2. Some Popular Misconceptions Corrected. When 

 the idea of exterminating mosquitoes for preventing 

 malarial fever was first mooted* it was met with con- 

 siderable opposition, and even ridicule, owing chiefly to 

 various popular misconceptions regarding the matter. 

 People thought that it was proposed to exterminate these 

 insects in whole continents, which would evidently be quite 

 impossible. As a matter of fact the measure was proposed 

 only for towns and certain settlements. Then, again, by 

 the phrase " extermination of mosquitoes," was never meant 

 anything more than their reduction in numbers to an 

 appreciable extent. Even as regards their reduction in 

 number, serious doubts were felt at first, because it was 

 believed that the insects exist in such countless swarms 

 that all measures even to reduce them would be futile. As 

 a matter of fact, however, mosquitoes never exist in count- 

 less swarms. To make a rough estimate I fancy it would 

 be rare to find on the average more than twenty mosquitoes 

 to every house, even in the most mosquito-infected districts. 

 These insects, like other animals, have many natural 

 enemies bats, birds, spiders, and those climatic influences 

 which tend to destroy them or their larvae. It will indeed 

 be contrary to general experience if these animals do not, 

 as others have done, succumb when they find themselves 

 opposed by a new enemy, and such a formidable one as 

 mankind ; that is to say, of course, in special localities 

 where adequate measures are taken against them. As 

 already stated, mosquitoes are known to be rare in certain 

 spots where the conditions are naturally unfavourable to 

 them : all we have to do is to create similar unfavourable 

 conditions by artificial means. 



* In a letter addressed by me to the Government of India, dated February 

 i8th, 1901. 



