Migration and Health in Florida
Malaria Outbreaks: Causes and Effects
1910
1915
1920
1925
1930
1935
1940
1945
1950
In 1911 there was a large malaria outbreak along Lake Mitchell. As a large body of water, the lake attracted many mosquitos, which led to many a higher incedence of malaria in the area.
Starting in 1929, there was a malaria outbreak in the northern part of Florida, near Jacksonville, which was one of the most populous cities at the time. Between 1921 and 1926, what was known as the Florida Land Boom occured, and so there a large influx of new residents and tourists, which most likely brought in the malaria. This outbreak represented the record number of deaths due to malaria in Florida.
In 1920, there was a malaria outbreak in a small county in central Florida called Polk coutny. The population was only 38,661, but had grown by over 14,000 people over the last 10 years. Many of the smaller back county areas were underpopulated and therefore had poor sanitation and an abundance of standing water, making it an ideal breeding ground for the mosquiots that can then spread around the malaria that was brought in by the increase of population.
At the end of 1945, the War Production Board relased DDT for civilian use, which solved the lack of manpower issue.
After the huge population boom following the end of World War ll, there for a spike in malaria cases.
1948 marked the year of the last malaria transmission in Naples, showing that the DDT had success in eliminating malaria, despite its negative health effects and growing discontent with the spraying of DDT.
Sources
Information
Pictures
Fitzgerald, Edward. “Reclaiming A Watery Wilderness.” The Sun. 1906. p 2.
Jarvis, Eric. “"Secrecy Has No Excuse": The Florida Land Boom, Tourism, and the 1926 Smallpox Epidemic in Tampa and Miami”. The Florida Historical Quarterly. 2011. 320–46. http://www.jstor.org/stable/23035877.
Lieux, D. B.. “Malaria in Florida”. The Florida Entomologist. 131–35.1951. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3492441
Patterson, Gordon. The Mosquito Wars: A History of Mosquito Control in Florida Gainesville, Fl: Gordon Patterson, 2004.
US Census Bureau. Resident Population and Appointment of the U.S. House of Representatives. https://www.census.gov/dmd/www/resapport/states/florida.pdf.
“Completed malaria control ditch at Lawtey.” Florida Memory Project. 1935. https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/5789
“Malaria Map 1922, Florida.” Florida Memory Project. 1922. https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/297368.
“Proposed malaria control ditch at Alligator Creek.” Florida Memory Project. 1935. https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/5788
“Robinson, Emily” Florida Memory Project. 1912. https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/280799