524 
fly, that the organism causing human fili- 
ariasis is transmitted by the Culex fatigans 
and certain of the Anopheles, and evidence 
is gradually accumulating that the germ of 
leprosy is transmitted by the bed-bug 
(Cimex lectularius). A knowledge of the 
natural history of these insects is absolutely 
essential for the scientific study of the dis- 
eases with which they are so closely asso- 
ciated, and public health work has only 
been effective in eradicating these diseases 
in proportion to the efforts of the sanitarian 
directed toward their destruction or toward 
protecting individuals from them. The 
entomologist, the zoologist and the bacteri- 
ologist are each required to contribute their 
share in the research that means so much to 
public health and to mankind. If much 
has already been accomplished, still greater 
are the fields open for scientific investi- 
gation. 
With the lower forms of animal life 
parasitic to man and known to cause dis- 
ease, the connecting link, the intermediate 
host, the full life history is missing in many 
instances where it would seem that the most 
fertile field for the scientist has not yet 
been invaded. A very large field lies open 
for those who will undertake a careful 
study of the relation between the vermes 
and the human being. Much indeed has 
been learned about parasites inhabiting the 
intestinal canal, but the parasitologist has 
not yet concluded the final analysis of the 
life history of many of these parasites. 
The work of the academy has been so 
distinctly pure science that the lay public 
have not until recently appreciated the 
great practical relationship it has to health 
and economics. The description of the 
various species, their life history, their 
geographical range, have enabled those 
working in applied sciences to conduct the 
already successful war against the enemies 
SCIENCE 
[N.S. Vou. XXXV. No. 901 
to man, to the lower animals and to plant 
life. 
Eeonomic entomology, based upon ab- 
stract work, shows an annual money loss 
oceasioned by insects as follows: 
Cereals ey ricrecee irri nirriecrts $300,000,000 
IBeh7 GHnGl SRO sosconopdocooucbsoc 66,500,000 
Cotton bi. acl mi actiae vases 85,000,000 
MODACCO! Prayescieoetaniarst haat nie ere oe 10,000,000 
LEAT HONS Coosucoccsocccscusccce 150,000,000 
Sugarsieecey rere secre 9,500,000 
IMUM cobooOOOMboO Obes adbeDaoGadod 30,000,000 
HanMYPLOTEStSy ieyeret iver see 11,000,000 
Miscellaneous crops ............... 10,000,000 
Amimeallyyproductsweacer ea eecenne 300,000,000 
Natural forests and forest products . 100,000,000 
Products in storage ............... 200,000,000 
TRO GAM Civ S ie Sie lee va sewenthre Ree pps $1,272,000,000 
Let it be remembered that in 1793 half 
the population of Philadelphia either died 
from yellow fever or voluntarily exiled 
themselves to escape from the scourge, that 
all the southern tier of states were kept in 
a state of constant terror every summer for 
fear of its invasion, causing a loss of mil- 
lions to the commerce of the country, and 
then recall the fact that through ento- 
mological and medical cooperation this dis- 
ease was practically eliminated from Cuba, 
its breeding place for ages, and that in 
1905 a violent epidemic of the same plague 
was actually checked in New Orleans by 
the practical application of the knowledge 
gleaned by the medical department of our 
army in Cuba. 
That mysterious blight to human life 
and energy, known as malaria, to which, 
as much as to the fire and sword of north- 
ern barbarians Greece and Rome owed 
their downfall, has been traced to its ento- 
mological source so that these two devas- 
tating diseases have ceased to be a menace 
to civilized communities, allowing that 
great work, the construction of the Panama 
Canal, heretofore impossible owing to their 
prevalence, to go on uninterruptedly under 
