Final answer:
Walter Reed and William Gorgas eradicated the yellow fever mosquito from Cuba by implementing vector control measures based on the hypothesis that mosquitoes transmitted the disease.
Step-by-step explanation:
The two men who were instrumental in eradicating the yellow fever mosquito from Cuba after the Spanish American War were Walter Reed and William Gorgas. Their efforts were based on the pioneering work of Carlos Finlay, who proposed that yellow fever was transmitted by mosquitoes. Together, Reed and Gorgas implemented vector control measures that were highly successful in reducing the rates of yellow fever and malaria. This work not only had significant implications for the health of the local population but was also instrumental in allowing the successful completion of projects like the Panama Canal by the United States following French abandonment due to diseases.
While Walter Reed led the army's medical service effort, William Gorgas applied the concepts to real-world vector control practices. These actions included the drainage of swamps and application of chemicals such as DDT in later years to combat the mosquito population, which considerably mitigated the rates of these vector-borne diseases. Such historical events underscore the importance of medical research and public health interventions in shaping the modern world.