USE OF OIL FOR DESTROYING MOSQUITO LARVAE
to figures acquired by scientific methods,
properly recorded and analyzed, shot
through with the recognition that there is
being measured after all, fundamental
events in human lives. Accuracy and
validity are especially important from the
publicity angle. The public to a great
degree still thinks that " You can prove
anything by figures." It would seem to be
impossible to build confidence on any-
THE THEORY OF THE USE OF OIL FOR
DESTROYING MOSQUITO LARVAE*
HOWARD WHIPPLE GREEN
Cleveland Health Council, Cleveland, Ohio.
T HE PUBLIC in general and sani-
tarians in particular are giving more
and more attention to the problem
of reducing the prevalence of mosquitoes
or, as often incorrectly stated, to eradicat-
ing the mosquito.
Considerable advance has been made
in the methods used to reduce their
prevalence. Even though more or less
permanent methods such as draining, fill-
ing and stocking with minnows, are used
when practical, there are many bodies of
water in which mosquito breeding must
be controlled by other means of a more
temporary nature. Oil is ordinarily used
for this purpose and the total amount of
oil used is increasing enormously.
During the past thirty years a great
many different kinds of oil have been
used to kill mosquito larvae. An oil was
usually selected which would spread easily
over the surface of the water without
considering what effect it exerted upon
the larvae. This method of selection was
satisfactory in the past because any crude
*Read before the Sanitary Engineering Section of
the American Public Health Association at the Fifty-
tbird Annual Meeting at Detroit, Michigan, October 20,
1924.
219
thing but a wise and honest use of figures.
In studying past or current phenomena
or in forecasting the future by statistics
an accurate compilation plus a legitimate
interpretation are essential. Given these,
supplemented by an effective presentation,
statistics will be recognized by the public,
as indeed they are in fact, as the basic
instrument for the illumination of truth
and the orientation of the public mind.
oil of light specific gravity which would
spread well would give results. Today,
however, due to the many different non-
toxic oils that are on the market, it is
necessary to study carefully the avaliable
oils, because many of the most toxic and
volatile portions have been removed from
the crude oil by means of the highly. de-
veloped methods of modern oil chemistry.
In order to study an oil intelligently,
it is necessary to know the exact effect
which it exerts upon the mosquito larvae.
In 1921 it was necessary to find an oil
which would kill mosquito larvae in a
minimum length of time. This oil was
needed for controlling Anopheles mos-
quito breeding in over 166 miles of
ditches involved in an anti-malaria
demonstration at Aguirre, Porto Rico.
The results of the experiments** under-
taken in 1921 and 1922 to determine what
properties of the oil were active in killing
mosquito larvae may be outlined as fol-
lows (Full-grown Anopheles Albimanus
Mosquito larvae were used in all experi-
ments unless otherwise stated):
** These experiments were given in detail in the
American Journal of Hygiene, Vol. IV, No. 1, 12-22,
January, 1924.
220 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL
I. The oil film causes full-grown Anopheles
larvae to die:
1. By suffocation, due to a mechanical
barrier being formed between them
and the air. (Larvae live the same
length of time-22 miiinutes wvhen pre-
zvented fromn reaching the outside air
by physical means as by a film of
Nujol, a nont-toxic oil.)
2. By suffocation, due to the oil enter-
ing their breathing siphons to an
extent sufficient to physically block
the passage of air. (Larvae die in the
samiie length of timze after being ex-
posed to a filmn of Nujol for 63
seconds as when exposed for 22
minutes. The heavy oils do not enter
the siphoni to any extent and there-
fore a short exposure has no effect
upon the larvae.)
3. By poisoning, due to the toxic
properties of the volatile portions
of the oil penetrating the tracheal
tissues. (Gasoline causes death in 12
seconds, kerosene ifn 4 minutes. The
volatile portion of the oil alone causes
death in the case of gasoline in 7
minutes and kerosene in 2 hours.)
II. The rapidity with which the larva die is
dependent upon the volatility and toxicity
of the oil:
1. Larvae obtaining large qtiantities of
* this toxic substance die in much
shorter time than those obtaining
small quantities. When an excess
of an oil having a specific gravity
of 0.855 is used, larvae die in less than
4 minutes, while when only 3 c.c. per
square foot is used, double the time
is required to kill the larvae.
III. Larva obtain their fatal dose in a very
short time:
1. Larva obtain their' fatal dose of
gasoline in less than one second, and
of engine distillate, Texaco, in less
than two seconds. It may be sup-
posed that the time required to
obtain a fatal dose of practically all
light oils is very small.
