Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-07-07
Government Entomologist Is
sues Warming Against Pest
ferrous Creature
MEANS OF SPREADING DISEASE
Found to Be a Genuine Source Of
Danger to Health - Investigations
Under Way to Determine FIy's Re-
Iation to Spread Of Typhoid Fever
Insects Being Collected.

Especial Washington Correspondence
Des Moines, July DIR. l.. o. How
ard, entomologist of the department OF
agriculture, has long had under sus-
picion the house fiy-the ordinary fly
OF the garden variety-and he has set
about the accumulation of evidence
against this insect. He considers the
fly a most pestiferous creature and he
is seeking to find out to what extent
it Is responsible for the spread Of ty-
phoid fever and other communicable
diseases.
DR. Howard has conducted already
a great many Investigations OF the
house fly and he is about convinced
that it is genuine source of danger
to the health of humankind. He says
that while it has been demonstrated
that the mosquito spreads yellow fever
and malaria, the house fly spreads ty-
phoid, cholera infantum and various
other diseases. The possibilities of the
fly for evil may be Judged from the
assertion Of DIR. Howard that the num-
Der of bacteria on single fly may
range from $50 to 6.600,000. In the
early part Of the season, the number Of
bacteria is comparatively small, but
later in the season, it is much larger.
The nvestigations started by DR..
Howard will have special reference to
%1,o nr+, 10 o1 hy ha hnnSa flv in the
spread of typhoid fever, tho much 9TH
err valuable information will be accu-
mulated. In connection with the ex-
haustive inquiry that has been car
ried on here concerning the origin OF
typhoid in the district the investiga-
tions will no doubt be of general i'm
portance to the country and to the
medical and sanitary world. The work
Of collecting fly statistics was begun
month ago and will be kept UP until
October. when the season for flies is
practically over. Large numbers OF
flies are being collected from every
section of the city. from stores, market
stands, private houses and elsewhere.
They are collected by use of fly paper
and then are taken to the department
OF agriculture and counted and exam
nations will be made to determine
what disease germs the flies car
ry. Records will be kept of the
number Of flies collected in each sec
ton of the city and when the annual
typhoid season comes on in Washing
ton 1t will be observed whether ty-
phoid is not the most prevalent in those
quarters where for one reason or an
other flies are most numerous.
DR.. Howard has asked citizens to CO.
operate in the work of gathering flies
and many of them are taking a deep
interest In the studies he is making.
DR.. Howard Is confident that people
do not realize the danger to health
that lies in the presence near the house
Of stables, markets, dairies and the
like, from which flies swarm into win
dows and doors of nearby homes, car
rying germs of disease with them;
otherwise more minute attention would
be given to screening and other forms
of protection from flies. 1t is pointed
out that the automobile to a certain
extent is contributing to health In the
residence sections of Washington by
diminishing the number of livery sta
bles and replacing them with garages,
thus lessening the number Of flies In
these sections.