New-York tribune., 1906-09-10
OF DEADLY FLIES.
SW4RM IN CONEY DUMPS.
Many Persons Treated at Hospital
for TnuIent Sting.

The ash filled swamp meadows OF Coney
Island are the breeding places OF what Is said TO
be species of the deadly South African tsetse
fly. which was imported year ago with cargo
OF horses. several OF which fell victims TO the
insect. whose sting painfully Injuries human be-
ings DR. Frank r. Smith. Of Coney Island.
has traced the fly to the West End meadows.
where garbage and ashes are used 10 reclaim
the swamps between Bensonhurst and Coney
Island
Almost Immediately after the dumping Of
ashes began persons living near the dumps were
attacked by an insect which left scars similar
to smallpox botches. Several victims were
made so i'll by the bite that IL was necessary TO
receive medical treatment.
A score Of residents have been treated AZ the
Coney Island Reception Hospital dispensary,
where the surgeons are baffied by the peculiar
ity Of the sting. In almost every case the pa
tient suddenly felt sharp pain, which was soon
followed by a large swelling similar 70 that re
sulting from a snake bite. The affected skin
became red and hard until treatment dissolved
it into pus. After careful cleansing deep mark
is left In the skin where the bite was.
DIR. Smith noticed the infection when II was
so prevalent that IT was feared that some of the
cases would result fatally. II was impossible to
get a specimen of the fly, but the men employed
in the work of filing the swamps showed symp-
toms similar TO those caused by the bite OF the
South African fly.
One Of the most recent cases is that of Miss
Florence Monohan. Of No. 2sTj West 9Th street.
Coney Island. who developed a bad swelling
over the right eye She applied TO the dispen-
sary OF the Reception Hospital for treatment.
The swelling increased so that IL was feared her
eye would be affected, until an operation re-
lieved her.
Edward O'Brien. of Surf avenue, near West Sth
street. was also stung by the insect near the
mouth. the bite causing a startling swelling,
which. after IL disappeared. left a big scar
O'Brien was taken 10 n New York specialist for
treatment He declared that he walking
through the filled in grounds when he felt a sharp
pain At the same time he noticed an insect which
was slightly larger than mosquito During the
night his cheek swelled so that he feared blood
poisoning. and Immediately hurried to the hos
pital.
The many typhoid fever cases have also been
laid 10 the method of filling in the swamps
which is being done by the American Railway
transportation Company. under the supervision
OF ex-Deputy Police Commissioner Alexa nder
Piper. The ashes taken from the Street
Cleaning Department stations in Brooklyn and
dumped into the swamps. which cover area
Of five square miles. The work is carried on
mostly at night when traffic is slow on the
West End line Of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit
Company. and il is said that big profit is
reaped by the railway company I'm handling the
city ashes.
The ashes are generally Uttered with garbage
and refuse, which Immediately takes root cover
ing the filled-in section with vegetation. Sun
flowers. corn. tomato plants and hundreds of
other plants now cover the area which was
filed in during the winter, while the sections
ing filled I'm at present are already covered with
sprouts which thrive amazingly
The section affected by the dumping is bound
ed by Timer Park. HaTwav avenue and the
northern part Of COney Island In the rear Of
the Brighton Beach raCetrack the filling I'm has
gone so far that COney Island is practically
part Of the mainland.
Electric wires are strung across the marshes
ar almost every point while in many instances
the wires charged with high power are traiIad
through the rubbish carelessly that the en-
ployes are iE constant danger of being killed
Several weeks ago on italian engaged I'm pick
ing rags and paper from the ash heaps was
burned death
II was said by resident Of the affected dis
trict yesterday that injunction will be OBJ
tained against the company which has charge
Of the filling I'm If new methods are not en-
ployed.