ll 2> 



In a conference with the Commissioner of Health of the State, 

 Dr. Biggs, it was apparent that we could not get any immediate 

 action on the part of the State on the basis of its being a medical 

 problem that we were facing. Studying the deaths in the State 

 of New York, caused by malaria, outside of the City of New 

 York, there were only thirteen deaths by malaria, whereas in 

 the past a great many cases of death from malaria have been 

 reported. Instead of reporting tuberculosis or septic infection, 

 which were common causes of death, malaria was reported. If 

 a physician didn't want to tell his patient or family that death 

 was due to tuberculosis or septic infection, he put it down 

 malaria, because there had been a remittent or chronic fever. 

 If he was afraid to face the statement that there was a chronic 

 infection which he failed to detect, or which surgery had failed 

 to relieve, it was put down as malaria. 



Now, with the more careful methods of reporting deaths, and 

 more precise medical diagnosis, the deaths from malaria have 

 diminished in number. Now, it was hardly jutifiable for the 

 State to enter a vigorous campaign on the basis of its being a 

 campaign against malaria. In the City of New York we have 

 a good deal of house-mosquito breeding. Finding the State of 

 New York could not be involved in general mosquito preven- 

 tion, because the State was at a point in its development of the 

 Health Department which made it necessary for it to confine 

 its efforts particularly to the medical aspect of the question. 

 Its support from the Legislature depended so much on it 

 not arousing any unnecessary antagonism, it were not pre- 

 pared to enlist in a campaign for comfort as distinct from, a 

 campaign for health. 



In the City of New York things -were quite different. In the 

 vicinity of Jamaica Plains there are $250,000,000 worth of 

 property which is awaiting development until the mosquito is 

 eliminated. It was after a conference with Mr. Lawson W. 

 P'urdy, Tax Commissioner of New York City, that it was quite 

 apparent that the financial officers of the city were as interested 

 in the matter as the Health Department. 



8 MO 



