Proceedings of Seventh Annual Meeting 



97 



we found the men ready to work overtime on a clear day to make up 

 for time lost on a rainy day. 



The history of the campaign against malaria in Nassau County 

 is of considerable interest. Shortly after scientists proved the 

 Anopheles mosquito to be the only transmitter of malaria to man, 

 mosquito extermination on the north shore of the county was agi- 

 tated. In 1910 the Matinecock Neighborhood Association of Locust 

 Valley carried on a $6,000 campaign and for the next four years 

 maintained the work installed. Following the pioneer work of this 

 association, the people of Port Washington and Glen Cove ex- 

 pended some $2,000 in 1914 on oiling, ditching and maintenance. 

 This work was continued in 191 5 by the Great Neck Association, 

 which did approximately $1,100 worth of work. 



So the fight against malaria was carried on in the county for many 

 years, in various ways — by individuals, societies, welfare organiza- 

 tions and communities — until in 19 16 the Nassau County Mosquito 

 Extermination Commission became operative and took over the 

 work of the local organizations. 



Before discussing malaria conditions in the county, it might be 

 well to look briefly at the record of the upland work done by the 

 commission in the past three years so that some idea may be gleaned 

 of the effort put forth to obtain the very favorable results men- 

 tioned hereafter. 



The commission was not organized until June, 191 6, so the malaria 

 work that year consisted chiefly of maintenance of the work pre- 

 viously installed and location of breeding places. 



In 191 7 the commission maintained an upland crew on the north 

 shore. A systematic oiling of ponds, wet areas and catch-basins 

 from Great Neck to Oyster Bay was carried on throughout the 

 season. A number of ponds, brooks and swamps were drained and 

 cleaned by commission labor and there were several breeding places 

 which were cleaned by the property owners themselves under the 

 supervision of the commission. 



It was not until 1918, however, that the organization of the up- 

 land work was satisfactorily established. The north shore upland 

 district included the territory from Great Neck east to Cold Spring 

 Harbor on the north, and from Floral Park east to Mineola, thence 

 along the Old Country Road to Plainview on the south, an area of 

 approximately 135 square miles. The inspection and oiling was 

 done by four men. The general plan was to start all the inspectors 

 at Cold Spring and to work west to Great Neck, covering the entire 



