48 YELLOW FEVER PROPHYLAXIS IN NEW ORLEANS 



10. In fumigating a house, the privy is not to be neglected ; it can be easily closed 

 up by using paper freely. This is not done because of the sanitary conditions or 

 odours of the closet, but because it is an enclosed space in which mosquitoes do and 

 may take refuge. Likewise, if the stable or chicken house can be enclosed without too 

 much labour, they are to be pasted and fumigated. 



11. Pyrethrum powder is to be burned in parts of the house where sulphur would 

 disturb the sick, or where there are pianos or other costly furniture. The room is to 

 be similarly prepared in pasting up crevices, &c., with this difierence, that the blinds 

 of all windows but one are to be closed up, and on the floor in front of this window, 

 which is to be left light, a white sheet is to be spread. When the smoke begins to get 

 dense in the room, all insects will fly towards the light, and will hover about this 

 window until they fall stupefied on the sheet. 



In using pyrethrum, the proportion should be three pounds to the thousand cubic 

 feet, with an exposure of three hours, and it is better to work on the principle of three 

 pounds in three pots, or one pound to the pot, rather than use the three pounds in one 

 pot. Water is to be used in pots, as for sulphur, and the same precautions used to 

 prevent fire. 



When the room fumigated with pyrethrum is opened up, the sheet is to be 

 examined, the number of mosquitoes noted, and then the latter brushed into the still 

 smoking pot. The floor of the room should also be swept rapidly, and the insects 

 gathered up and thrown into the pot. A little alcohol may be carefully added from a 

 cup to hasten the process. Alcohol must not be poured from the bottle, however, or 

 accidents will happen. 



In closing up a room for either sulphur or pyrethrum fumigation, the foreman 

 should write on strip of paper closing the door the time that fumigation was started. 

 He should also note it in his memorandum book, but this writing on the strip of paper 

 will often prevent disputes with householders as to the time when the room should be 

 opened. 



12. The fumigation being well started, the foreman will take his gang and go to 

 the next house, and at the expiration of two hours he should send back a man to open 

 up a house being fumigated with sulphur. 



A house fumigated by pyrethrum is to be opened up at the end of three hours, and 

 two men had better be sent to do this, as the opening up of the room and sweeping up of 

 insects must be done rapidly, since they are not always killed by the smoke, but only 

 stupefied. No pots should be lighted after 4 p.m., in order that householders may not 

 be kept out of their houses after nightfall. The men should be told off in rotation to 

 open up the last house, and in this way a man will have to work overtime only one 

 afternoon in five. 



13. When the police are sent round to force entrance into premises, the Officer is 

 to be the spokesman, and the foreman and his gang are not to interfere, unless the 

 policeman is assailed and calls on them for assistance. 



When a room has been broken open ior fumigation by the police, a label to that 

 effect is to be pasted over doors when the pots have been taken out. In addition, the 

 door must be again securely nailed up, and a second label pasted over it stating that 

 further fumigation of that particular room will not be necessary as long as this seal, 

 which is pasted over the door in such a way that to open the door is to tear the paper, is 

 unbroken. A similar label is to be used over doors of rooms which the householder 

 states are not used. By this method, when a house is entered the second time for 

 fumigation, the rooms which have unbroken seals on doors and windows need not be 

 again fumigated. 



Foremen must remember that they are invading the property of homes and 

 ■ disturbing the comforts of individuals. They must expect tongue lashings and other 

 abuse, as part of their day's work for which they are being paid. They must keep their 

 temper, try to make friends with these people, and do the work assigned them 



