The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-06
FLIES ASTYPHOIDAGENPS
Their Presence a Constant Menace
to the Health of Man.
The Common Household Pest Not
Lacking In Its Share of Spreading
Disease Throughout Communities.
Fever Bacilii Favorite Item In
the BuzrinE Insects Hill of Fare.

DR.. l. o. Howard. of the Agricultural
Department, is giving great attention to
causes and effect OF typhoid fever, a dis
ease which. according to the medical re-
ports. is. if anything. increasing in this
city.
During our war with Spain.'' said Dr.
Howard. "the medical journals and news
papers contained number of communi-
cations from contract surgeons and 9TH
ers advancing the theory that flies were
largely responsible for the spread of the
! disease. One of the most forcibIe writ
ers on the subject was DIR. Fl. A. veeder.
| who. in a paper published at the time.
| complied a series of observations and ar
=uments in favor Of the fly theory. This
idea of course. is not new 1t was shown
by Cell. as early as 1883, that flies fed
on the pure cultures of typhoid fever ba-
ciili. DR.. George VI. Kober. Of this city.
in his lectures before the Georgetown
Medical College. had been for some years
| insisting upon the agency OF flies in the
transmission of typhoid, and in the re-
port of the Health officer of the District
to the probable transference of typhoid
Germs from the waste and garbage recep-
taeles, etc, to the food supply Of the
mouse by the agency of flies.
Surgeon General George NJ. Stern
berg shares. to my knowledge, the Same
views regarding the cause of typhoid.
and his researches in this direction have
!rIah 10 10 n waTI LIN
fact that during the encampment of
troops at Camp Alger. in the vicinity OF
this city. in the summer of 1898, a great
number of deaths resulted from typhoid
fever. which, in turn, was shown to have
been directly due to the inefficient sani-
tary arrangements of the camp The same
condition OF affairs prevailed, more or
less, in all the camps throughout the
country. and during that summer OF
1898 over 50 per cent of the total number
OF deaths was from typhoid. In very
many cases. in which minute investiga-
tion was instituted, flies were shown to
have been the medium through which
the typhoid bacilli .were conveyed from
the ofial to the patient or victim But
here let me say tnat nothing could be
more unsatisfactory to the exact iDvesti-
gator than such a general word as this,
except in the case of its being taken for
granted that the house fly always IL
meant. II has not. apparently. been
realized that there are many species Of
flies which are attracted to poisonous
ofal. nor does it seem to have been
realized that, although certain of these
species may visit. and do visit. food p
plies in dining-rooms, kitchens, and else
where, many others are not likely to be
attracted
Il have made a study of the housefy.
not alone from this standpoint, but from
desire to learn the principal source from
which our houses are supplied with this
eternal nuisance, and with view toward
being able TO suggest remedial measures.
Experimental work in this direction con-
tinued for some years. From almost the
very commencement Of the investigation
decided that an overwhelming majority Of
the house flies are bred in horse manure
This substance is its favorite larval food
and experiments showed that by the semi
weekly treatment OF the horse manure in
one large stable the housffy supply Of the
was very greatly reduced In
confined breeding cages 1t Is found impos-
sible to breed house flies in any other
substance than the refuse of horse sta
hles. Without going into this subject fur
Their. I Will simply say that the method of
preventing, In some measure ct least the
growth of these filthy pests. seems sufIi-
ready developed.
Il may mention that, in the course of
my Investigations, found in all seventy
seven distinct species of flies, belcnying
% twenty-one different families. All have
been studied with more or less care. and
heir habits ascertained. In all %. 0S7
lies were examined. the mode Of capture
icing the sticky fly paper in common use.
" this entire number 9S.S per cent Re-
onged to the species known as the COM
non house fly. This, therefore, IS the
nest important from the ood-iutesting
standpoint. IN regions where sanitary
supervision is lax. ard in the alleys and
orners. and vacant lots. the house fly is
ttracted to the offal deposited in such
'laces, and is thus a constant source of
anger.
"a fact which needs to be urgently inn
ressed is that the house fly is a constant
ause of pestilence. and whenever tho
east carelessness in the disposal of or
he disinfection OF dejecta exists, it be-
ONES an imminent source Of danger"