SINGAPORE'S WAR

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 149, 1 September 1941, Page 3

SINGAPORE'S WAR

BATTLE WITH MOSQUITOES 10 YEAR'S WAR WAGED Were it not for the efficiency and heroism of the personnel of His Majesty's Navy, it is more than possible that Singapore would not to-day be the great coping-stone ol Britain's Pacific defence system that it is. Before the giant docks could be built, the "Raffles city" saw a 10years' Avar waged against deadly foes which numbered themselves in millions of millions. The Royal Navy has all along been fighting tooth and nail against three native tribes—Anopheles maculatus, Anopheles umbrosus and Anopheles ludlowi—mosquitoes with the dreaded malaria germ in their bite. It was these creatures which caused 4000 cases of malaria in three months, holding up the work of building the new docks. Digging down into the soil, keeping back the ocean, these were light tasks compared with destroying the mosqifitoes. A Jungle Battlefield I't was done in spite of the Malayan jungle on * every hand. Over an area of 2000 acres the desperate fight was waged, the. campaign being conducted in part by SurgeonCaptain D. H. G. Given. Tlin battleground was largely swamp, and the odds against success were high, but bit bjr bit the insects were tracked down. Oil was sprayed on every pool and ditch. For all that, conquests were made here, only to prepare the way for defeat there for it was found] t'halN the coifditions which destroyed one. kind of mosquito were ideal for the breeding of another. At on(f time the hospital staff had 900 patients, fhough they had beds for only 120. but the fight went on, and at lasl file scourge was conquered.