ORGANIZATION FOR COMMUNITY WORK. 85 



identified all breeding places. Still another survey was made by the 

 late Prof. N. S. Shaler, of Harvard University, who advised concern- 

 ing the best methods of reclaiming the salt marshes included in the 

 territory where the brackish-water mosquito breeds. Upon the basis 

 of these surveys and reports the association began in 1902 its active 

 work of extermination. 



The following is Doctor Ross's summary of antimosquito work, 

 and it is so admirable that it is quoted in full: 



SUMMARY. 



17. Summary of objects: 



(1) We do not propose to exterminate mosquitoes in any entire Continent. 

 We propose only to deal with them in the town in which we live, and in its suburbs. 



(2) We do not propose to get rid of every mosquito even in this town. 

 We aim only at reducing the number of the insects as much as possible. 



(3) We do not think it possible to drain or otherwise treat every breeding-place in 

 the town. 



We aim at dealing with as many as possible. 



(4) We can not exclude mosquitoes which may just possibly be blown into the town 

 from miles away. 



We content ourselves with preventing the insects breeding in the town itself. 



18. Summary of methods: 



(1) We start work at once with whatever means we can scrape together. 



(2) We operate from a center outward. 



(3) We clear houses, back yards, and gardens of all rubbish; empty tubs and cisterns 

 containing larvae, or destroy the larvae in them by means of oil. 



(4) W^e show people how to do these things for themselves, and how to protect tubs 

 and cisterns by means of wire gauze. 



(5) When we have cleared as many houses as we determine to deal with, we clear 

 them over again and again. 



(6) We fill up or drain away all the pools, ditches, old wells, and puddles we can — 

 especially those which contain most larvae. 



(7) Such pools as can not be filled up or drained are deepened and cleared of weeds 

 if they contain larvae. 



(8) Streams and water courses which possess larvae are "trained." 



(9) Where we can do nothing else we destroy the larvae periodically with oil, or by 

 brushing them out with brooms, or by other means. 



(10) We endeavor to interest our neighbors in the work, and to educate the town 

 into maintaining a special gang of men for the purpose of keeping the streets and 

 gardens absolutely free of stagnant, mosquito-bearing water. 



19. Motto: Our motto should be one which I think will shortly become the first law 

 of tropical sanitation, namely, ^'No Stagnant Water. ^^ 



After concluding an account of his own personal work at Lloyds 

 Neck, Long Island, and of the work done by the North Shore Improve- 

 ment Association, Mr. W. J. Matheson, speaking before the First 

 Anti-Mosquito Convention in New York, December 16, 1903, con- 

 cluded that as the result of the work carried on it had been demon- 

 strated that, with the exception of the salt-marsh mosquitoes, the 

 mosquito nuisance can be controlled and abated in almost any locality 

 where intelligent cooperation can be secured and a systematic inspec- 

 tion made of the premises for the purpose of destroying the breeding 



