96 
JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 
[Vol. 11 
and sanitary staffs will be so overwhelmed with the care and protection 
of the seriously stricken, that matters of apparently minor importance, 
such as the control of insect pests, must of necessity be neglected to 
some extent. As indicating probabilities along this line a note credi¬ 
ted to Lord Northcliffe is worthy of reproduction: “It is well known 
now that in spite of the almost universal efficiency which character¬ 
ized German preparation for the war, the German medical force 
dropped down entirely and was unable to meet the terrific casualties.” 1 
Both knowledge and reason indicate that prevention is far more effec¬ 
tive than cure. Here is where the entomologist should step in and 
relieve the physician and sanitarian by discharging a duty for which he 
is particularly qualified. It is gratifying to note in this connection that 
in the “British Army every expeditionary sanitation unit of seventy 
men, rank and file, now includes two trained entomologists.” 2 Ameri¬ 
can efficiency may accomplish much, though it is hardly believable 
that in a few short months we can handle matters as satisfactorily 
in all details as a nation which has spent years in preparing for just 
such eventualities and for that reason, if for no other, we should take 
advantage of every supplemental agency. 
Insect control under field and camp conditions presents many prob¬ 
lems which cannot be foreseen. It can be handled best only by those 
who have had extensive experience with insects and are therefore in 
the position of experts so far as determining what methods should be 
adopted for either normal or emergency conditions. It is well known 
that work under the guidance of men who appreciate the possibilities 
is likely to be vastly more successful than that supervised by those un¬ 
acquainted through experience with the problems they are expected to 
handle. Every economic entomologist has been the recipient of hun¬ 
dreds of accounts of failure to control insects, and in practically every 
case this has been due to not grasping the essentials though an honest 
endeavor may have been made to carry out directions. We submit that 
in cases where human life, in many instances thousands of lives are 
imperiled, the best is none too good and, if there be failure, the em¬ 
ployment of experts would presuppose that every reasonable precau¬ 
tion had been adopted. 
The work should be organized on a unit basis and a competent en¬ 
tomologist attached to every large military unit and accorded a rank¬ 
ing which will insure respect for his recommendations. There would 
naturally be several main lines of effort, viz.: 
1. Protection against disease carriers. This would resolve itself 
first into the elimination, so far as practical, of opportunities for insects 
1 1917. Military Surgeon, 4: 31. 
2 1917. Calvert, P. P. Old Penn, 15: 302. 
