New Jersey Mosquito Guide Book From 1935
$35
Out of stock
Description
Mosquitoes Are Not All Alike. Essex County Mosquito Control Commission. Newark, New Jersey. 1935.
An early work on the eradication and control of mosquito populations in the United States, providing a window into Great Depression era domestic policy and the creation of the modern Jersey Shore. New Jersey, sometimes called “The Mosquito State”, is home to more than 63 varieties of the parasitic insect species with some speculating the pests helped shorten the Swedish attempt to colonize the area. Spearheaded by amateur entomologist J.B. Smith the state’s mosquito control efforts began in 1912, rooting out mosquito larvae and draining wetlands to prevent swarms. The effort’s goal to turn portions of the pine barrens and swamps into desirable waterfront destinations was given a new sense of urgency thanks to the Franklin Roosevelt administration, with support for the project and others like it from the Conservation Corps occurring in New Jersey, Delaware, and other mid-Atlantic states. Reminiscent in some ways of modern worries about West Nile Virus, the text includes instructions for the capture and identification of Mosquitoes in the wild to better control the spread of diseases like Yellow Fever and Malaria. As noted by New Jersey native Philip Roth in his 2010 book, Nemesis, paranoia about mosquitoes in the period was exacerbated by the pseudo-scientific fear that they helped to spread polio.
8vo, 14pp, staple bound pamphlet. Illustrated front wrap, toned with wear to edges and spine. Small tear to bottom spine edge with some creasing. Bump to book block along fore edge. Discoloration to final post-text illustration from included fire safety insert from 1944. Good condition.
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