THE. DETROIT JEWISH NEWS Israel. Bacillus Aimed at the Mosquito BEERstiEBA — The world's appalling death rate from mosquito-bearing dis- eases such as malaria, yel- low fever, dengue and encephalitis may someday plummet as a result of the research of Ben-Gurion University biologist Dr. Joel Margalit. Moreover, his discovery of a new strain of Bacillus, known as "Bacillus huringiensis israelensis," promises to help mankind kick the chemical pesticide habit, which become so ecologically damaging in recent years. Margalit, who has studied the insect world for 20 years, explains that when the synthetic pes- ticides were first introduced in the 1940's, they were very effective on the insects and were considered rela- tively harmless -to other animal species, including man. Over time, however, the creatures became in- creasingly resistant to the sprays. With chemical pesticides, the number of people suffering from malaria in India, for in- stance, dropped from 10 million to 60,000 by 1962. But by 1969, the figures rose again to seven mil- lion because of the in- sects' resistance. To bring the numbers down, more powerful toxic pes- ticides had to be synthe- sized and applied in larger doses. As an alternative, scien- tists in the 1960s turned to natural bio-control agents to spray crops. Today, they are in widespread use, but until Margalit isolated the bacteria, no effective biocontrol agent existed to combat the lethal mosquito. Beginning their work in 1976, he and an associate, Dr. Leonard Goldberg of the University of California at Berkeley, searched throughout Israel to find the proper bacterial sample. Finally, in 1977, at the bot- tom of a swampy riverbed near Kibutz Tzelim, about 60 kilometers west of Beersheba, they discovered larvae which had mysteri- ously died. "We became very ex- cited," remembers Mar- galit. "After bringing them back to the lab to isolate the killing agent, we introduced Aitethe bacillus to healthy mos- quito larvae which died within half-an-hour. They sent the microor- ganisms to the famed Pasteur Institute in ill Aging Dentists, Shortened Hours TEL AVIV (ZINS) — Ac- cording to a report by the Israeli Ministry of Health, the average Israeli dentist puts in a 28-hour week be- cause his earnings are suffi- cient on the reduced schedule. The report says Israel has 2,400 practicing dentists and needs an additional 5,000 because 50 percent of its dentists are age 59 or older. Paris. The report which the body and he was named came back confirmed to the Expert Committee of their suspicions: It was the Scientific Working indeed a new strain Group on Biological Control which was extremely of Insect Vectors (Disease virulent to mosquito lar- Carriers). His research has vae. been partially funded by This tiny Bacillus WHO. thuringiensis israelensis In October 1979, Margalit produces a crystalline pro- journeyed to Kenya, where tein substance during spore he worked closely with local formation which acts as a entomologists on the possi- poison to mosquito larvae bility of transporting the by paralyzing their diges- bacillus to eliminate the tive system's soon after they mosquito larvae of Africa. Currently, Margalit is eat the bacteria. At a Prague meeting of looking into the best the World Health Organiza- methods for field appli- tion in 1978, Margalit's cation of his product. findings were endorsed by "Because it harms no other form of animal life except the mosquito, it need not pass the strin- gent environmental tests necessary for chemical sprays," he says in the bacillus' favor. "Also, it has a shelf life of at least a year." Equally important, Mar- galit has a strong hunch, as yet unproven conclusively, that the cost of producing his mosquito fighter is com- parable to chemical pes- ticides. "Every way you look at it," he says, "everybody benefits except the mos- quito." Friday, March 14, 1980 25 See "THE LEADER" Today Morris -- IS Buick THE GUY IS THE BUY OPEN MON. & THURS. 111. 9 P.M. WHERE EVERY DAY IS SALE DAY W 7 Mile At Lodge X-Way 342-7100 Greene Bros. Window Shade Co. THE MORE YOU BUY THE BIGGER THE DISCOUN S ............ Imumminommisir m.............nr mummurommomm....s .... MIR IIIIIIIIIIIIII M I * Off 1 I 4( 25% off ,I . . 30% off 1*35% off I I I 15% off I*20°/0 I I purchases amount- on purchases amount- ,,,... 11 on purchases amount- on purchases amount- I on purchases amount- I , ing on up to $100 with I ing to $101 to $500 ing to $501 to $1,000, I ing to $1,001 to• ing to $2,001 and 1 i this coupon. I with this coupon. • with this coupon. 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