Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1911-05-19

anything out side of an exact science
and that is that they have never been disputed.
There is unanimity of sentiment surrounding the
onslaught on the house fly which ought either
to receive our highest Endorsement or arouse our
darkest suspicion. just the spirit is apt to
incline
The house fly proper, Musca domestica of the
order of the Diptera, is a grayish fly with mouth
formed for sucking up liquid substances.
1t has proboscis something like the trunk of
an elephant in miniature, and its feet are termin-
ated each by pair of claws, between which are
more or less membranous arolia or pantulae
which climb polished surfaces and also a pulvil-
ius or cushion 1t does not bite for that function
IL reserved for stable fly which resembles 1t so
closely as to deceive anybody but an entomo
ogist Neither does 1t die upon the window pane
surrounded by the fungous ef1orescence so ia,
nliliar to the disgusted housewife. That is the
habit of the cluster fly, which is somewhat larger
than the house fly, with a dark-colored smooth
abdomen, and sluggish disposition
several other species bear superficial like
ness to the true house fly and or less
mistaken for it. All are so inconsiderate in num-
Der In comparison to the common pest however
that they may safely be disregarded in the dis
cussion
The great breeding place of the house fly is
horse manure 1t will. it is true, thrive to some
extent in other sorts of decayng animal and vege
table matter but its partiality for the stable ref
use is so great that the vast proportion of its off
spring may be considered as originating in that
substance.
The fly lays its eggs upon the manure which
is It's favorite larval flood and generation may
be bred in from ten to fourteen days. according to
the climate. There may be a dozen generations
In summer. An individual fly will average 12O
eggs, and when the prevalence of horse manure
is taken into consideration its widespread appli-
cation to farm lands in the way of fertilizer,
Its presence in piles in near city stables its
use upon lawns and suburban gardens, the possi-
biliies in the propagation of the fly will be read
lily seen to be past computation. 1t is even calcu-
lated that single fly, laying 12O eggs, will pro-
duce a progeny amounting to sextillions in one
season This probably does not take into con-
sideration accidents which operate greatly to re-
duce the supply.
Some experiments have been made with a view
to calculating the number in which housedy
larvae occur in manure but no general average
can be struck. Twelve hundred house flies to the
pound OF manure is the result of one observation
Another showed 200 puparia in less than one cubic
lnch yet perhaps no larvae can be found in
the greater part of manure piles
Because of his habits the house fly is walk.
ing arsenal of bac The old notion that he
was valuable as scavenger is untrue He will
prey on garbage and carry it away as part and
parcel OF his tissue but he does not kill the germ
ne absorbes 1t has been proved that the bacteria
are not only taken into the fly and pass through
Its body without any loss of their active proper.
ties but also that in all probability they multi.
ply during their sojourn there
Ihese germs are deposited upon foodstuffs and
eating utensils, pass into the human economy in
spite OF ordinary care and If they are of malev-
olent type and the system which takes them in
is not strong enough to resist their action, dis
tress' disease and death are apt to follow in their
wake In addition, the fly also disseminates
germs by carrying them upon his body, the cush-
ions of his feet and his wings
Through the researches of w. M Eaton and C.
j. Mason 1t has been found that "the numbers of
bacteria on single fly may range all the way
from 55O to 100000" No general average can be
struck. few million more or less will make no
difference in the general result
Because of its prevalence and it's familiar asso-
ciation with man. Musca domestca has exception
al opportunities to distribute disease bac-
tera where they will do the most harm Ger.
tain genus Of mosquito disseminates malaria but
the mosquito thrives only In localities especially
favorable to his propagation. There is good rea.