Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-08-19
Health Department to Try
Unique Scheme.
EXPERIMENT NEXT MONTH
Record to Be Kept Of Insects Caught
in Giant Traps.
SWATTERS MAY TAKE PART
Contestants in Stars Campaign Will
Be Given Chance to Con-
duct the Test.

The health department Of the District
OF Columbia is planning to conduct a
fly census. This unique scheme, the
object of which Is to throw further light
on the practicability of anti-ny cam
paigns, is to be tried out next month
with the aid of contestants in The Stars
fly war
The census Is to be taken by means Of
eight giant fly traps to be placed at as
many public points in various sections
Of the city. A daily record of the num-
Der of flies caught in each trap will be
kept. In September, 1913. a new census
will be taken at the same points and the
records of the two years compared.
1t Is believed that this comparison.
showing an increase or decrease in the
number Of flies caught daily in the re-
spective years, will be a big help in de-
termining whether organized warfare
while.
Stars campaign may take In the expert
ment is one that doubtless they will
be glad to accept. The traps to be
employed were purchased by The Star
for experimental purposes. and it Is the
plan of the health authorities to turn
over one trap to each of the eight
highest contestants in this months
crusade.
Children Will Get Credit.
While the department will designate
the points where the traps are to be
maintained throughout the month. the
contestants in charge Of them will be
required to deliver to the apartment
daily in separate boxes the insects
loo. to-
keep record for each locality where
the census is being conducted The in
sects. after being counted. will be en-
tered to the credit of the respective
contestants.
There is believed to be little doubt
that The Stars campaigners will enter
into this arrangement with enthusiasm,
as the grand prizes of the campaign,
ranging from 500 down, are to be award
at the end of next month and the chill
dren will make every effort to be among
the winners. The large traps are cap
able of catching at least a gallon of
flies a day and they should be a con-
siderable factor in the scoring.
If the children are unwilling to de-
liver daily the flies caught in these
traps, the health department will devise
other means Of conducting the census.
The experiment Is to be conducted at
all events. say the authorities. as 1t
promises to be a practical one and should
a fly war every year would be a good
thing.
Strenuous Weeks Ahead.
Practically two weeks of the August
crusade remain, and indications are that
they will be strenuous ones for the fly.
The slaughter of the insects for the
month. so far. is in excess OF 5000 600.
and II will cause little SURPRISE IL this
number should be increased to 5000, OOO
before September l.
September will be the busy month,
however. Every section Of the city will
be secured by the contestants. who are
on the warpath for the wary disease
spreader. 1t practically is assured that
there will be fewer nies In Washington
at the end OF the first fall month this year
than In any previous year. Tho health
authorities want to compare this record
with that to be established q year hence
and whether or not campaign IL con-
Quoted next season. 1t will be possible
with the two records, they say, to deter
mine whether this years activities
against the fly have been justified