Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-03-22
INSECTS CAUSE L0SSO|vORCE LAW CHANGEI
Che of Bureau of Entomology Chamber of Commerce Asked
Explains Situation. to Use Influence
SPREADING OF DISEASES CITIZENS SIGN A PETITION
Should Be Present Work
Called Typhoid Fly Many Evils
MENACE TO THE COMMUNITY WANT RETURN TO OLD CODE
l.
| let Partic
/ to solute Divorce.
Chief of Bureau of Entomology
Explains Situation.
SPREADING OF DISEASES
Saws Common House Pest Should Be
Called Typhoid Fly"
MENACE TO THE COMMUNITY
DR.. L. o. Howard Prepares Pamph-
let Calling Particular Atten-
ton to Deadly Work.

! tlOn W OCduAy "a A.
'Economic loss to the people Of the
United STATES through insects that carry
disease" is the title of a pamphlet that
| has just just been issued by the Depart
ment of Agriculture. 1t Is the work of
| DR.. l.. o. Howard, chief of the bureau OF
entomology of the department and COW
ers the whole range of insect-transmitted
diseases from typhoid fever 10 bubonic
plague DR. Howard goes at considerable
length into the spread of malaria and
yellow fever through the agency of mos
quitoes. but he calls particular attention
to the deadly work Of the common house
fly in spreading typhoid fever and enters
in,o detail as to the best methods OF
stamping out the fly pest from the coun-
try. In fact, he says that the house fly
should be called the typhoid Hy.' both
| for accuracy and as a constant warning
to the public. He ads that the health
regulations of the District are excellent
and probably would result in wiping out
flies in Washington il they were followed.
| He adds, however. that they are not fol-
lowed. and the flies persist, forming one
of the most serious menaces to the COM
munity in modern life.
! DIR. Howard says there are many dis
eases transmitted by insects. Yellow
| fever is carried by one brand OF mosquito
and malaria by another. The common
house fly is an active agent in the dis
semnation Of typhoid fever. Asiatic chol-
era and kindred intestinal disorders. The
| tropical disease known as filiarasis is
transmitted by a species of mosquito. Blu
bonic plague is carried by aeas. The So
called spotted fever of the northern Rocky
mountains is transmitted by species of
tick. just az Texas fever is given to cattle
by the southern cattle tick.
Work Of Biting Insects.
| 1t has been demonstrated that certain
blood diseases may be transmitted by a
number of biting insects. The purulent
ophthalmia Of the Nile basin is carried by
the common house fly and the pink eye
of the southern states is carried by the
minute flies of the genus hippelates. The
| house fly has also been shown to be a
| minor factor in the spread of tuberculosis.
| Certain biting flies also carry the sleeping
sickness in Africa. He says that all the
loss and suffering caused by these dis
eases Is unnecessary. as the diseases can
| be controlled by stamping out the insects
that carry them.
Aside from the other loss caused by
mosquitoes. DR.. Howard says they bring
great financial loss to the country through
| rendering many sections absolutely unin-
| ldDlldDie II Is nara 10 get the N8uIcS on
the loss caused by mosquitoes in prevent
! ing the development OF many Of the rich
lands Of the south. but he says It Is
/ easier to see the loss in the neighborhood
OF big cities Ike New York. where many
valuable sections that might be manu-
| featuring sites or covered with suburban
homes are left entirely vacant
| The development of the whole state Of
New Jersey. he says. has been seriously
Admirably adopted to dairy farming In
other respects, the business has been
given up owing to the evil effect of the
| mosquitoes on the cattle.
Statistics of Hospitals.
| Statistics of hospitals are quoted largely
to show the number Of malarial cases
| treated there. and 1t is pointed out that
the cases treated In the hospitals are a
very small percentage in the country at
| large. The productive capacity of q man
| suffering from malaria, but still working,
is Gu, down 90 to 20 per cent. and this.
added to doctors bills, the depreciation
of property and death, probably brings
| the loss up to hundreds of millions Of
dollars.
The campaign against the malaria-car-
| rying mosquito. 1t Is pointed out. Is much
| the same as against the mosquito that
| carries yellow fever. DR.. Howard cites
number of cases OF anti-mosquito cru
sades In addition to the work of the
Canal Zone. He says that small opera
lions have been carried on in the Roman
Campagna. hotbed of malaria. and that
| more extensive and equally satisfactory
lish in the federated Malay states, on the
west coast Of Africa. successful cam
paign was waged at Ismailia, on the
Suez canal. a town Of 5000 inhabitants.
founded by De Lesseps in 1882 The place
was at first healthy. but after malaria
was once introduced 1t spread, and every
inhabitant had It, The work Of cleaning
up the town was attempted in 1901. and at
an initial expense of less than $4,000 and
a subsequent expense OF $500 the place
has been kept absolutely clear Of the dis
ease.
Considerable attention Is given the work
in Cuba and the Canal Zone, and a COM
parison is made Of the failure OF the
French to dig the canal and the success
of the present administration I'm prose-
cutting the same enterprise. 1t Is said
that the French were beaten entirely by
he climate and not by the engineering
difficulties.
Should Be Typhoid Fly.
DIR. Howard speaks very plainly of the
filthy nature of the house fly, which, he
says, should undoubtedly be known as
the typhoid fly. He remarks that the
true scientific evidence of the fly's re-
sponsibility in carrying typhoid fever has
only recently been worked out, but that
| the crime has been fastened on the insect
beyond question.
He pays particular attention to Wash
ington, as II was here much Of the work
OF investigation was done. He says that
stable manure and open cesspools are the
favored breeding places OF flies. and that
| if all the health regulations OF Wash
! ington. especially as to the handling of
stable sweepings. were enforced the city
would be practically cleared of files. In
this connection he states that the use
nf ,-t.t tn, !.
ton and the consequent elimination of
many stables has done much toward
checking the fly pest In that locality.
DR.. Howard says that typhoid is not a
national scourge, as 1t has been called,
but. rather. national reproach" or
national crime. for It's main source, the
fly evil. can be controlled II the cities
will set themselves to the work.