The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1912-05-23
WHAT TO DO WITH
THE DEADLY FLYBUG
Paper Read BEFORE Mems Club Of
the Congregational Church Of
Mitchell, by Rev. w. NJ. MAR :.

10 prepare the statements That 1OllOW
than l aver knew it before, and had
| been compelled to prepare this pa
per ten years ago l might have been
able since, as the result OF an awak-
ened and enlightened interest in a
practical study, to have ddne my
fellow countrymen a great and rich
service. Probably had l undertake
en- such a task, however, ! could not
have accomplished it, for at that
time little interest was taken in the
fly, or little known about it. 1t
would have been against the tradi-
tion and training of the ministry al
so for a minister to have spent any
time on so seemingly insight
ticant and harmless an object as the
fly. 1t appeared to me at that time
that u minister was serving his day
and generation only when he was
reading theology, church history,
homeletics or the Bible, but 1t is
now my candid opinion that there is
theology in the study Of everything
living, and religion in the application
of the Lessons legitimately drawn
from a knowledge of anything that
lives and moves and has its being
on earth. Had it been suggested
to my dear old professor of practi-
cal theology that the study of the
fly, its origin, its methods of making
a living, its power of evil and of de-
termining eternal destiny of men
within the limits of a sane and prac-
Ftical theology he would have been
lparalized by the novelty and force
of the suggestion. But such is the
truth. The fact that a body of rep
resentative men like this is inter-
ested in such a topic in convincisg tes-
Itimony of the profound interest men
everywhere are taking in all matters
pertaining to the helath the happi-
. ness and the prosperity of the race,
no matter how seemingly inaignifi'
!, cant they may appear.
: I wish tonight to make you feel as
III do toward the fly. 1t has never
been particularly respected or ad.
mired. 1t has been tolerated as
source of annoyance, a general dis
Iturber of ones peace of mind ant
!, the rest of the body. But until late
. years it has not been suspected tina
the fly was .nything more. than al
innocent %disturber of the peace ant
the contentment of mankind, with
lpardonable appetite for all thing:
fsweet. No longer is it SO REGARDED
Man has awakened to the most con
vincing testimony of science to thu
fact that 1t is, in addition to this
one of the most deadly enemies o
his kind, that it is a collector ant
dissemination of filth and the germs
of the most fatal diseases, that tt
it's credit must be placed nearly ever.
case of typhoid fever. ~iufantile mites
final diseases, many cases of tuber
c%ulosis, and nearly every other form
of intestinal trouble. The recort
against the fv is long and black, ant
:, no language Is too vigorous to de
scribe and condemn .he methods il
employs in collecting and scattering
germs of sickness and death.
:, There are several species of flies
commonly found is houses. The mos
common is knnwn as the House Fly
the musca domestica. 1t is a medi.
UNI sized, gray'sh fly, generally
healthy and reasonably energetic
with a mouth spread out at the tiI
for the express purpose of suckisg w
sufficient liquid to satisfy its voracious
appetite. 1t has a most remarkable
appetite-more remarkable than fas.
tidious. 1t is perfectly willing to
dine upon anything. 1T possesses
one merit, however, it bites
There is a strong suspicion that il
does bite, at least occasionally, but
the impression isl false. This sin
SAouIu HOC JIG ldiu up " ~. ~ AdS
sins enough to answer for without
this one. 1t has six legs, two good
eyes, an offended mouth, strong
wings, a smooth, elastic body, and
a rapacious appetite.
:. Another fly often found in the
house is the Stable Fly. 1t looks
very much like the House Fly, and
no one but an ~etomologi5t can tell
the difference without the closest in
spection. This species is distinctive
bad, nothing hut bad-and 1t bites
ly bad, nothing but bad--and II
bites-which is part of its business.
Its mouth is constructed for the sole
purpose of piercing the skin, at
which it is a past master. 1t carries
greatest POWERS of torment to man
and beat in its tiny anatomy than al
most any other insect created. 1t is
particularly healthy. active and am
bilious. 1t can drill through the