The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1912-04-26
Opinions of Health Boards
On The House Fly As A
Disease Carrier.

Ell NC random from the opinions or
Health OfF1cers or the leading cities
and States In the Union. The Fly was
Investigated by the Merchants Asso-
citation Of New York City, and in the
investigation inquiries were made or
the heads of many Oh the Health De
partments through the country. Elk
tracts from their answers follow.
Rochester. NJ. T., Nov. n, 1903 MA
They not only become nuiGanceG,
but they are to large extent car
riers OF disease. They fly from the
polluted places in which they breed
to the faces, mouths and noses of
sleeping infants, and from thence to
men, women and children. By these
means they become the undoubted
carriers of disease Were AZ possible
to cause all the manure piles to- be
properly cared for by covers and
screens, it would NOT only rid tine city
OF IA pest, but prevent to consider
able extent, the carrying of disease.
Tn the near future ONE of the new de-
partmerts OF the newer medical sci
ence will busy. itself with the remov-
ing OF the manure heap, the house fly,
$1,000 @NA%A M1@%%@ P%|%T
.-..mm....@ M.
St. Louis, Mo-, Nov. 9, 1908.
The writer, who was then surgeon
OF the Thirteenth United States In
fantry, can positively state that the
outbreak of typhoid fever firm the army
camps mt Mobile and Tampa in the
spring and summer of 1898 was di-
reGtly .traceahle to the fly as the chief
and practically only medium of trans
mission of the disease.
Richmond, Va, NoY.=9, 1908. WI
III believe that very few of our
typhoid epidemics fin Virginia are
caused. by polluted water OF milk
Files certainly play On very large part
in the epidemtology of the disease"
College Park, Md, Nov. 10, 1908.
I'll firmly believe that flies are an
important factor i'm the disSemina-
ton of typhoid finn our State, Unsani-
tary conditions which exist around
the homes of the general public, es-
pecially i'm the country. digtr1cts,
make the control of this pest of para
mount Importance -...,
THOMAS ID. SYMONS,
State Entomologlst.
Providence, R. II, Nov. g., 1908.
THAT flies transmit the disease I
think cannot be disputed, given the
necessary conditions and their access
to typhoid excreta and to food"
Lynn, Mass, Nov. 18, 1908.
Err @@ b. ~n1 ~ 80
polluted milk and water supplies are
the main sources of typhoid fever in
localities where sewers are i'm use.
Where infected faces or urine are
deposited i'm open places or vaults we
believe that flies act as common car
riers of the typhoid bacilli"
Memphis, Tenn, Nov. 10, 1908.
In schools Industrial, blind, etc.)
prisons, soldiers homes, etc, when
large outbreaks have occurred after
single cases 1T has usually been trace
able to flies"
Boston, Mass, Nov. 13, 1908.
II have always considered the. fly
la potential danger which varies
greatly under different conditions.
Just how much disease to attribute to
this insect pest i'm the aggregate would
be difficult matter to estimate.
believe that the movement for the
restriction of the fly nuisance good
one; for whatever makes for clean
illness by the prompt removal OF filth
and refuse from our environment and
ita ultimate obstruction as q breeding
ground for flies opposes to a certain
degree the transmission OF many 9th
er disease germs than those which
the fly presumably carries.
THEOBALD SMITH, M. ID,
Harvard University Medical School.
.". Geneva, NJ. ", Dec. 8, 1908.
Feel very positive that flies play
IN most important part i'm the trans
mission of typhoid and other germs.
As to the relative Importance of flies
and milk or water, we have no posi-
tive information"
Milwaukee, Wis, Nov. Y, 1908.
There can be no question OF the
possibility of transmission OF typhoid
bac1Ili by means of flies, particularly
i'm districts where sewage facilities
are not provided and where, conse-
quently, the old-fashioned vaults are
still i'm use"
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