The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-08-02

now largely Responsible for the s.rtad
Of that dreaded disease, typhoid fe-
Yer.
The house fly is connected With the
dissemination of Intestinal diseases
other than typhoid fever. DR.. Jack
son, OF New York. points out that the
immunity from diarrhoea of breast-fed
babies and the frequency Of its occur
renee anong artificially fed babies in
q Gates strongly the food as a medium
Of transmission, and further states
that in his extended study Of this
problem along the water front OF New
York City he found that the preva-
lcnce Of these diseases among children
and adults correspondent To the preV3-
lence of flies.
In bulletin No. IS Of the Bureau of
Entomology, United States Depart
ment Of Agriculture, which should be
read 10y every person in the United
states, DR.. Howard cites among other
Interesting data that Dr., G.. \. Rober
estimates that the decrease in the vital
assets of the country through typhoid
fever in a single year IS more shan
s35Q,000,0oo. Or. Howard says
that tbs house fly as an important
ascnt in the spread Of this disease is
responsible for a considerable portion
Of his decrease in the vital assets.
As an agency in the spread Of other
intestinal diseases. it must be charged
y tn a great addition to this sum.
Yet it is allowed to breed unrestricte-
all ovc the United States.
On account of their omnipresence
the task Of getting rid OF house flies
would seem to great. Fortunately
the matter is much simpler than we
might expect 1t simply means a
proper care IN the disposal Of their
preferred larval food, horse manure
and the maintenance of proper
sanitary conditions around the house
and vicinity. In cities, and especially in
towns and villages where sewerage
systems are absent and where ado
Guate means of sewerage disposal are
rarely present, such conditions should
be governed through an ordinance by
the Boards Of Health or other desig-
mated officials.
Little viii be accomplished by q
few persons in q town or community
in preventing them gaining access to
their breeding places, II some neglect
this duty, for a single pile of horse
manure allowed to stand in the open
Will serve to furnish flies for a whole
neighbOrhOOd. The greatest good will.
therefore, result from the combined
efforts of all persons keeping able in
a community in either having the ma
nure removed from the stables and
| vicinity twice a week or keeping the
manure in a screened portion Of the
stable, treating it after each addition
with air-slaked lime. DIR. w has
shown how the presence OF flies in
a neighborhOod of the city OF Wash
ington was materially reduced by such
treatment of the n from a horse
! stable nearby. The task Of combating
the pest in rural districts and aroun
! farm houses is largely an individual
one and its presence in large numbers
or to a limited extent Will depend
upon the sanitary conditions that are
maintained around the house and
barn. 1t is good farming practice to
remove the fresh ant from the
barns to the fields at least twice q
week and if this is done and other
sources of breeding material are pro-
tocted the pest will be largely miti-
It cannot be too strongly urged that
the surroundings Of the house, barns
and other outbuildings be kept as
sa nitary as possible and that lime be
used freely everywhere. The farmers
wife and all other house keepers
should take extra precautiOn to keep
all eatabIes perfected from flies. Too
often it VIII be seen that the parfor is
kept dark and screened from flies
while they may be present in great
numbers in the kitchen or dining
room crawling over all food being
prepared for consumption. Screens
shout be freely used TO prevent the
flies gaining access to the home; also
strict sanitary measures employed in
disposing of vast material.