The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-05-30

The Times-Dispatch is to be con-
graduated upon the campaign 1t has
!nauSuratcd for the determination OF
the n.y. said DR.. stuart Mcclure. pres
ident OF the University College of Med
icinc. yesterday. Richmond has been
needing Just such a movement for q
long time. We need general clean
ing up. and this swat-the- fly campaign
is going to lead I'll. way.
Like the mosquito. which received
its death sentence from the canal
builders" said DR. Mcclure. the fly
will before long he ahhorred by every
householder as unclean and danger
Gus. Science has declared It to be
menace. and medical men everywhere
unite in ordering its determination"
The NY is a great evil a carrier
OF disease continued DIR. Mcclure.
Unlike the mosquito, which infects
by direct incubation, the ny accom-
plishes tho same end by dcpositing
deadly organisms. gathered from their
breeding places. upon human food. A
number OF common diseases have been
traced to ny infection. and only ny
getting rid OF the flies will these he
brought under control.
The illkept horse staal. as the
chief breeder OF flies is. in my opinion,
the greatest menace TO city life. The
killing of adult files in swatting cam
the city authorities cooperate by en-
forcing safe disposition of refuse.
This IS one of the reasons that I
believe the automobile Will greatly
simplify the ny problem. No horses
and no horse stables no nies.
II think the ny-swatting contest
will prove OF great benefit in crystal
iizing public sentiment against the
maintenance of any nuisance which
breeds noes. and in teaching the chill
dren that a fly is to be ruthlcssly de-
stroyed like a snake"
Through an error in printing tho
rules yesterday It was incorrectly
announced that the hy-swatting con-
test would last from June to June
given as June II. The contest will
be on two weeks. and will begin Mon
day morning. June 8. at Z o'clock.
Fly-swatters and paper bags in which
to collect dead flies will be furnishe d
free of charge to all contestants at
The Times-Dispatch business office. be-
ginning next Monday morning at 10
o'clock.
Children who desire TO enter the
contest arc advised to report on time
Monday morning for their fy-swat-
tiers. While this will be the official
| instrument of the campaign, each con-
testant will be permitted to supple
ment 1t with any kind of trap or swat
ter he or She finds most useful. 1t IL
not even necessary to secure one OF
the official swatters. These are fur
nishcd by this paper merely to supply
! those who have no instrument Of their
| own ready at hand. 1t is easy to Kill
| flies with them. and every contestant
| Will do we'll to get to get one regard
! less OF whatever other kind OF fly
! fighting paraphernalia is intended to
| be used.
| In order to provide an efficient and
| flies turned in daily by the con-
testants. the Health Department.
which is to run the fly morgue. has
| devised system of measures into
which the flies will be poured.
! A gill measure OF this kind holds
Approximately. 1000 flies. and will be
. credited for that number. The meas
| ures will he sradated into tents. per-
hitting the crediting of fractions. A
! list of all entries Will be kept in the
health office. and the daily deliveries
credited to the contestants as fast
as they are turned in.
| ~ few years ago flies were looked
upon as scavengers They were
physician. every scientist. every en-
tomologist. has taken a whack at the
| ny. If 1t We're not for tho fact that
] they breed and multiply by the mill
| lion. they would have been annihilated
long ago. A scientist has computed
| that the descendants of single fly
| during a season, should they all live
would amount to the enormous sun
of s15i.0o0 0o0 1t is lucky that they
| don't all live.
| II the eagle is the national bird
] the fly may we'll lay claim TO being
the national insect. 1t has become o
such national disrepute that ever,
board of health In the country ha
declared war against II.