The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-08-16
THE TYPHOID FLY " SHOULD Be
THE NAME OF COMMON HOUSE FLY

horse manure, which may be variously
treated or kept in a specially prepared
receptacle, would greatly abate the fly
nuisance, and city ordinances compell-
ing horse owners to follow some such
course are desirable. Absolute clean
illness, even under existing circum-
stances, will always result in diminu-
ton of the numbers of the house fly,
and, in fact, most household insects
are less attracted to the premises of
what is known as the old-fashioned
housekeeper than to those of the other
Natural Enemies.
The house fly has number of nat
ural enemies. The common house
centipede destroys it in considerable
numbers, there is a small reddish mite
which frequently covers its body and
gradually destroys it, it is subject to
the attacks of hymenopterous para
sites in it's larval condition, and it is
destroyed by predatory beetles at the
same time.
The most effective enemy, however,
is fungous disease known as EN-
pusa muscae,' which carries off flies
in large numbers, particularly toward
the close of the season. The epidemic
ceases in December, and although
many thousands are killed by it, the
remarkable rapidity of development
in the early summer months soon
more than replaces the thousands thus
destroyed.
What Cities and Towns Can Do.
1t would appear, from what we know
of the life history of the common
house fly and from what remedial eX-
Fermentation has already been car
ried on, that it is perfectly feasible
for cities and towns to reduce the
numbers of these annoying and dan
gerous insects so greatly as to render
them of comparatively slight account.
The health departments of most of
our cities have the authority to abate
nuisances dangerous to health, and it
is easy for the health authorities of
any city to formulate rules concerning
the construction and care of stables
and the keeping and disposal of ma
nure which, if enforced, will do away
with the house-fy nuisance. Such a
series of rules was formulated in the
spring of 1906 by the Health Depart
ment of the city of Asheville, n. c..
and an effort is being made during
this summer to see that they are en-
forced. On the Sd of May, 1906, the
Health Department of the District o
Columbia also issued a series of or
2 ders of this nature, on the authorit.
I of the commissioners of the District
/ and these orders, which may wei
L serve as a model to other commun
ties desiring to undertake simila
e measures, may be briefly condense,
1 as follows:
All stalls in which animals are KEEP
: shall have the surface of the grount
covered with a water-tight floor. Ey
cry person occupying building wher
> domestic animals are keLt shall main
) tain, in connection Herewith, bin o
pit for the reception of manure, and
/ pending the removal from the prem
d Uses of the manure from the anima
y in said bin or pit. This bin shall b.
u so constructed as to exclude rain We
ter, and shall in all other respects b
y water tight except as it may be cor
e nected with the public sewer.
l. shall be provided with a suitable cove
II and constructed so as to prevent tn
u ingress and egress of flies. No PEI
son owning a stable shall keep an
d manure or permit any manure to b
II kept in or upon any portion of tn
y premises other than the bin or pit d,
II scribed, nor shall he allow any sue
bin or pit to be overfilled or neet
Il lessly uncovered. Horse manure ma
e be kept tightly rammed into well-co
l. cred barrels for the purpose of reno
al in such barrels. Every perso
l. keeping manure in any of the MOI
4 densely populated parts of the Distric
IS shall cause all such manure to be r.
1t moved from the premises at lea!
i twice every week between June l an
a. October 81, and at least once ever
d. week between November 1 and Ma
e 81 of the following year. No perso
s. shall remove or transport any manur
+ over any public highway in any {
i the more densely populated parts {
the District except in a tight vehicl
which, if not inclosed, must be effe
d tually covered with canvas, so as t
s. prevent the manure from being droI
y ped. No person shall deposit manu-
q removed from the bins or pits With
y any of the more densely populate
10 parts of the District without a perm