Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-06-15
MORE ABOUT FLIES,

| Even at the risk of being accused
of harping too much on the house fly
peril, the Courier publishes the fol-
lowing suggestions for summer, sent
out by the department of tuberculosis
of the state board of control:
In the combat against tuberculosis
| 1t is necessary to take into account
every factor which may in any way,
directly or indirectly, spread the dis
ease. AS summer draws near 1t will
bring as usual it's swarms of flies and
other insect life, and there is no
greater nuisance than the house flies
which infest the homes of our people.
However, If proper sanitation was OBJ
served about the premises which peo-
pie call their homes, the common
house fly would be much less preva-
lent than it is.
All garbage, manure, cesspools,
open drains and other unsanitary con-
ditions existing about the house or
barn will produce an incredible num-
Der of flies as in decaying matter of
all kinds the fly breeds The first
measure to be CARRIED out therefore,
| is to remove all kinds of garbage and
manure and to close all open drains
which may lead from cesspoois or out
closets. The next measure of protec-
ton is to screen the house and to dill
gently exclude. from the kitchen the
dining room and living apartments
these little pests. We have become SO
! accustomed to the fly that while we
| look upon it as an unmitigated nui-
sance. vet tolerate its familiarity and
| for this reason many tragic story
has been written full of the most
heart-breaking sorrow.
| Flies are great germ carriers. Their
feet are so constructed that they are
little cups. This enables them to walk
on ceilings. These vacuumed feet be-
come splendid agents in the transmits
sion of germs of typhoid fever and tu-
berculosis. Recent Investigations made
| by the Merchants association of New
York reveal the fly as being RESPONSE
! Bile for a vast amount of contagious
sickness
| Tt Is urged that the people shall
| with one accord protect themselves
against germs Of disease which may
readily be carried into the home by
the fly. The food supply should be
thoroughly protected against flies; a
rigid rule should be established in ev-
cry home which should be enforced in
every Instance, and no fly should be
permitted to crawl over the food
which is to be set on the table for
human consumption. Milk should be
especially particularly cared for. 1t
should not only be protected from the
fly, but from dirt as well. Many a lit
tie babe will be killed this year in
Iowa by carelessness. Flies will carry
germs of various diseases to the nip
pies on the bottles of artificially fed
infants, and bacteria will be introduce
ed into the child's body Milk from
diseased cows suffering with tubercu-
losis, milk which has been produced
under msanitary conditions in the
barn or yard, will be given to these
infants whose lives will be terminated
by various disorders, commonly called
summer complaint, occasionally tuber-
culosis of the bowels.
Two important things are here con-
sidered. One is to so far as possible
prevent the breeding of flies by re-
moving garbage and waste and pour
ing kerosene oil on stagnant pools
The other is to protect the food supply
against insects of all kinds, particular
| ~ tns Hy, anu see W IL tnaL lltle
children are given wholesome food,
free from disease germs or dirt
The house fly has been tolerated
for years as necessary evil, but if the
campaign of determination is carried
on as vigorously by the housekeepers
as it has been by the health bureaus.
the winged pest would soon cease to
Bears the ~ <--