Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-19
Insanitary Spots Abound.

OF course. nuisances. which, in the
phraseology Of the health department.
means places or conditions that are In
every section Of the city, and, with the
eight districts embracing the entire area
Of the capital the competition within
them, 1t is believed. may be highly effect
i've in removing sources Of infection and
disease. The health department has out
lined the forms of nuisances 1t has power
to abate For the most part they include
filthy stables, yards. sheds, private al
leys, chicken and pigeon coops accumu-
lation of manure and accumulation OF
refuse containing vegetable matter.
The provision of the campaign enabling
the contestants to Increase their scores
by reporting places of the character not
ed above has resulted in the Juveniles
being given much assistance by older
members Of the community. and this CO.
operation, 1t is believed. will continue
until the city has been rid Of many Of the
insanitary conditions that are a menace
to it's health.
Following the receipt yesterday Of a
telegram from the Utah state board OF
health, requesting information concern
ing the local campaign, the health de-
partment today received copy OF bull
letin issued by the state board Of health
Of Virginia, in which The Stars cam
paign of a year ago is outlined and de-
clared to have been the most successful
OF any yet undertaken.
Quotation From the Bulletin.
After reviewing similar crusades con-
Quoted by other cities, the bulletin, speak
ing of the Washington campaign, says:
Even more successful was the cam
paign undertaken In Washington, D. c.,
under the auspices OF a prominent jour
nal. This enterprising newspaper began
an agitation, enlisted the support of the
health department and the Associated
Charities. and offered prizes for the largest
catches of flies last summer. The prizes
aggregated 500. the first being $25- Citi-
Gems appreciated the importance of the
warfare and co-operated very heartily
An enterprising transfer company offered
to haul the dead flies to the Office of the
health department.: boxnlaker furnish
ed receptacles for the pests: the Asso-
ciated Charities opened its branch offices
to aid the warriors.
Very definite rules were laid down for
the conduct Of the war. Flies were to
be counted by measure. and a gill was
found to contain 1.6oO flies. All devices
for 'swatting.' trapping and killing the
enemy were permissible except the use
Of fly paper. July n the declaration of
war was issued, to be followed imme-
diately by hostilities.
Some of the boys who Joined In the war
realized that in the proverbial union there
is strength. One youngster. Layton h.
Burdette, organized a fy-swatting COM
pany' with twenty-five members. who
were to share the prizes won by the
company. Burdette and company worked
in Georgetown, and, when the campaign
was over, had q catch OF 34S, 500 flies.
They won the first prize and defeated all
their rivals by safe margin. total OF
more than 5000, 600 flies were killed dur
ing the Washington war, with great ben
eft to the good health and comfort of
the town."
Cleanup Work Commended.
The bulletin also refers to the impor-
lance of cleanup campaigns similar to
the one conducted this spring under the
auspices of The Star prior to the begin
ming of the second annual anti-fiy cam
paign.
Broadly speaking says the bulletin.
"a combination Of cleaning and fly swat
ting will be found the most successful
method"
while DR.. Murray is preparing the ex-
hibit to be sent to Los Angeles the indi-
cations are that he will be kept busy
also counting the flies that are delivered
to the health department. AS the June
campaign nears its close the contestants
are putting forth renewed efforts for a
place among the prize winners. The total
slaughter for the month today passed the
million and a half mark
A Vancouver, B. c., newspaper will
soon start an anti-fly campaign, and has
written to The Star for details about how
one should be conducted.
The leading contestant in the local cam
paign . Layton II Burdette Of the Indus-