The Kennewick courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1905-1914, 1909-06-18
FLIES TRANSMIT TYPHOID GERMS

! HAS Decll UeVclOpeQ IN NOrCn 1akl-
ma, said Prof. Melander of the state
college last evening in his lecture on
'Preventable Diseases" has been
contracted by drinking water. Flies
are the source of this menace and
flies alone. If you will get rid OF
the flies you will rid this city OF
typhoid.
The death statistics for the last
two years show that 25O of every
100000 people die of typhoid in
this city. The average death rate
from typhoid in the United States
is 80 for every 100000 people.
Typhoid is preventable disease
and yet not step has been taken
by the federal government for its
prevention. Over 100000 is
spent annually to teach people how
to grow cotton, apples and other
farm products, but not single cent
is spent in showing how to take care
Of their health.
The government thinks more OF
the apples you people grow than it
does of you. In the next IL months
over 4 200, OOo people in the United
States will be continually sick. 1t
means the loss of much time and
money and is just as important a
factor for the government to give
consideration as is the raising of
farm products. In the next 10 years
over 5000, 900 will ole under 2
ye .rs of age, all through ignorance.
Infants at that age usually die thru
ignorance of the parents.
You tolerate the fly tecars
your ancestors tolerated it; but
science has taught US that the f1y
is dangerous and it is well nigh time
that we were taking steps to wipe it
out. The more breeding places
you supply for flies the more flies
you will have, but cut down the
breeding places and you will, in a
great measure, eliminate the pest.
Keep a lid on the swill barrel,
tigh. lid, and compel people who
keep horses to box the manure and
two of the greatest breeding places
will he done away with.
Mortality is greatest during the
fly season, from June to December
As the flies increase the death rate
increases. The rate of death in
creases in existence and that should
be conclusive proof that flies are a
great menace to health.
In an experiment at the college
we found that OF Ala flies each one
carried an average of SOL
bacteria. The bacteria is gathered
by the flies from all filthy sources.
Look around a bit and you will see
that these scavangers frequent the
filthiest of places. 1t is those places
that we should aim to keep the flies
from. The fly will transmit filthy
substance and bacteria direct to the
the bread on the table and the sugar
towl, and that is the way we con-
tract typhoid, maleria. smallpox
and several other diseases.
"A fy's mouth is 40 constructed
that it has to suck its food. Keep |
the fly away from liquid substances
and it will die. But the fly is 80 |
constructed that it acts as sweeper
End picks up much filth. Its feet
under the microscope, are much
like clothes brush and the TIPS of |
the shanks are constructed like a
sponge. The body is covered with
hair. They are good sweepers to
pick up filthy material. Whatever
the fly sits on is contaminated with
the filth from the bed from which
it has just come.
Each fly is capable of produc-
ing 12O of its specie every season
and in ten days each member is
mature and ready to breed 12O more
files. Figure it out and you will
find that in seven generations the
numter OF flies bred theoretically,
from one fly will be 345, 900, OOO,.
Flies develop only in proper
lion to the amount of food you
supply them ana if you eliminate
be supply YOU eliminate tho f3v :,