"MOSQUITO DAY"
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR.]
SIR,—Monday, August 20th, should be remembered by us as Mosquito Day," the anniversary which the late Sir Ronald Ross (a poet as well as a medical scientist) celebrated privately for many years in a spirit of thanksgiving. It recalled to him that on August 20th, 1897, laborious years of research in India were rewarded by his discovery under the microscope of malaria parasites in the stomach tissues of a mosquito. This discovery, subsequently confirmed and elaborated, solved the mystery of the transmission of malaria, yellow fever and other deadly tropical diseases. Mosquito control measures resulting from this knowledge have trans- formed rich tropical lands and saved (without exaggeration) millions of lives already, but the future possibilities of tropical hygiene are enormous, thanks mainly to our knowledge of what Ross called "The million-murdering cause."
In Sir Ronald Ross's last years, his "Mosquito Day" celebration developed into a semi-public ceremonial luncheon party at the Ross Institute at Putney, and eminent admirers of his genius, such as the late Sir William Simpson, Sir Arthur Keith, Sir Aldo Castellani, and Mr. John Masefield, delivered eulogies. As I was a guest at all Sir Ronald's celebrations I saw how the speeches, through the Press, helped to bring home to us the stature of Ross and the value of his work.
But the Ross Institute at Putney, which was opened by the Prince of Wales as our national memorial to this great benefactor, was never endowed, and it was closed down for economy last autumn, all but three of the staff being dis- missed a year after the poet-scientist's death.
Last August 20th, Mr. John Masefield spoke eloquently in St. Martin's Church, Trafalgar Square, on Ross's work, and his beautiful address was broadcast, I am told, however, by the B.B.C. that no arrangements have been made to recognize this year's Mosquito Day" in any B.B.C. pro- gramme. I venture therefore to hope that you can spare the space for this reminder of an anniversary that is of world-wide interest and must always have a special signifi- cance in the largely tropical British Empire.—! am, Sir, &c., R. L. MEGROZ. 116 Tufnell Park Road, Landon, N.7.
Previous page
