Diseases And
p. 14 · Read in the full issue
Aeroplanes
A Warning From South America
THAT malarial fevers and other diseases propagated by insect hosts can be transported to distant coun tries by airplanes, is certified by Mr. Ray mond B. Fosdick, president of the Rocke feller Foundation, in his review of the Foundation’s work for 1938, reported in a recent issue of “Time”.
“Anopheles Gambiae is the most dan gerous member of a dangerous family: the malaria mosquitoes.
“The native home of the Gambiae is Central Africa, but about nine years ago they crossed the Atlantic, presumably in a French aeroplane which flew from Dakar in West Africa, to Natal in Brazil.
“They were spotted by Dr. R. C. Shan non, a member of the Foundation’s staff.
Within a year they had flown with the prevailing winds 115 miles up the coast.
“Last year, in the Jaguaribe River Valley of Eastern Brazil, the Gambiae spread more than 50.000 cases of malaria.
In certain districts, the mortality rate was as high as 10 per cent. After leaving 90 per cent, of the Jaguaribeans feeble and impoverished, the Gambiae continued their flight.
“If the mosquitoes should reach the well-watered Pamahyba and San Francisco River Valleys”, wrote Dr. Fosdick, “ it would be impossible to prevent their spread to a large part of South, Central and perhaps even North America.”
This report should serve as a warning to the medical and health departments of Island colonies served, or about to be
served, by airplane lines, that rigid in spection and fumigation of airplanes should be undertaken before it is too late