Shanghai once introduced a fish species from Manila, Philippines, in order to eliminate mosquitoes for public health | Shanghai | Mosquito control

Human beings have been suffering from mosquito infestation for a long time. The ways in which ancient people dealt with mosquitoes were limited. Apart from smoking and setting up tents, they could only wait until "when the west wind arrived, it was desolate and peaceful.". Thanks to scientific research and economic and social development, new methods of mosquito control and prevention have gradually entered the field of public health in modern Shanghai.

"Mosquito extermination method"

Mosquitoes breed in water. Rivers with impassable currents, low-lying ponds, underground ditches, as well as water tanks, buckets and other water storage vessels, are all breeding grounds for mosquitoes and flies. The fundamental method of mosquito control is to eradicate stagnant water.

As early as the summer of 1910, the Ministry of Works posted a notice: "Mosquitoes and insects eat the skin and suck blood, which is particularly prone to transmitting epidemic gases. The source should be eliminated first. Residents should pour away their daily water slurry at any time, do not keep it, and pour fire oil in the stagnant area of the sewer to prevent the accumulation of water maggots and genetic mosquito eggs, which can cause harm."

At that time, major oil companies in Shanghai, such as Mobil, Asia, and Texaco, all sold so-called "antimalarial oil", whose main component was a mixture of petroleum fractions.

But some people have also suggested that spraying fire oil or quicklime water in water to remove mosquitoes is not only expensive, but also toxic to fish, which is not an environmentally friendly solution. Therefore, the method of using animals such as fish, salamanders, ducks, and bats to exterminate mosquitoes has been mentioned.

In 1913, a mosquito fish native to North America was transported from Honolulu to Manila. In 1922, this fish fry was introduced for livestock breeding in Shanghai ponds. This type of bony fish feeds on larvae.

In 1922, the Mosquito and Fly extermination Association was established in Huajie, Shanghai. Funds were allocated by the Southern and Northern Industry Patrol Donation Bureaus, and the Police Department was responsible for implementation. Social organizations such as the Jiangsu Provincial Education Association, Shanghai County Education Association, Shanghai County Boy Scout Association, and Family Day New Association assisted in carrying out the campaign.

In 1937, the Shanghai Municipal Health Bureau organized mosquito and fly extermination teams in places such as Zhabei Tanziwan and Hongkou Shajing Port, where there was a lot of sewage in Chibang. Under the command of a health engineer, the water volume and required amount of medicine were initially calculated, and then more than ten health workers carried out operations and sprayed with "Paris Green". The scientific name of "Paris Green" is copper arsenite acetate, which was widely used as a special malaria killing agent in many countries around the world before the mid-20th century.

However, the mosquito control movement in the first half of the 20th century was not considered successful. There was an expectation in Shanghai newspapers that mosquitoes and flies could be eradicated this summer, but the result was always "thunder, rain, and little".

In summary, in terms of natural factors, Shanghai has a low terrain with many ponds and creeks, and early summer is exceptionally humid and rainy. Although the related land reclamation project has been advancing year by year, due to limited funds and personnel, there are still large areas that have not been completed, and new water accumulation will form every time heavy rain occurs. As for the mosquito eating fish raised in the pond, they drifted away with the tide due to the rising water level after the rain.

As for human factors, the health authorities are only responsible for public spaces. Although they burn fire and oil in areas with stagnant water within the boundaries, they cannot take into account every aspect of their homes. Ultimately, preventing mosquito infestation still needs to be implemented in changes in family and personal hygiene concepts and daily life practices. Only with the sponsorship of local people and collective efforts can we achieve a satisfactory result.

"The Way to Prevent Mosquitoes"

The large-scale mosquito control method used in public health was costly and not suitable for China, which was economically struggling at the time. Treating malaria patients and preventing them from being bitten by mosquitoes has become a remedy for mosquito control.

