Evening star., 1909-05-09
Warning Sent Out by Health
Officer Woodward.
FLY SEASON HAS ARRIVED
How Filth Is Distributed by the
Little Pest.
MENACE TO PEOPLES HEALTH
Matter Taken Up by the Merchants
Association Of New York-Vir-
ginia officials Alert.

ely season is here; put in your
screens
That Is the warning sent out yester-
day by Health Officer w. c. Woodward
in Inauguration of campaign against
the fly as a disease bearer The little
insect Is held responsible for large
amount Of illness and death every sum-
mer and DR.. Woodward thinks that the
residents Of the city can largely control
the health Of the city by a determined
fight on flies and their breeding places.
AS expressing his indictment of the fly
as means of transferring disease Health
Officer Woodward gave out circular
which he has just received relating to the
fly.
The Season for the Fly.
"This is the season for the return OF
the fly; it is easier to keep them out by
proper screening than to get them out
when they once get in begins the circu-
lar "Some Of our most eminent bac-
teriologists are laying great stress upon
the necessity for the proper prevention OF
diseases as caused by the ny. Sclentists
of all countries agree upon this point
flies not only carry disease germs In their
body, but also upon their feet. They are
readily attracted by filth, which they
devour greedily, SO common decency
would suggest the advisability Of keeping
them out Of our houses and off our food.
Estate boards of health are also agi-
tating the subject and rigid measures are
being enforced to do away with such
nuisances now in existence which harbor
the flies.
Distributors of Filth.
1T is true they are scavengers. but
they spread filth and disease in doing
their work. 1t were better to do our own
scavenging; keep clean, protect all aper-
lures with screens, capture the stray In
truders. use sanitary garbage pals. which
are provided with q device for dlsln-
fectants, and then discharge the ny.
''The Merchants Association Of New
York city took up the subject OF flies as
menace to the health Of the city. In
spectors were employed during the sum-
mer, and the entire shore line and docks
examined. Fly cages were distributed In
all parts of the city: at insanitary points
flies swarmed, and when captured and
examined were found, in some instances.
to carry thousands of microbes on a sin
gle foot In healthier localities and
farther away from the water front fewer
flies were noticed, and when examined
were found to be practically harmless, if
not Clean
Virginia Authorities Alert.
The health authorities Of Virginia are
also engaged in campaign against the
house fly, the official bulletin published
by the state department of health for
April sounding a strong warning against
the insect.
Beware of the fly" the headlines read.
''He breeds during the warm months of
the year in the filth Of the barnyard, in
the manure of the stable, in the decaying
garbage at the kitchen door. He feeds
on the filth from all these places, on the
spit of the consumptive, on the fostering
wounds of men and beasts. on the bodies
Of dead animals
HE carries the filth from everything
he touches. and may be covered with
millions Of death-producing germs of
typhoid fever or the germs Of consump-
ton. Where there is no dirt or filth
there will be no flies"