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N. J. Mosquito Extermination Association 



territory for many miles. The dangerous part of this breeding is 

 that the larvae found were mostly Anopheles. This condition has 

 been brought about to a great extent by the low flow of water in the 

 canal. Early in the spring of 1919, numerous complaints were made 

 by people residing along the canal to the Paterson Board of Health 

 about the unsanitary condition existing in the canal bed, which at 

 that time for miles along its course was a series of unsanitary stag- 

 nant water pools. I believe an effort was made at that time to reach 

 someone in authority of the Canal Company so that the nuisance 

 might be abated, but in any endeavor to get action in cases of this 

 kind, one has to start young. The time is not far distant when the 

 canal will become little better than an open sewer. It has already 

 become the receptacle for all kinds of rubbish and dead animals. 



The conditions enumerated represent what might be called the 

 liabilities in mosquito-control work within the territory covered by 

 the commission's work in Passaic County. Against there liabilities 

 we have as an asset an annual appropration of $16,000 or an amount 

 equal to 6 cents per capita. Under the mosquito-extermination law 

 the maximum appropriation for Passaic County in 1919 was $55,000. 



To any one who has had some years of practical experience as an 

 executive in mosquito-control work, it must be evident that 6 cents 

 per capita is not a sufficient amount to secure freedom from mos- 

 quito annoyance where the density of population within the terri- 

 tory covered by the commission's work is 7,000 to the square mile. 

 The increase in wages and cost of material has lessened the amount of 

 work that can be done where the annual appropriation has not been 

 increased. 



Within the past two or three years many lines of business and in- 

 dustry have been accused of profiteering. This can hardly be ap- 

 plied to mosquito-control work. It does seem that we are still ex- 

 pected to furnish freedom from mosquito annoyance at pre-war 

 cost. If the public desires freedom from mosquito annoyance, it 

 must pay the price, not in a half-hearted antagonism to the work, 

 but in a full, free and public-spirited cooperation in the work of 

 mosquito control. 



Public sentiment is generally favorable to the abatement of any 

 nuisance that affects its comfort or health. Unfortunately, public 

 sentiment is not always consistent when an appropriation of money 

 is needed f or that purpose. 



Our success in preventing mosquito annoyance within our terri- 