In the summer of 1935, malaria was prevalent in the Minhang area of Shanghai. The Ministry of Works warns that after dark, one should stay inside a screen or mosquito net, or use mosquito repellent drugs to avoid mosquito bites. It is also recommended to take Jinji Na cream in advance to prevent malaria.

However, the price of Jinji Na Shuang is not cheap, and most of the products on the market are fake and inferior, far less cost-effective than smoking mosquito coils and hanging mosquito nets. It is said that during the Southern Song Dynasty, some people used Chinese herbal medicine to make stick incense; The disc mosquito repellent was invented by the Japanese in 1880, and its main mosquito repellent ingredient is pyrethroid.

Pyrethrum is native to central Europe and was discovered to have insect repellent properties in the early 16th century. By the early 19th century, this plant had been promoted from the European continent to places such as England and the United States, and began to be widely cultivated. In 1885, the Austrian Consul in Japan introduced pyrethrum to Japan, gradually becoming one of the crops widely cultivated by Japanese farmers.

In 1930, a case occurred in Shanghai where a fake Japanese wild boar brand mosquito repellent incense was used. Several people jointly invested in renting houses from Meimei Makeup Company in Shanghai and forged wild boar brand mosquito repellent incense, making a considerable profit. Later, he was reported by Japanese ronin and arrested by the patrol room.

In response to the call to support domestic products, China Chemical Industry Society started with self growing raw materials and opened a 200 acre farm in Beixinjing, Shanghai to plant pyrethroids, which had a good effect and was later promoted throughout Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces.

In domestic mosquito coils, brands such as Samsung, Chang'e, Earth, and Invincible are commonly advertised in newspapers.

The Samsung Mosquito Incense is not a boast as it proves to be a powerful tool for killing mosquitoes and insects. "The characteristic is to smoke a thousand mosquitoes every other year with this brand of incense to see what the results are. It should not be difficult to see.".

The Chang'e brand mosquito repellent incense from Yonghe Industrial Company is eye-catching with the title "Chang'e cooperates with the King of Hell": "Chang'e is a beautiful woman in the moon palace, how could she cooperate with the King of Hell? Although she is a delicate woman, her heart is very poisonous and can kill life, because the Chang'e brand mosquito repellent incense is more spiritual than anything else!"

The "fly not move" mosquito repellent incense from Chinese and Western pharmacies directly expresses the strong effect of making mosquitoes lose their flying ability in Shanghai dialect.

The history of mosquito nets is even longer, dating back to the Spring and Autumn period. Breathable, sturdy, and affordable fabrics are the new features of modern mosquito nets. Sanyou Industrial Society and Shanghai Tent Company have attracted numerous citizens and tourists to purchase various types of mosquito nets. Sanyou Industrial Society also promotes that hotels, hospitals, and other public places in various regions should use their full width seamless sanitary mosquito nets. The Shanghai accounting subsidiary is even more straightforward: "Every day, customers are like a cloud, crowded everywhere, truly affordable and of good quality, with a reputation throughout the country."

However, mosquito nets also have hidden dangers. Every summer, there are incidents of casualties caused by burning mosquito nets by candles. On June 14, 1929, The Times reported that the wife of a carpenter named Xiao Ximen, holding a candle, leaned under the bed to search for something. "The fire on the candle caught fire with a mosquito net, and it melted uncontrollably for a while. Although it was later extinguished, the son of a carpenter named Xiao Ximen, who was only one year old, had already burned his skin.".

It is rumored that Lu Xun and Lin Yutang had a dispute over burning mosquito nets with cigarette butts. The cause was that Lu Xun's cigarette butt ignited Lin Yutang's mosquito net, and Lin Yutang blamed him. Lu Xun felt it was a big deal, and the two parted ways unhappily.

During the Anti Japanese War, mosquito nets became a scarce commodity. During the war, various groups raised mosquito nets as consolation gifts to injured soldiers and honor soldiers. The Shanghai International Relief Association Refugee Hospital once wrote a letter to the News Newspaper requesting mosquito nets for impoverished and sick refugees in the Hongqiao area.