The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1909-09-03
FLY AND TYPHOID
FEVER
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN
MEDICAL ASSOCIATION HAS
INTERESTING ARTICLE ON Or
BINARY HOUSE FLY.

received this week by DR.. Mccoy.
The little editorial was on the sub
ject of the fly and typhoid fever. The
medical association is DESTROYS of the
co-operation of the press of the coun-
try in the purpose of matters per-
tanning to the improvement of san
itary conditions and inasmuch as this
city seems to be cursed with an I'M
usual number of flies. DR.. Mccoy
asked the publication of this article
in the Daily World. 1t is as follows:
The fly has from time immemor-
ial been endured as necessary scaV-
enger. This it is, but a scavenger
necessary only to those unaccustomed
TO reasonable and adequate cleann-
ness. While on the one hand the tly
removes putrefying substances, on
the other it distributes material at
least as pathogenic-much tuDercu-
lous material, the virus of cholera, or
tetanus. of trachoma, and Of anthrax.
II is certainly more than a colnc1-
dence that infant mortality is great
est in fly time. Milk is very TAR
culture medium for bacteria, and
amidst the uncleanliness obtaining in
many families among the poor, 1t
easily becomes contaminated with
the excreta of flies and with the
germs clinging to their feet One fly
was found thus to be the host for
a hundred thousand fecal bacteria;
and it was on its way to the nearest
milk pitcher 1t is now generally
agreed that the dysenteries and the
diarrhoeas Except in the rare cases
induced mechanically or nervously)
are of microbic origin. Here the fly
is surely implicated; especially since
breasted infants almost never suf-
fer the intestinal disorders which are
deplorab1y frequent among the bot
tle-fed
ct is becoming manifest that the
fly stands in a causative relation 10
tvphoid fever. We have been accas-
toned to speak of typhoid fever as
the autumnal fever. Counting back
two months from the rise in typhoid
mortality to the beginning Of the
fortnight's incubation, We come to
the curve of prevalence of flies; the
curve of high temperature most con-
ducive to fly-breeding and activity;
and also that of prevalence OF diarr-
hoea1 disease in both infant and
adult. The time, then, when the lily
is most active and numerous cores
ponds notably with the time when
typhoid fever is contracted with un-
usual frequency. Many persons have
come down with typhoid on returning
to the city from their vacations, and
tainted wells have generally been
blamed: whereas, possibly in some
cases the we'll has not been so blame
worthy as the blueDOttle.
THE Musca domestica has not IN
aptlv been termed the typhoid fly
OF course there are other means OF
contracting the disease than through
this insect; but that it is the formld-
able agent can not be doubted. Its
breeding places are in the manure
and refuse in and about stables; In
the excrement of animals and human
beings; in dust from dried urine and
feces. and the discharges or typhoid
carriers in decaying vegetable mat
ter. especially when congen1al
warmth and moisture coexist. Two
hundred larvae have been found in
one inch of manure; ten days Will
suffice for the development of a
brood: fifteen broods a season are
possible; twelve flies surviving
winter may reproduce 10000 during
the following warm season. The
fly's life is usually but a few weeks;
but it may live dormant through the
winter in closets and the warm parts
of houses.
Felt has found that this insect
does not as a rule travel beyond three
hundred to five hundred feet from
its breeding place; its habitat may
indeed be close at hand-in spittoons,
under the table. behind doors. 1t is
then the part of wisdom to keep the
insects from the sick room, espec-
ially in contagious cases; to screen all
doors and windows, especially In
kitchen and dining room; to cover or
screen all food, particularly such as
is uncooked, not only in homes. but
also in hotels, provision stores and
markets. Decaying material should
not accumulate in or near dwelling;
fermentable refuse-bedding straw,
waste paper, ETC., which can not be
- otb oru,;co DESTROYED ShOuI0