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After scientists confirmed that mosquitoes can transmit yellow fever and other diseases, mosquito control emerged as an important public health measure. Discover how Americans have managed mosquitoes at home and abroad through this selection of items from the NLM collection.

A metal drum with a stirring paddle

An apparatus to mix large quantities of the insecticide Paris green and lime, ca. 1940

Courtesy National Library of Medicine

Health officials used this device, made from a metal drum and a perforated stirring paddle, to mix large quantities of pesticides. The military and civilian health agencies employed several different types of insecticides in the 1940s.


For more information about pesticides, visit MedlinePlus.