March i6, 1922 



NATURE 



335 



The book abounds with interesting details concern- 

 ing the natural history of various mosquitoes, and 

 shows how necessary such knowledge is before any 

 attempt can be made to mitigate the malarial scourge. 

 The case of Anopheles Ludlowi is a good vindication — 

 if any were needed — of the practical importance of 

 the taxonomic work of the syste- 

 matic entomologist. There are 

 three species, A . Ludlowi, A . Rossii, 

 and A. indefinitus, so similar to one 

 another that the experience of an 

 expert is required to distinguish 

 between them. Yet of these three 

 only one, A. Ltidlowt, is known to 

 be a natural carrier of malaria. 

 Moreover, it differs entirely from 

 the others in its habits, breeding 

 mainly along the coast and often in 

 brackish water. In connection with 

 this mosquito Dr. Watson gives a 

 good account of the mangrove- 

 swamps, and explains how engineer- 

 ing works on the coast may cause an 

 increase of malaria by interference 

 with the tidal flushing of the swamps. 



As the prevalent mosquitoes vary 

 in the plains and in the hills, so 

 the methods of dealing with malaria 

 differ in each locality. As the 

 jungle is cleared and drained in the 

 plains malaria disappears ; whilst in 

 the hills drainage and the opening 

 up of the jungle alone fail to 

 influence the prevalence of the 

 disease. The explanation of this is 

 that in the plains the mosquito 

 which carries malaria is Anopheles 

 umbrosus, which breeds in pools in 

 the jungle ; in the hills the mos- 

 quito chiefly concerned is A. macii- 

 latus, the breeding-place of which 

 is the running water of springs 

 and hill-streams. A method which 

 may be quite successful in diminish- 

 ing the numbers of one species may 

 yet fail to lessen the incidence of 

 malaria, since it may lead to conditions suitable for 

 the breeding of another species. How all these 

 different problems were dealt with satisfactorily will 

 be found in the volume under review. 



The book appeals to other than medical men. Many 



interesting sidelights are thrown on the inhabitants, 



on life in the Malay States, and on the development 



of rubber planting ; a good account also is given of 



NO. 2733, VOL. 109] 



the physical features of the country, with its mangrove- 

 swamps, " flat land," coastal and inland hills. 



The book is written in an attractive style, and such 

 a large amount of knowledge is so pleasantly and 

 modestly displayed that it will certainly add much 

 to the high reputation of the authors ; and, since 



Fig. 2. — The end of the subsoil pipes in a ravine on the Seafield Estate; from this point the water 

 continues in an open drain. Photograph taken in dry weather. From "The Prevention of 

 Malaria in the Federated Malay States." 



the methods for the prevention of malaria, which 

 were used so successfully in the Malay States, are of 

 general application, this lucid account will be of the 

 utmost value to all medical men practising in tropical 

 and subtropical regions. The book is well printed 

 and illustrated by a large number of excellent photo- 

 graphs, two of which are here reproduced. 



H. J. Walton. 



