The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1911-05-01
The MOST DANGEROUS CRIMINAL
ON EARTH.

conducting war Ol eAlSl ihlh"''1'
against the housefly. A recent bulle-
tin issued by the chairman Of the
..Fly Fighting Committee" says;
DR.. Daniel d. Jackson, finding that
flies, attracted by floating sewerage
in the slips, swarmed along the water
front. Set a large number Of traps at
different points on the north and east
river shore in New York city. The cap
lives were found to carry innumerable
fecal bacilla on their feet and bodies.
one which was caught in South street
had more than 125,OOO on him. by
means Of map which indicated the
cases Of typhoid and intestinal dis
eases by black dots, he proved that
the Increase in the number OF these
diseases was in direct proportion to
the humber Of flies. The vast major
ity OF the cases were in parts Of the
city nearest the polluted water front
A thorough-going reform Of the san
itary conditions in the district affect
ed, including the adoption Of some
system Of sewerage disposal, would,
DR.. Jackson stated in the report Of
his investigations. reduce the yearly
deaths of typhoid fever very consider
ably and the diarrheal deaths from ~
600 to 1900. If germ-infected flies were
not permitted to contaminate the milk
supply. 1t is also estimated that the
reform as recommended would reduce
the number Of cases OF illness FROM
these causes about $4,000 annually.
AS the result OF investigations carried
on in various parts Of the world, con
flrmatory testimony by many author
ities is available, so that the transmits
sion Of disease by the fly is no longer
mere theory. but is truth that has
been scientifically established. In
fact a little more than year ago, Or.
i. o. Howard Of the United States de-
partment Of agriculture proposed the
name Of typhoid fly as a substitute
for that OF house fly.
The earliest convincing evidence of
The dissemination Of the typhoid bac-
Illus by the house fly was furnished
by doctors who investigated camp con-
ditions during the Spanish-American
war. 1t was found that officers whose
mess tents were protected by screens
suffered proportionately less from ty-
phoid fever than did those whose
tents were not so guarded and the
fever gradually disappeared in the
fall Of 1898 with the approach of cold
weather and the consequent disabling
Of the fly. Nothing was more notice
able" says DR.. Dunno, than the fall
in the admission from typhoid fever
coincident with the killing Of the flies
at the advent Of the cool nights Of
May and June"
The fly is born in, lives and thrives
upon filth. II no filth is allowed to
accumulate in a house or it's neigh
borhood, it will not be troubled by
flies, for they do not ordinarily stray
far from their breeding places and
their sources Of food. In thoroughly
clean neighborhood they cannot live
in the face of screens preventing their
access to food and in the absence Of
manure heaps and other receptacles
for filth in which to deposit their
eggs.
The methods Of Kidding a ncighbor-
hood Of flies are comparatively sim
pie. or would be to a fly fighter with
despotic power over community, for
to insure the success OF this work. CO.
operation IS absolutely essential. A
carelessly conducted stable may null
lify the conscientious efforts Of a
whole neighbcrhood Of fly fighters.
While the creation of a spirit which
shall bring home to each householder
his responsibility for maintaining san.
itary conditions on his premises is
necessary. the health Officer is the
most effective single agent for carry
ing out this reform for it is his duty
70 enforce against all such ordinances
as public opinion is strong enough TO
have enacted.
The replacing Of the horse by the
automobile makes the city streets less
inviting TO flies and as they do not
ordinarily fly higher than eight feet,
our sky scrapers are largely free from
them, but the mere advance Of inven.
ilon win not rid as Of the plague. In.
dlvldual care to keep ones own house
free from flies SO that they shall have