The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-06-29
Government Endeayoring to Effect
Their determination.
COMMON HOUSE Ely WORST
They Have Been Convicted Of Spread
ing Many Diseases, Especially that
of Typhoid Fever Measures
Against the Pest.
fFronl the New York sun.)

sDarlmenL s1S9 49,
campaign against the AZ, which is held
to be a dangerous carrier Of disease.
Pamphlets ON the subject have been pre-
pared for distribution and methods OF
determination have been devised under
the supervision of DR.. Q. L. Howard.
chief Of the division.
Already thousands OF pamphlets nave
been put into the hands of health poaI I,
and farmers throughout the country. Inc
necessity has been urged OF naViHs Ds.eei
sanitation in the rural districts AS
result Of various experiments it Is thought
that the number Of flies will be rapidly
and enormously lessened during the pres
ent summer.
Tho pamphlets sent ot,t by the Govern-
ment will give to the people some ln!or-
nation concerning flies that hltherto mas
been in possession Of the scienelst VI
most exclusively. It will dtspel me 1,lu.
sion that the common house ny plets' tb Nv
It will call attention to the tact tnat
fhie insect. the Musca domcstica, is
dangerous creature.
Dr.. Howard has The following to say
about flies.
Earaisms (Which belong to the plant KING
dom and not to the animal kingoom)
biting insect is not necessary tor tneit
transfer from the sick individual 70 tne
+ nealtuY one III tie ildJOt9Iy
Such diseases are notably typhoid FEVER,
cholera, and pulmonary consumption
with these diseases, and especially
the first two, the agency Of the nom
biting flies becomes important, and the
part they play in the transmission or W
phoid fever is particularly noticea ble
CARRY BACILL1.
SIT has been known for some tlme lhat
files may carry bacilli and bacteria on
y1>t.z
proved by allowing flies to walk over
culture. for later, when they walked over
sterilized media; the bacteria developed.
Moreover, as early as 1888 1t was
shown by an italian investigator that
flies fed upon pure cultures OF typnola
bacillus were able to transmit Vlrulent
bacilli. Again early observation demon-
strated that flies are important agents
in the transmission of Asiatic cholera.
Typhoid fever, as will be remember
doubtless, was astonishingly prevalent IN
the military camps of this country dur
ing the war with Spain. At that time the
disease received a thorough investiga-
ton at the hands of special. commission
of army surgeons appointed for the pur-
pose.
..It was shown that although excellent
preventive measures had been recon-
mended in the circulars Issued by the
surgeon-genera1 of the army, these IN
struetIons were not carried out.
rifles swarmed over the infected filth
that accutnulates around a camp and
then proceeded to the mess tents and
fed upon the food prepared for the SOL
diers. Thus. by the agency OF MES 1t
was discovered and proved beyond a
doubt disease germs were spread and car
ried to the food Of the soldiers:
LONG INVESTIGATIONS.
r :, han -.
ryine on an Investigation for the purpose
Of ascertaining what flies breed In re-
fuse of various sorts. and conversely,
lust what flies are found in dlning-rooms
and kitchens where food is being pre-
nared and served These Investigations
have conducted with the greatest care
and in different parts of the country.
I'm this way a l; -ge amount OF ma
terial has been gathered. Briefly sum
married., we have found that the num-
her of species Of insects which breed in
filth containing germs is very large. not
less in fact, than forty-four species Of
beetles and seyenty-seven species of flies.
Some of these are scarce and others are
abundant, but all are more or less dan
serous as carriers and transmitters of
disease. .
Now in the experiments carried on in
order to ascertain exactly which onesr OF
ing function. more than 1890 flies We're
caught in kitchens and dining-rooms in
different parts of the country from Mas
sachusetts to California and from New
York to Louisiana
..Tt has proved that of the flies breed
ing in filth. six species were found in
houses in sufficient numbers to render
them DANGEROUS. There are other dam
eerous species which do not make their
lit 1I,a n fr1c ms
"At the head Of these six varieties
must stand the common house fly. This
insect constituted more than ninety
eight per cent. Of the whole number OF
1ies ca pturcd In Kitchens and dining
rooms.
DANGER EXISTS.
while 1t was by no means one OF the
species most commonly captured IN gar
bage and other refuse, it was shown
conclusively that under certain condi-
tons that insect may be a factor OF the
greatest Importance in the spread of
Intestinal diseases.
.In the most Clearly and best cared
for portions Of a large city these cond1-
t}ons Of course do not exist. The adj
mirable water supply and sewerage sys-
TENS in such localities obyiate In a large
measure typhoid transfer Possibilities.
Yet even In such places the danger.
may exist.
iiBut. in army camps and in small
towns, and about farmers houses. where
sewerage facilities are lacking, the house
fv IS a constant source of danger.
"The Musca domestica does not bite.
on account Of the structure of5its mouth
parts this is a physical impossibility.
But It is mono the less dangerous for
that reason.
..While it does not inoculate the tndi-
| vIdual as the mosquito does, it is a most
active agent in the transmission of dis
ease because it communicates the germs
| Is the food eaten by people.
in certain sections of the country
there is a common idea that flies bite
| before a rain. This is true. but it is
not the house fly that does the biting. 1t
| is the stable fly, (Stomoxys calcitransl,
which has a particularly exasperating
bite, which is also to a certain degrees
| dangerous.
."This is the fly which is probably re
spcnsible for the transfer Of surra in
! the Philippines. The approach OF a
storm frequently drives it into dwellings,
| where 1t IS source Of keen annoyance
| to the occupants. s.
OTHER SPECIES.
.dTle other species of flies which are
Il ~ f,1t