The new era., 1911-05-25


son to suppose that the germs of the bubonc
plague may be transferred by feas, and of typhus
fever by the body louise. but the discouragement
of the flea and the louise is by means difficult.
Only the fly because we treat him as a friend and
brother. is in position to reward us at his will
by the presentation Of package of destruction
that makes Pandoras box look like collection
of assorted chocolates and bonbons. He will
transmit in virulent form typhoid fever Asiatc
cholera summer dysentery and other intestinal
diseases. and even tuberculosis all by the inges-
ton of fly-specks food. Therein lies almost
all the danger. 1t will also transmit. 1t s true
such diseases smallpox. scaret-fever, measles
chfcken-pox. erysipelas, and even carbuncles. but
practically only by incubation that is, by depos-
fting the germs on sore surface or on mucous
membrane.
But 1t is not from contact with horse manure
ordinary refuse that the fly becomes so danger
to the health of man. BY far the greater peril
lies In the fact that 1t will breed in human ex-
creta. Because of this habit it carries the living
germs Of typhoid cholera and other intestinal
diseases to exposed food supplies, and thousands
of unfortunates, partaking of these. are laid low
to suffer incalculable anguish of mind and body
until natural resistance enables them to over
come the poison death intervenes
When the sum total of misery and loss which
must be laid in this connection the door of the
house fly is taken into account 1t will readily be
believed that no remedy, however drastic to re-
move the cause can justly be regarded as super
fuous.
DR. G. N. Kober at the governors conference at
the White House In 1908, presented figures show
ing that the decrease In the vital assets of the
country through typhoid fever alone in single
year is more than $35O0O0OOO. The house fly,
while not the sole carrier of the typhoid germ,
takes such unenviable part In its distribution
that he may rightfully be charged with a very con-
siderable part of the loss. Add to this the dread
full toll exacted by intestinal disorders and the
tiny agent, like the Djinn Of the fshermans jar,
set free through mans indiscretion looms more
and more menacingly until his terrifying shadow
fills and darkens the heavens
These are the popular charges against the fly.
In principle they true and the violent enthus-
ton must be viewed with approving eye. The
smoke and the effervescence will inevitably pass,
but the solid impetus which distinguished the move
ment will remain At the same time 1t is well to
remember that clear, calm understanding of the
actual truth, shorn of decorative hyperbole is
more essential to the success of the crusade than
all the unreasoning zeal which distinguishes the
first rush upon the breastworks.
How easily the inquirer may be led astray from
the scientific aspect of the affair is readily Illus
trated. Several years ago writer in the Boston
Medical and Surgical Journal declared that GER
tain experiments seemed to offer explanation
of the sporadic cases of cholera occurring in New
York city in 1892, in spite of the most careful
quarantine. Maddox and Simmonds fed flies with
cholera spirla and obtained cultures OF the bac
terium from the insects SO fed. We have seen
before that bacteria suffer diminution of their
virulence in passing through the fly. In 1892 IL
cases Of cholera developed In New York, the dis
being first brought in by steamship. The
patients lived In widelyseparated parts of the city
and had no personal association with each other.
The only striking fact common to all the
that the victims engaged In some form
of the food trade The bacillus. when examined,
proved to be identical with that discovered on
shipboard The physicians investigating the
method of infection were forced to exclude the
water supply. They also declared after much ex-
perimentation and thought, that 1t incredible
that the wind had carried the germs over great
an area In short time. BY careful process
of elimination the guilt brought down to the
fly. which by excreting cholera bacili upon food
exposed In various localities, thought to have
spread the dreaded disease.
Now mark the scientific caution of the physi-