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11
OTHER SANITARY CIRCUMSTANCES.
In order to prevent duplication, the Sanitary Inspection
of the Area, Ashbins, Smoke Abatement, Housing, Inspection
and Supervision of Food, etc., are entirely included in
the Annual Report of the Sanitary Inspector.
MOSQUITO CONTROL.
In April the following circular was issued to householders,
distributed through the Schools, Clinics, Welfare
Centres, etc.:—
BOROUGH OF KINGSTON-UPON-THAMES.
MOSQUITO CONTROL.
A Mosquito is a two-winged insect easily recognised by
its long "beak" or "proboscis," which the female (but not
the male) employs for blood-sucking purposes. The
mosquitoes which settle on our skin or clothing are invariably
females.
A Mosquito lays 100 to 200 eggs at a time, either
on water such as water-butts, puddles, holes in trees, gully
traps, and even! rubbish which will hold water, e.g., tin
cans, broken china, etc. Hence the importance of Keeping
Gardens and Yards Free from Such Accumulations.
The mosquito eggs may hatch in as short a period as
five hours, when Larvaæ ppear.
These larva (often called "wrigglers") hang head
downwards in stagnant water with their tail-like breathing
tubes just penetrating the surface.
In order to exterminate mosquitoes from any locality,
we must Attack Them during the Larval Stage.
When we have located a "breeding place" (i.e., a
collection of stagnant water infected with mosquito larvae)
we can either
A. Abolish the Breeding Place
1. By filling it in.
2. By draining it dry.
3. By restoring the proper flow of water.
Or
B. Kill the Larvæ,
4. By paraffining the surface of the water.
5. By mixing some chemical substance
cide) with the water.
6. By stocking the water with suitable fish
which will devour the mosquito.