MALARIA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20708, 4 May 1929, Page 14

MALARIA.

SYDNEY’S DANGER. (Fnojt Our Own- Correspondent.) SYDNEY, April 24, According to a Sydney medical man there is grave danger of a serious outbreak of malaria in the city 1 icause, he says, the true malarial mosquito has been found here. Sydney has suffered from the mosquito pest for years past, though it must be admitted that considerable progress has been made in the difficult process of eradication. Some districts within the . metropolitan area claim to be almost free of the mosquito, but they say that their'efforts are nullified on account of the inactivity of surrounding municipalities. The futility of independent action lias been recognised and the Government is now making some effort to co-ordinate the plans for eradication, and most of the local bodies have fallen in with an idea which provides for the creation of a central authority which, next year, will work systematically. ; Malaria is not “catching" in the ordinary sense. For centuries it was believed lo be caused by the night air, or by vapours arising from the swamps. An hour before dark was the dreaded time. In 1879, after years of patient research, Sir Ronald Ross, a great expert on tropical medicine, found that tile real evil docy was a microscopical animat living in the salivary glands of the mosquito “ annulipcs.” Only the female mosquito sucks blood, so only the female is dangerous; but that is small comfort for the malarial victim. ■Malaria, ns well as dengue and filarial diseases, arc not uncommon in Queensland, where mosquitoes responsible for these troubles have been fought per sistently, and to some extent successfully, Brisbane and ' lowoomba have conducted a . campaign against the mosquito for years, and they are now comparatively free from the pests. Prevention is ever to be preferred to cure, and the lessons learned during the construction of the Panama canal have been of great’ value. Eradication of the pest is difficult- unless there is co-operation, It will be a sorry day for Sydney if the malarial mosquito is permitted to multiply. .4)