

ii RELATING TO HEALTH AND CLIMATE 15 



is, of course, only one way to ensure this ; that is 

 by personally seeing to it that the insects have no 

 breeding places near the house. First see that the 

 farm be not built near any shallow, stagnant water. 

 Luckily, there is comparatively little such water in the 

 Highlands. Then see that no water is allowed to 

 collect in any of the gutters ; also that the bath-water 

 is emptied where it will be absorbed in the ground 

 or will run clean away. Remember that it is 

 possible to breed 50,000 mosquitoes in one sardine 

 tin filled with water. Have no banana trees near 

 the house and curb your passion for cannas. The 

 first form, perhaps, the most favourite breeding place 

 for mosquitoes, as they invariably provide water 

 where the leaves spring from the stem. Cannas do 

 the same in a lesser degree. The Anopheles may 

 be known by his habit of standing on his head, 

 while his less harmful cousin stands with body parallel 

 to the wall. Although the latter is held guiltless 

 of malaria, he need not be treated with any great 

 degree of trust or friendship. He is, at all events, a 

 most unpleasant disturber of slumber. 



Typhoid is a quite recent arrival in the country. 

 It is at present mostly confined to Nairobi. There is 

 a suspicion among doctors that it may be insect-borne, 

 but the strong probability is that it is due to con- 

 taminated water. A good deal of the drinking water 

 in the town is taken from the stream which gives it its 

 name, the Nairobi river. A considerable number of 

 low-class Indian coolies have lately settled along its 

 banks, where they grow vegetables, etc., and in- 

 cidentally foul the water. A new and first-rate water 

 supply is now being instituted, and there is every 

 reason to hope that this disease will be reduced to a 



