The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-06-18
DR.. LEVY TO CHASE
FLIES FROM CITY
Says Only Two Men Needed
to Make Insect a
"Rara Avis"
NEEDS THREE YEARS
TO COMPLETE WORK
Stable Inspector and Assistant TO
Enforce Cleanliness Laws and
Make Erstwhile Household
Pests Curiosities.

The services OF only f@o men are
needed to make the fly q Tara avis.
within three years, according TO
Health Officer Lew.
The latter declares that IL he but
had stable inspector, and one other
man who could give his entire time
10 the work, the summer pests which
annually make the lives OF Richmond
ers miserable. would be worth real
money in these parts Tor exhibition
purposes
Dr Levy mapped out a campaign
against the housefiy. which once thor
oughiy started, means certain death
and extinction for that tiny man eat
ing pestiferouS insect. The only
trouble lies in getting the work start
ed
Dr. Levy has many projects on MS
hands at present--so many that he
SAYS he liz tired. He hopes to get after
the little black bodies, bewinged, and
myriad eyed creature within the near
future, however. and when he does.
IL is good bye Mr.. Fly.
When the health officer made his
prediction that the ~ bane of the
house wife. but friend OF the man
who cells screenings. is soon due 10 be-
come ''rara avis" he was asked
whether he intended To- hit the flies
with a club, or ehloroform them.
Such evidences Of leyity dispieased
Dr. Levy. He says the whole thing
is comparatively simple.
Clean stables the Answer.
Have clean stables and you wont
have fiies.' Is the gist Of the theory.
DIR. Levy Says and proves by figures
that Roodly proportion of the crawl
ing carriers ~ disease gerrns-nfrrty
per cent. to be exact--are born io the
piles OF refuse dumped by stables
Even a mild enforcement of regu-
lation forcing stable owners to keep
this refuse once or twice weekly. and
10 keep IL sprinkled with lime while
1t is accommodating. would do away
with seventy five per cent. Of the flies.
he says, while a rigid enforcement of
the laws of cleanliness under the
supervision of an inspector who would
60 about giving Instructions and see
Ing that tho latter were carried out
10 the letter. will make the fly SO
scarce as to cause crowds To- assemble
and view one of them curiously and
without recognition.
THE fly can he exterminated." said
DR. Levy. at will be exterminated
here in Richmond. Internationally. 1t
takes time, that Is all | have been
after the fiy ever since I came into
this office. have scolded him In my
annual reports. ! have mapped out
campaigns against him, and ] am even
now getting up circular letter for
distribution among the residents of
the city showing them how the fly IS
carrier of all sorts of contagious
diseases.
But am hampered by lack OF
men. My force is insufficient for the
needs to which II should he put. IL
had two more men. / could make the
ny practically a rara avis by next sum
mer In two or three years there
would be no necessity for screens In
windows. There wouldn't be any
flies to keep out"
DIR. Levy expects to ask council for
an appropriation for the employment
of these two much needed men some
time within the future. He Is not yet
decided as TO the exact date, for there
are many other things which. he says
ne needs more.
But the day is coming, and prob
ably within the next three yearY---or
five years at any rate. the man with
a tame fiy will he able to place his
treasure on exhibition and charge ad-
mission.
The fly Is domed. 1t will be a fight
of countless millions against two men.
but DR. Levy saws the latter are sure
TO win