The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1910-03-01
FIGHTING THE FLY.

The national campaign of education
for the oblteration of the housefiy,
which has been undertaken by the
American Civic association, will enjoy
the benefit of novel methods of propa-
gandism. The idea is to use the mo-
ton picture shows throughout the
country as a means of reaching the
people. Interesting films, illustrating
the fly and his habits, have been pro-
cured, and copies will be sent broad
cast among the motion picture shows
as soon as they can be made.
Meantime the pictures are being used
in Washington To illustrate lectures by
government officials and others who
have made a study of the subject.
Among the lecturers have been DIR. L.
o. Howard of the Bureau of Entomolo-
gy, DIR. Woodward, health officer Of the
District Of Columbia, and Richard Il.
Watrous, secretary of the American
| Civic association. The audiences at
these lectures have been made up of
Washington physicians. congressman,
members Of the medical corps of the
army and navy, women's clubs and the
National tuberculosis association.
The flies show nearly as large as life
on the films and are magnified on the
screen to the size of hens, or larger,
which produces upon the imagination
Of the spectator the sense of his dan
ger that is needed to get him to regard
the fly as a serious foe. one picture
shows the eggs just as the baby flies
break through and wiggle away. The
next stage in fly life is illustrated i'm a
picture Of the youthful fly burrowing
into the ground and finally a wingless
young one pushes his way from the
earth. and throwing out his chest.
walks off to take a stroll into some
ones dining room. At twelve days of
age the fly is "A full-grown, strong
winged germ carrier, and is represent
ed on the screen as big as a turkey.
Half a dozen Of them crawl about on
two mackerel which evidently have
been reposing on fish-wharf for sew
eral days and which appear as large
as sharks. And then these same flies
are seen having a feast in someone's
sugar bowl. Then a baby's nursing
bottle with a fly crawling on the nipple
is exhibited on the screen. and in a
fash the picture shows very content
ed baby sucking away, oblivious of
danger.
DIR. Howard, in his very interesting
lecture, which. no doubt, will be drawn
upon for facts by others who undertake
TO explain the pictures and waken the
public, declared that the American
people are spending ten million dollars
year for window screens. He also
declared that II the health department
regulations regarding manure in sta
bles were rigidly enforced ninety-nine
out of every hundred flies i'm Washing
ton would go out Of business because
they would find IL impossible TO make
a living.
The pictures and lectures of the an
ti-fy propaganda are to be reinforced
with pamphlets containing minute di-
rections for the maintenance OF of pre-
cautions and the waging OF warfare
against the fly. The propaganda will
cost some money-very little. however,
compared with the waste OF resources
occasioned by the existence Of the fly
plague. The leaders Of the campaign
are mindful no doubt Of the old Greek
motto, TN time OF peace prepare for
war" The best way to fight the fly
Is TO remove the conditions under
which he is brought into existence. In
winter time, when flies are few. the
most effective work can be done toward
arranging and carrying out program
that will tend to keep them so.