iv Introduction 



had been his right hand in the cleaning up of 

 Havana, J. A. Le Prince, the author of this 

 book. 



The writer well remembers one morning when, 

 before starting for Panama, General Gorgas and 

 Mr. Le Prince called on him at his office in Washing- 

 ton to talk about mosquitoes, and the confidence 

 which they felt of accomplishing their gigantic task 

 was inspiring. He asked General Gorgas to have 

 specimens of all the Panama mosquitoes sent to him 

 for naming, and the General said, ' ' I will assign Mr. 

 Le Prince to see that it is done." Upon which 

 Mr. Le Prince remarked, "I will have to do it 

 soon. Doctor, for in a year or so there will be no 

 mosquitoes there ! ' ' 



The brilliant results of the work of General 

 Gorgas and his assistants are now known over the 

 whole civilized globe. It has been an object- 

 lesson for the sanitarians of the world and has 

 demonstrated the vitally important fact that it 

 is possible for the white race to live healthfully in 

 the tropics. 



And now, the whole world wants to know 

 how they did it. Every detail becomes of the 

 greatest interest, and, in consequence, what 

 Mr. Le Prince has written here will be not only 

 of great practical importance as a guide to 