2. The larva do not obtain "a fatal
dose" of oils so heavy that they do
not enter their breathing siphons.
IV. Culex larvae require a much longer time
to die than Anopheles larvae (at least
6 to 8 times as long).
OF PUBLIC HEALTH
Because of these results'it'may be said that
all light oils, when used in excess, are prac-
tically equally effective, although longer
periods of time are required to kill the larvae
by some oils than by others. However, when
less than an excess of oil is used other factors
will alter the effects. For this reason the
field work needs to be carefully observed when
using oils requiring long periods of time to
kill the larvae.
The method used to apply the oil to
the water surface is nearly as important
as the selection of the oil. There are
two common theories of oiling which are
dependent upon a knowledge of the life
habits of the mosquito. The mosquito
lays from 100 to 300 eggs on the water
surface. She rests upon some bit of
vegetation or debris close to the surface
of the water while ovipositing. The eggs
after about 2 days develop into larve
which live in the water. These larvae
propel themselves through the water by
characteristic body movements. They
come to the surface of the water for air
at frequent intervals or rest at the sur-
face for longer periods of time. After
from 5 to 10 days the larvae change into
pupae in which state they live from 1 to
2 days before hatching into adults. The
adult mosquitoes soon fly away. A knowl-
edge of this life cycle determines the
method of oiling.
NON-TOXIC OIL
By one method the surface of a body
of standing water is covered with a large
quantity of a heavy non-toxic oil which,
providing the entire surface of the water
is continually covered, will after several
hours ultimately kill all of the mosquito
larva. The oil film placed in this manner
will prevent any mosquito from deposit-
ing eggs as long as the oil film covers
the entire surface of the water. An oil
film of this nature will also kill the adult
female mosquito if she attempts to alight
near the water surface for the purpose
of oviposition. In order to maintain an
unbroken film of oil upon the surface
of the water for any number of days,
 USE OF OIL FOR DESTROYING MOSQUITO LARVAE
it is necessary to use a very large amount
of' an oil which will spread well and
evaporate slowly. It is not necessary to
pay any attention to the toxicity of the
oil nor the method of applying it. It is,
of course, impossible to use this method
for running water or bodies of water ex-
posed to considerable wind action.
TOXIC OIL
A preferable method of oiling is to
cover the entire water surface with an
extremely small amount of a toxic oil.
The toxic oil will cause the larva to die
within a few minutes time and may then
evaporate completely. Eggs may be de-
posited immediately afterwards which
develop as already described. It is neces-
sary to oil the body of water again a
short time before the new brood is ready
to hatch out. It will be necessary to dis-
pense the oil at more frequent intervals
when a light toxic oil is used in small
quantities than when a heavy non-toxic
oil is used in large quantities.
The method of applying the toxic oil
is of importance and depends upon a
theory which may be illustrated by this
simple experiment: A small quantity of
oil placed in the center of the surface
of water contained in a beaker spreads
in all directions towards the side of the
oontainer. The oil film, unless an excess
of oil is used, is held a short distance
from the sides of the beaker by differences
in surface tension. In the field this con-
dition is accentuated. Mosquito larvae,
and especially Anopheles larvae, com-
monly seek shelter along the sides of
the container or ditch. Larvae may fre-
quently be found in a ditch after it has
been oiled in the ordinary manner, for
the oil film often does not reach the sides
of the ditch. This is even more true in
ditches containing running water where
the oil film seldom reaches the pockets
along the sides unless great pains are
taken to'place it there. Anopheles larve
usually infest these back-current pockets.
In order to overcome this difficulty it
221
has been the practice in the control work
under the supervision of the writer to
instruct the oilers to " paint " both sides
of all ditches. The oil, if applied in this
way, will spread to the center of the
ditch and thus kill all of the larve which
may be present.
The oil is most efficiently applied by
spray cans, of which there are two general
classes, represented by the Myers knap-
sack spray pump, Panama type, fitted with
a Bordeaux nozzle with which practically
all workers are already familiar, and the
Pneumatic Compressed Air Sprayer
which will be described here in greater
detail. There are several serious dis-
advantages to the use of the knapsack
spray can. In the first place it has a
capacity of 5 gallons of oil which is a
heavy load for the laborer of today. In
the second place, the can carried on the
back is hard to handle in rough country
necessitating climbing fences or mounting
other obstacles. Small quantities of the
oil are frequently spilled from the tank
upon the back of the oiler which black-
ens the clothing and sometimes seriously,
or at least annoyingly, burns the skin.
