22 THE IMPORTANCE OF DOMESTIC MOSQUITOS 



so did filariasis among the natives. The house-to- 

 house weekly visit of the mosquito brigades is now 

 a regular institution, and it has been the means of 

 accomplishing many sanitary reforms under difficult 

 political conditions. But this work could never have 

 been successful if the Anophelines had been attacked 

 alone. It was the reduction of the domestic mosquito 

 which pleased the people and which enabled the 

 weekly examination of the town and the regular 

 inspection of the dirty native quarter to be under- 

 taken. There are no real sanitary laws in Egypt, 

 and every man was master in his own house, and 

 could build or repair or not as he liked ; we could 

 not force him to do anything, or even enter his house 

 or premises without his permission. It was for the 

 purpose of reducing their domestic mosquitos that 

 the polyglot people of Port Said gave us their per- 

 mission to enter their houses ; but when the men 

 did get in to the backyards and cellars they were 

 able to do a great deal. As soon as the house- 

 holder saw that we seriously intended to reduce his 

 domestic mosquitos he no longer opposed, he actually 

 assisted. 



It is necessary therefore to reduce the Culecine 

 mosquito as well as the Anopheline. Deal with the 

 domestic mosquito whether the Anopheline is present 

 or not in the town. It is a sanitary measure which 

 it is the duty of citizens to perform. It is the prime 

 function of municipalities and town councils to 

 undertake sanitary reforms and to see that they 

 succeed. Health is more important than a beautiful 



