II 
RELATING TO HEALTH AND CLIMATE 15 
is, of course, only one way to ensure this; that is 
by personally seeing to it that the insects have no 
breeding places near the house. First see that the 
farm be not built near any shallow, stagnant water. 
Luckily, there is comparatively little such water in the 
Highlands. Then see that no water is allowed to 
collect in any of the gutters ; also that the bath-water 
is emptied where it will be absorbed in the ground 
or will run clean away. Remember that it is 
possible to breed 50,000 mosquitoes in one sardine 
tin filled with water. Have no banana trees near 
the house and curb your passion for cannas. The 
first form, perhaps, the most favourite breeding place 
for mosquitoes, as they invariably provide water 
where the leaves spring from the stem. Cannas do 
the same in a lesser degree. The Anopheles may 
be known by his habit of standing on his head, 
while his less harmful cousin stands with body parallel 
to the wall. Although the latter is held guiltless 
of malaria, he need not be treated with any great 
degree of trust or friendship. He is, at all events, a 
most unpleasant disturber of slumber. 
Typhoid is a quite recent arrival in the country. 
It is at present mostly confined to Nairobi. There is 
a suspicion among doctors that it may be insect-borne, 
but the strong probability is that it is due to con¬ 
taminated water. A good deal of the drinking water 
in the town is taken from the stream which gives it its 
name, the Nairobi river. A considerable number of 
low-class Indian coolies have lately settled along its 
banks, where they grow vegetables, etc., and in¬ 
cidentally foul the water. A new and first-rate water 
supply is now being instituted, and there is every 
reason to hope that this disease will be reduced to a 