In the third place there is a strong ten-
dency for the oiler to use more oil than
is necessary on the first part of the trip
in order to lighten the burden. The out-
fit on the other hand is well constructed
and resists all sorts of abuse. The nozzle
is easily cleaned if it becomes plugged
with foreign matter.
Several types of Pneumatic Com-
pressed Air Spray tanks and nozzles were
tested over a period of three years. It
was found that the Myers Pneumatic
Compressed Air Spray tank, fitted with
a 2X2 foot extension and a graduating
vermorel nozzle, gave the best satisfaction
and was the most economical. The ca-
pacity of the tank is 3 gallons and it is
carried in the hand or suspended from
one shoulder. The oil cannot be spilled
and the oilers take great pride in keeping
the tanks clean, polished and in good re-
pair. The oil is put under pressure by
222 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PUBLIC HEALTH
means of manipulating a pump handle,
which operation must be repeated at not
infrequent intervals. The oil is released
only when the hand firmly clasps the
spring valve. The graduating vermorel
nozzle allows a perfect regulation ot the
oil spray by means of a needle valve and
will handle satisfactorily oils of practi-
cally any specific gravity.
The use of the extension allows the
oil to be placed at the exact spot that
it is desired to oil, regardless of the
velocity of the wind. Thus the portion
most active in killing the mosquito larvae
always reaches the water surface, and is
not blown away as so frequently happens
when the spray passes through the air
for a number of feet. Without the ex-
tension, or with a short extension, much
of the highly volatile and highly toxic
portion of the oil never reaches the water
surface in the ditch. The graduating
vermorel nozzle places the oil better than
the other types tested and works satis-
factorily when spraying at a minimum
rate. Field tests checked the observations
and field men supplied with these nozzles
used less oil than when supplied with
other types of nozzles.
Statistics on Street and Highway Safety.-
When the causes of death are tabulated
from year to year, almost every city in the
United States has a record of an increasing
number of deaths resulting from street and
highway accidents. In 1923 the loss in this
country due to such accidents amounted to
22,600 human lives, 678,000 serious personal
injuries and $600,000,000 economic loss. Of
these accidents about 85 per cent were due
to automobile traffic.
Analysis of automobile fatalities in
several states attribute the major number
of deaths to the operator. Of the 578
automobile fatalities in Massachusetts for
1923, 218 deaths resulted from excessive
speed and 122 deaths from inattention. In
an analysis by the Department of Motor
Vehicles of Connecticut of 10,264 motor
vehicle accidents, 57.8 per cent were due to
recklessness of the motorist. On the Wis-
consin State Trunk Highways in 1923, 41.3
CONCLUSIONS
The cost of oil fortunately does not
vary proportionately to the toxicity. The
toxicity of oils does not vary with the
specific gravity. It is accordingly neces-
sary to test the toxicity of the available
oils and to compare it with their cost.
Under certain conditions, a mixture of
kerosene having a high toxicity with fuel
or crude oil having a low toxicity and low
cost has proved economical. The oil or
oil mixture should always be dark in color
in order that it may be easily seen on
the surface of the water. Small quanti-
ties of black fuel oil may be added to
an oil of light color to meet this require-
ment. It is usually more economical to
use extremely small quantities of a highly
toxic oil, distributed by means of a Myers
Pneumatic Compressed Air Tank fitted
with a graduating vermorel nozzle and
2X2 foot extension at intervals slightly
more frequent than the length of time
required to complete the life cycle of the
mosquito, than to use large quantities of
a heavy oil at somewhat less frequent
intervals dependent upon the evapora-
tion of the oil or the breaking of the oil
film.
per cent of all accidents ivere due to reck-
less driving.
In each state and community statutes should
be passed investing in some authoritative
agency the right to investigate accidents.
This agency should collect all information
regarding the accident, such as: recklessness,
carelessness or incapacity of persons; faulty
mechanism of the vehicle; and physical con-
ditions of the locality in which the accident
occurred. The committee would also make
it obligatory by law for those concerned to
report all traffic accidents, providing an
adequate penalty for failure to report.
Even though the report is not a complete
and exact statement of the problem in
statistical terms, it does serve as a general indi-
cation of the extent of fatal and non-fatal
accidents caused by motor vehicles.-Report of
the Committee on Statistics, Conference on
Street and Highway Safety, Dept. of Com-
merce, Nov. 3, 1924.