[25 years of the state testing section and 10 years of the reference laboratory for the control of arthropods harmful to health in East Germany].

The development during the past 25 years of a public-health institution in the German Democratic Republic working specifically on the control of arthropod pests is outlined. Essential fields of the work are: Biological effectiveness tests of pesticides and the instructions for pesticide application; advice on the introduction of new means of control and participation in their further development; investigation on resistance against insecticides; cooperation with the departments of parasitology in the local institutes of hygiene and with the professional branch of pest control operators; contributions to the updating of the specific legislation. Structure of the reference laboratory and selected data on the extent of work. Scientists of the laboratory are active members of scientific societies, especially of the Parasitological Society of GDR.