Chapter 103: The "Ultimate Weapon"
Malaria, a parasitic disease caused by Plasmodium infection, was the greatest challenge facing the development of the East African colony.
Daytime temperatures in East Africa hovered around 20°C year-round, and in coastal regions often exceeded 30°C—ideal conditions for mosquito breeding.
Malaria is transmitted by the bite of female Anopheles mosquitoes, and in regions where mosquitoes are rampant, the disease spreads rapidly.
At the time, people had no idea that mosquitoes were the culprits behind malaria, so it was impossible to eliminate the disease at its source.
From tropical to subtropical regions, malaria was widespread.
In the early days of East Africa's development, the settlers suffered tremendously.
Even under strict government mandates to overhaul hygiene and living environments, progress was slow.
The region was largely undeveloped wilderness, lush with vegetation, especially during the rainy season, when hot and humid conditions caused mosquitoes to explode in number.
Immigrants, few in number and newly arrived, could not transform the landscape quickly. Many fell ill or died from malaria and other tropical diseases.
Fortunately, those who survived the long journey from the Far East were already hardy individuals, shaped by both nature and circumstance—similar to how African slaves transported to America were typically the strongest survivors.
Transport conditions for these migrants were far better than those of the slave trade, but only the fittest made it.
Over time, as more immigrants arrived and settlements developed, living conditions improved.
Under Ernst's orders, a widespread anti-mosquito campaign was launched from the beginning of colonization.
The colony burned nearby vegetation, filled in stagnant pools, and reduced mosquito breeding grounds.
It introduced biological controls like fish and frogs into water sources to reduce mosquito larvae.
As the colony grew, living conditions improved dramatically.
Diseases like malaria and dengue, which relied on mosquitoes for transmission, saw major declines thanks to these campaigns.
The government also enforced hygiene practices: immigrants were forbidden to pollute water sources or drink unboiled water. Water was filtered or disinfected when necessary.
Feces were centrally processed. New public toilets were built in every village.
Strict regulations were also imposed on wildlife.
Early on, hunting was allowed due to food shortages, but once food production stabilized, it was banned.
Ernst believed many African diseases were self-inflicted, such as AIDS, which he blamed (rightly or wrongly) on the consumption of local primates.
Whether true or not, all primates in the colony (except humans—natives excluded) were hunted on sight within inhabited areas.
Baboons, monkeys, and chimpanzees were shot and burned, then buried.
Remote mountains, forests, and savannas were excluded, reserved as future ecological zones.
This prevented immigrants from eating such animals.
Many had once eaten dirt and bark to survive and wouldn't hesitate to snack on monkeys if hungry.
With such strict measures in place, the colony's hygiene quickly surpassed that of any contemporary nation—even Europe.
By the time Austro-Hungarian and Paraguayan immigrants arrived, East Africa already had established infrastructure.
These new settlers were distributed into towns and villages developed by Chinese immigrants, both to dilute their numbers and prevent the formation of future ethnic power blocs.
As interracial marriages (e.g., between Chinese and Armenian or Paraguayan women) increased, cultural integration followed.
Once non-German traits were slowly eliminated, complete assimilation under Germanic culture became possible.
Despite improvements, malaria could never be fully eradicated.
And since mosquitoes were the primary disease vector, scientific mosquito control remained essential.
At this time, however, few knew mosquitoes carried disease.
It wasn't until the late 19th century that European scientists discovered this connection and began formal research.
So in the entire world, only Ernst and his people in East Africa believed mosquitoes were responsible.
Ernst wasn't trying to be selfish—he simply knew from his previous life. He wasn't a scientist, so publicly claiming such theories would only make him a laughingstock.
But East Africa was different. With widespread illiteracy and complete control over public discourse, Ernst could invent "experts" at will and have his orders executed.
At first, resistance was inevitable—everything was mandatory.
But over time, as health and hygiene improved and disease cases dropped, people gladly embraced the changes.
After all, no one wants to die.
Using Chinese immigrants early on proved wise.
They were obedient, docile, and culturally conditioned by Eastern governments to suppress discontent.
So even if they were unhappy, they endured it silently.
By the time other immigrants arrived, these systems were already standard.
Newcomers, being few in number, simply conformed. Hygiene became East Africa's iron rule—everyone followed it.
Soon, German immigrants would begin arriving, and just in time came good news from the Hohenzollern Consortium.
A research project funded by Ernst, in collaboration with German universities, had successfully extracted pyrethrins from chrysanthemums.
With this, and by copying the concept of mosquito coils from his past life, Ernst could now commission machinery to mass-produce this "ultimate weapon" against tropical mosquitoes.
This would further improve East African living conditions and reduce the spread of malaria.
And the production of mosquito coils would generate a new source of income for the Consortium.
Since East Africa already grew chrysanthemums, the entire industry could become a perfect, closed-loop system.
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