The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1913-01-08
investigation Carried on by Massa-
chusetts Board OF Health at Har
ward University DiscioScs Origin oi
Disease and Means OF Transmission.
Literary Digest.

disease no less TO be feared than the
letharsy OF Uganda. This insect is the
r common stable-fy or Stomaxys caici-
trans. snd the disease is acute polio
myeiitis. commonly called "infantile
paralysis-' The discovery that this
fly Is responsible for the spread OF
poiiomyelitis. hitherto unexplained, is
due to an investigation set on foot
by the Massachusetts, Board of Health
and carried on largely in Harvard
University. Says The Harvard Alu-
mni Bulletin. (Boston. November
20):
The investigation aimed to de-
termine whether there were any in
sects whose habits fitted in with the
distribution OF the disease, both in
time and place. as shewn by the tab
ulations OF the cases by the State
Board OF Health. Study OF the cases
showed that they occurred during the
summer and early autumn. growing
more frequent after the middle of the
% summer. and lasting until well on to-
ward cold weather. There were so
many isolated cases that contact was
soon seen TO be an improbable mode
OF transmission.
The investigators turned. therefore.
with some confidence TO the theory OF
an insect carrier. Starting from a
complete list OF the biting. blood
sucking. and household insects which
By their habits seemed suited to carry
infection. their first step was to elm
mate all those which did not satisfy
these conditions. Such insects as fieas
and bed-bugs w,re ruled out because
many cases OF infantile paralysis oc-
Cured In households where the in
sects are unknown. and the scatter
Ing occurrence OF the disease did not
agree with the ,non-traveiing habits OF
tt.ese insects. Others that cause pain
iul bites were ruled out. since histories
Of such bites were not obtained in the
majority of cases. BY such reasoning
IL was possible tentatively to eliminate
all insects except one. the common
stable-hy. This insect seemed TO
satisfy all the conditions made by the
distribution OF the cases. so that a
strong probability was established
that the stable-hy is the means by
which infantile paralysis is carried
from one person TO another.
ment whether the disease could be
transmitted by this insect. under con-
-ditions which could be absolutely con-
trolled.. .. The results have shown
that II can.
Monkeys were first infected with
the disease by injection and then al
lowed to be bitten by stable-hies. At
ter the necessary interval these flies
were allowed TO bite other moneeys-
After they were bitten by flies which
had bitten other monkeys already in
fected. they exhibited all the symp-
toms OF the disease In six cases out OF
twelve. This established the fact that
the disease could be carried by these
insects.
No principle. however. is regarded
as scientifically established ursil II
has been confirmed through repetition
OF the experiments by other observers
Accordingly at the request OF DR..
Rosenau, Drs Anderson and Frost.
OF the Public Health and Marine
Hospital Service at washington.
working on the basis Of the facts at
tained that the disease which de-
veloped In monkeys bitten by infect
ed stable-fiies was infantile paralysis
by injecting another set OF monkeys
with a culture from the monkeys Bit
ten by the flies. Thus the proof that
the fiy carries the virus OF the disease
In complete"
The stable-iy. which has thus prov
ed SO dangerous. Is much like the
housc-hy TO which II Is closely re-
lated and for which N Is frequntly
mistaken. II differs. however. in ha-
bits. structure. and distribution. The
adult fly. We are told. feeds exclusive
w on JlOod. biting various animals,
and. less commonly human beings.
Cattle and horses are particularly pes
tered by them during late summer.
and hence the flies are more common
In the country. or near stables or
barns In cities or WINS. Under ordi-
nary conditions, however. the fly oc-
ours almost everywhere. We read
further:
Although the ncs are found near
human habitatlons. they do not enter
houses so commonly az does the or
diuary house-hy, but rather remain i'm