The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-05-05

flies at the advent of the cola nlgnts of May and June."
 Dr. q. N. Kober of Washington mas estimated that the decrease in the vital assets of the United States through typhoid fever is fs,ore than $35O, 900 900 annually. Although, phy- sicians do not agree as to the propo, tion of responsibility for typhoid which must be credited to flies, pol- luted water and infected milk, most of them agree that flies are the cause of very important part. The people of this country spend over SIG, 1000, 900 annually for screens to protect them selves against flies and mosquitoes. The monetary cost to the nation be- cause of the fly even without the in finitely more important consideration that should make each of us guard the families, forms an effective argument in favor of the extermination of the fly pest.
 For the fly plague need not be en- dured as visitation of Providence. It may be stamped out by the sys- tematic adoption by individuals and by the public of the method of clean thrives upon filth. If no filth is al- lowed to accumulate in house or it's neighborhood, 1t will not be troubled by flies for they do not ordinarily stray far from their breeding places and their sources of food. In a thor oughly clean neighborhood they can not live in the face of screens pre- the absence of manure heaps and other receptacles for filth in which to deposit their eggs
 The investigation by Dr. Jackson in- to the relations existing between flies and sewerage, led to the formation of a special committee of the Amer ican Civic Association to urge the ex- termination of the fly. This commit tee, besides publishing literature on the subject, arranged for the manu- featuring of the moving picture film entitled, "The Fly Pest", which has been shown in hundreds of moving picture halls. Lantern slides illus trating the same subject as the film are loaned to responsible persons who make application to the committee. A travelling exhibit consisting of photo graphs and placards, warning against the fly pest. Is also to be had by local organizations. The Fly-Fighting com mittee offers substantial cash prizes for essays on "The House-Fly as a Carrier of Disease" written by chil- dren of the primary and grammar cluded in the list of cities in which these contests are to be carried on may be made to Edward Hatch, Jr.. No. 15S Fifth avenue. New York city. A White List of hotels and summer resorts that precautions against the fly pest is also to be prepared, and information in regard to 1t may be had by writing the chairman of the committee at the same address.
 The methods of ridding a neighbor- hood of flies are comparatively sim pie. or would be to a fly fighter with despotic power over a community, for to insure the success of this work, cooperation is absolutely essential. A carelessly conducted stable may null ify the conscientious efforts of a whole neighborhood of fly fighters. While the creation of spirit which shall bring home to each householder his responsibility for maintaining sanitary conditions on his premises is neces- sary, the health officer Is the most effective single agent for carrying out this reform, for it is his duty to en- force against all such ordinances as public opinion is strong enough to have enacted.
 The replacing of the horse by the automobile makes the city street less inviting to flies and as they do not ordinarily fly higher than eight feet, our sky scrappers are largely free from them, but the mere advance of invention will not rid us of the plague. Individual care te keep ones own house free from filth so that they shall have no breeding places in or immediately about 1t, is unavailing unless the same pains are taken by ones neighbors. It is necessary to enact ordinances. as has been done quite generally by cities in Indiana, Kansas and California which all can be made to observe, so that the care full shall not have to suffer from the sins of their sf1ort-sighted neighbors.