOSQUITO 



The theory underlying this measure is that mosquitoes will be, 

 to some extent, dispersed and driven away if the environment is 

 made unfavorable to them. 



It has been observed that, generally speaking, the mosquito, 

 when not seeking food, spends its time in some shaded and, 

 preferentially, damp place. It avoids the direct sunlight and, 

 when possible, selects a place where there is a certain amount of 

 moisture. This being so, it is obvious that if we can eliminate 

 these places or render them inaccessible or objectionable to it, the 

 mosquito will either have to get out and seek some new harboring 

 place or, at its peril, remain in an environment that has become 

 unfavorable to it. 



The favorite harboring places of the mosquito about the aver- 

 age home appear to be bushes, clumps of weeds, high grass, etc., 

 underneath the house, in the cellar, in the garage, under culverts, 

 in stables and other dark places. In each of these, a certain 

 amount of moisture is usually found, due to failure of the sun to 

 penetrate for any extended period. 



In carrying out this measure, then, weeds and high grass within 

 a radius of several hundred feet of the dwelling, should be cut and 

 burned; the ground under the house, the cellar, nearby culverts, 

 stables and similar harboring places should be oiled thoroughly 

 from time to time; thick heavy foliage should be trimmed out 

 and, if necessary, also oiled or otherwise treated; the lawn or 

 garden hose should be used sparingly, so as not to cause too much 

 dampness about the house. 



The writer has tried out this measure for several seasons; and 

 it is surprising what a difference its practice will make— it being 

 1 Southern Medical Journal, April, 1921, page 294. 



