Mountain Home maverick. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1906-1911, 1909-06-10
The fly Nuisance

1t was only few years ago that
those who were trying to arouse the
country to the prevalence. fearful
destructiveness, infectiousness and
preventability of tuberculosis seemed
to be wasting their efforts. Yet to
day in almost every state there are
strong and effective organizations
conducting systematic war against
the white plague. The public. from
a condition of apparent apathy, has
become aroused to the menace.
Legislatures and city councils. form
erly pleaded with in vain, now pass
the necessary laws and ordinances,
build and sustain the necessary hos
pitfalls and make the appropriations
needed for field work Patient.
persistent, hammeriug has at last
forged a popular sentiment that
mears, within very few years, 3
closing of most of the avenues of
tuberculosis infection, and more hope
for is victims.
And now it is the house fiy's turn.
The antituberculosis campaign will
go on, but everything else need not
be neglected. That the house fly is
not seriously in danger of extinction
this year or next is probable. The
campaign against the little pest is as
yet in its infancy. But if the same
tactics Of persistent repetition of the
dangers arising from the house fly.
and Of the possibility of suppressing
him is pursued, he is doomed, If not
to extinction, at least to a marked
elimination in numbers. In fact
more notice is likely 10 be''taken of
the anti-house fly crusade than was
taken of the anti tuberculosis agita-
ton. For apart from the agency of
the house fly in spreading disease,
he is pest SO obnoxious to house
wives and to humankind in general
that the project of suppressing him
is likely to call forth tens of thou
sands of recruits who would not be
reached by any sanitary consider
alton. but who would suppress the fly
as nuisance.
Nor IS there any reason why the
house fly should flourish. There are
few neighborhoods in which that
insect is rare. There are others in
which he swarms to such degree as
to become almost unbearable. The
difference is that in one quarter there
is no place suitable for the laying
and development of the eggs. and in
the other there are numerous places.
The determination of the house fly
from any neighborhood is a compare
lively simple matter. If the Amer
lean authorities during the first oc-
cupation of Cuba found it practicable
to put out of commission every pool
and puddle in which mosquitoes could
breed, it will be mere bagatelle to
do away with the breeding places of
the house fly. For that insect
breeds in manure and such matter
for the most part. BY keeping man
ure IN covered receptacIes. with the
cover on at all times. the fly has
nowhere to hatch the eggs. By the
use of lime the manure heap is also
put out of commission as a breeding
place; and the regular and prompt
removal of manure is no less effec-
tual
And what relief it will be when
the house fly no longer exists. except
as rare insect to be found only in
backwoods communities. For he is
the most pestiferous and annoying of
flying beasts, disgusting table com
panion. a constant source of annoy
ance. a disturber of slumbers and a
destroyer of summer maps and matu-
tinal .dozirfg. Yet he exists only or
sufferance. Why suffer any more
when he can be so easily suppressed
-Ex.