( 3i ) 
used for watering and washing purposes, especially in dry weather ; many of 
them breed mosquitoes. 
Wells in any tropical town are liable to become a source of danger. If from 
drought the rain-water gives out, there is always a great temptation to drink the 
well water. The Acting Medical Officer for Belize for the year 1892, Dr. Gahne, 
stated then that the history of the drinking of well water in Belize had been the 
history of the periodical outbreak of diarrhoea and dysentery whenever the 
supply of rain water had run short. In the back of the town with the ground 
water within a few inches of the surface, and the soil liable to contamination with 
excreta by the overflow of the canals at the side of the roadways and of the 
swamps, the shallow wells in the exceedingly porous soil must become con- 
taminated. When, in addition, it is considered that they are few in number and 
of exceedingly small use in cases of fire, no time should be wasted in getting rid 
of them. Any hardship which might be experienced if they were abolished 
amongst the poorer classes could be met with by the establishment of additional 
public vats, or possibly by erecting one or more public washhouses. An examina- 
tion of the Medical Officer of Health’s return shows that there is considerable 
mortality from intestinal affections, including dysentery, and that after malaria this 
group of diseases claims the most victims. 
Barrels . — The barrels are certainly twice as numerous as the regular water 
vats and tanks. They consist of the converted kerosene oil and pork barrels. 
The water in them is used both for washing and also to a large extent for drinking 
purposes. They have no lids, and they catch the water from the roofs usually by 
means of old gutters, planks, or sheets of corrugated iron. (Figs. 1 , 2, 3.) 
We counted 1,342 in the 836 lots which we examined. They are each 
capable of holding some 40 gallons, and they are the most plentiful suppliers of 
the Stegomyia fasciata in the town. 
Oil Tins . — In the poorer districts, and in almost every compound there is 
to be found a collection of kerosene tins of an average capacity of 8 imperial 
gallons. They are used by the inhabitants for storing water, and like the barrels 
they harbour large quantities of larvae. In addition to the tins regularly used 
for storing water there is usually to be seen a large number of them discarded 
and lying about the compound. They contain a little water, and larvre are very 
frequently found in them. (See Figs. 1, 2, & c.) 
Odd Receptacles . — Waste water is frequently found in old bottles, paint 
tins, conch shells, wooden bowls, calabashes, &c. They serve to increase the 
number of breeding places in wet weather. 
Canoes . — There is a very large number of canoes in the town, and these 
are frequently found drawn up in the compounds. Some of them are in good 
repair, but a large number are disused. We found wrigglers in | them in several 
instances. (Fig. 11 .) 
In wet weather the lily tubs and other receptacles in which (lowers are 
planted very frequently harbour wrigglers. I found larva; of Stegomyia in great 
abundance in the cooling water barrel by the furnace in a blacksmith’s shop, a 
similar find was made in New Orleans in September of this year. 
Having, with Mr. Burchell, carefully examined 500 lots in Belize containing 
amongst them 280 vats, 132 tanks, 51 wells, 963 barrels, and numerous tins and 
odd receptacles, and having proved (see Chapter on Mosquito survey) that they 
