Newark post., 1912-07-03
Get Rid Of the Flies
Third OF Series OF Articles Printed
at the Request Of the Civic Com
mittee New Century Club

AAAeS~S ASSV NVAsO1y S1AD
1t has been said that everything
has it use. If this is so. our Gre
ator must have had some purpose
to fulfil when he created flies. 1t is
undoubtedly true that flies have
not been considered great nuis-
ance nor detrimental to health UNI
til within few years past, when it
was discovered that they were ear
rlers of certain forms of disease. 1t
might even be said that until we
knew how dangerous these insects
really are they were looked upon as
useful in destroying a large amount
of debris or refuse. This the flies
consumed and hastened it's return
to its original elements.
Owing to the progress Of our civ
lllzation, there is no longer as much
refuse left exposed and uncared for
as there was at one time. For vari-
Gus reasons we are now disposing of
a large portion OF the material
which attracts flies. both for sani-
tary reasons and for personal com
Tort. In consequence. flies have
lost their usefulness to a very great
extent. in the same way that horns
are no longer useful to cattle, and
IN man! ways are positively dan
@erous. In the same way flies are
not only no longer useful. but on
the contrary useless. unnecessary
something to be abhorred and to be
swatted' on sight.
/ 1t should be the chief concern of
every home maker to have the con-
ditions about the home so unat-
tractive for flies that they will not
enter either fer the purpose of at
tacking organic material that may
be exposed to their depredations
or to make uncomfortable the in
habltantS OF the home. There are
several general principles. which
il observed. will do much to keer
flies ont Of the home. and thus re
duce their danger to public health
as well as to prevent annoyance tC
the members Of the household. es
pecialIy infants and invalids. 1t il
a well known fact that flies do no,
like darkness. Hence. if the din
ing room is darkened immediatel,
after the table has been cleared
nj h.,
only be kept cooler during tn,
heated months but it will also kee,
out many if not all Of the flies
. The same principle will apply il
: all the other rooms of the house
| and a little thought and care OF
the part Of the housekeeper il
keeping the shades drawn in un
used rooms will do very much t
lessen the trouble caused by thes
: pestiferOus insects.
1t is well known fact that file
do not like certain odors which ar
not disagreeable. as a rule. to pee
pie, but even so. this unpleasant
=. ness is not so great as that cause
by the swarming. buzzing and BIT
ing of fl lies. One old medical !oul
nal gives the following advice:
E E 'Put a little oil of bay in a SAT
. Ger and set it on window sill. O
: paint the window sills with varnisl
: paint or hard oil in which a littl
oil of bay has been mixed. No file
will stay in the room.
"A drachm or 10 cents s wort
of oil of bay in one-half cup of har
oil is about the right proportion
1t has also been recommended thu
: if the room and furniture are dus
ed every day with cloth which hi
: been wrung from kerosene, it wi
!, !, tend to keep the insects out. Th
!. = faint odor of kerosene soon passt
off. and is preferable to flies.
1t is hard thing to say. nevel
!. theless it is true. that the numbt
: OF flies about home is an indici
ton of the efficiency of the hous
: keeper. If the home is kept as
= should be. there will be nothing e,
= posed for the flies to eat, and I'll
environments will be made so III
+ pleasant that they viii move ON.
! The old saying. "There are Il
o flies Cn me-. has in il more than
e grain Of truth.