REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR I918 81 



by the extensive mobilization of troops. This was anticipated by the 

 Entomologist in the preparation of Household and Camp Insects, 

 Museum Bulletin 194, which appeared in February 191 7. The 

 publication was widely distributed among military officers in the army 

 as well as to those specially interested in work of this kind throughout 

 the country. There has been a constant demand for the bulletin 

 throughout the season. The Entomologist has given considerable 

 attention to various phases of this problem. 



The importance of insect control in camp and field is apparent 

 when it is recalled that diseases have been responsible for more deaths 

 in armies during war times than are caused by wounds and that such 

 infections as typhus, cholera, malaria of various types, trench fever 

 and typhoid fever may be carried by insects, and some of the more 

 important of these infections are disseminated only by such agents. 

 It therefore follows that the application of precise knowledge regard- 

 ing the habits of insects to the extremely varied conditions encoun- 

 tered by an army in the field and particularly an appreciation of the 

 benefits resulting from the avoidance or amelioration of conditions 

 favorable to the reproduction of dangerous insects, means an enormous 

 advantage to the units in a position to utilize such knowledge. 



The broader phases of insect control and sanitation were discussed 

 by the Entomologists at the Pittsburgh meeting of the American 

 Association of Economic Entomologists and as an outcome a special 

 committee, of which the Entomologist was a member, was appointed 

 for the purpose of promoting the better utilization of the entomological 

 talent of the country in army sanitation. There were several con- 

 ferences with representatives of the Surgeon General and a number 

 of entomologists have been demonstrating the utility of their calling 

 as active members of sanitary corps. Furthermore, the Entomolo- 

 gist, upon the invitation of the camp surgeon, made an examination 

 of conditions at Camp Upton with special reference to the complex 

 mosquito problem of that section. 



Another very important phase deserves consideration at this time, 

 namely, the desirability of adopting every reasonable precaution to 

 prevent epidemics after the establishment of peace. Various infec- 

 tions have been widely distributed as a result of the wholesale move- 

 ment and dissemination of troops and with entire nations suffering 

 from malnutrition, conditions will be almost ideal for extensive 

 epidemics when warm weather permits insects to become active 

 carriers of disease. The peril is greatest in portions of Europe, 

 though sections to which troops return will by no means be free from 



