The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1909-03-25
Exterminate the House Flies.
(AnpOsfa Herald

yellow fever was unknown. whether
the germs floated in the air, in the
water, or in what way the disease
was communicated to it's victims was
an unrevealed secret. All that was
known was that when this dreadful
pestilence once was started in q
place it ragged on practically un-
checked until there were no more
victims for it to attack, or until
heavy frost had fallen. BY what
mysterious agency it was spread was
unknown, and so the presence OF
this deadly scourge made the bravest
quail and think only of seeking
safety In fight.
Nobody suspected the mosquito.
It's presence was known, for mos
quitoes are ubiquitous. They are
found everywhere except in the
frozen regions, and while always a
pest and a nuisance they were not
regarded as deadly Iisseminators OF
poison. Now we know better, for
the investigation of scientists has
brought to light the fact that one
class of mosquitoes inoculate human
victims with the yellow fever virus.
It is the mosquito alone which
spreads yellow fever, and any man
may go with absolute safety into the
worst yellow fever infested city, If
he insures himself against being
bitten by mosquito.
A certain preventive and an easy
specific for one of the most dreadful
of all the disease scourges to which
humanity ever was exposed. Yet
only ten years ago we were in total
ignorance of it.
This is what the mosquito does,
which outside of the annoyance 1t
caused was not regarded as specially
dangerous. And what Of the house
fly?
It is an insect even more detesta-
Bile than the mosquito, considered as
an annoying pest alone. What it
does as the distributor of disease
germs is not definitely known. But
it seems certain that, if the mosquito
is the purveyor of one disease the
house fly, the dirty scavenger among
the house insects, is the purveyor OF
many. The summer season should
be the healthiest of the year, because
sun light and warmth are health
giving, yet there are many diseases
most rare during the winter which
increase during the summer. These
diseases come and go with the flies.
Is not this presumptive evidence,
even If we still lack positive proof,
that the fly is the guilty agent which
scatters the germs Of these diseases?
Then every housewife should make
war upon the house fly. Do not al
low it in the house, any more than
you would poisonous reptile. On
this subject the Knoxville Sentinel
well says:
e'Spring is coming. Already in our
midst the house fly, the dirty fly, the
typhoid and cholera infantum fly,
will soon swarm in thousands and
millions, unless precautions are
taken. The house fly, whom we were
taught in our childhood to treat with
kindness, has beer exposed. Its
habits are filthy. 1t breeds in stables
and garbage pals and carries the
filth it reveals in and tracks it across
the sugar, the butter and the beef
steak. It paddles it's horrid feet,
gummed with the vilest rotting mat
ter, in the baby's milk. The doctors
have declared war on the house fly.
1t probably disseminates every dis
ease. It is a nuisance. 1t must be
exterminated. It can be driven out
Of every city. In an age of knowl-
edge, screens and cheap disinfectants
there is no excuse for flies in any
household. Clean up your premises
end ronort to tho health dana emf
your neighbor who does not. Get rid
of breeding places of flies and you
will get rid of flies. The battle is
half won if begun early"