Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-27
FLY DEADL|EST
FOE OF MANKIND
Disease-S preaders Have Hard
Time Getting FoothoId
in Capital.
INSECTS ARE STARVED
THROUGH CLEANLINESS
Washington in More Sanitary Condi-
ton Than in Years, Says
DR.. Murray.


armless-appearing creature which
scientists say destroys more lives every
year than any other enemy of mankind,
Is having hard time to get foot
hold in Washington this spring. and all
because of the thorough work done in
the recent cleanup crusade, which has
reduced the number of breeding places
or the insect, according to the opinion
of officials of the local health depart
ment.
1t has not only been hard season for
the ny so far, but conditions affecting
the development of the pest are going
to become more unfavorable. the health
experts believe. because of the fact that
citizens in every section of the District
are manifesting a determination to
keep their premises clean, and thereby
usher in a f1yless era.
The slogan this year is "starve the
fly. rather than swat him. The eX-
perience of the two campaigns conducted
under the auspices of The Star for the
elimination of the disease-spreaders
points 10 the starving method as the
most effectual means of determination.
Crusade Plans Considered.
Plans for conducting third cam
paign. based entirely on this principle.
are being considered. and will be an
nounced shortly. The crusade, as here
tofore. will be conducted by The Star
with the assistance of the health de-
partment.
DR.. Arthur L. Murray of the depart
ment, supervisor of the last two cam
paigns. and secretary Of the clean city
committee. last week made an inspec-
ton of the city, winding up the work
Of the sanitary crusade In every sec
ton he found improved sanitary con-
ditionS and was impressed by the
scarcity of flies.
Washington is cleaner than it has
been in years" said DIR. Murray yes
terday. land flies are scarcer." This
seems to be pretty conclusive evidence
that the two nusance-fiies and filth
go together. Remove the dirt, and the
insects are left without means of sub
sistence and quickly perish.
Willing to Cooperate.
"Washingtonians appear to be i'm
pressed with the amount of damage
that can be done by fly and give
every indication of being willing to CO.
operate to the fullest extent. in AN eff
fort to exterminate the. germ-spread-
ers. OF course, the most effectual work
that they can do in this direction will
be to maintain their premises in a
sanitary condition.
Now that the city has been thoroughly
cleaned | believe that citizens generally
will endeayor to see that the good results
of their work are maintained. If this is
done flies Will be less in evidence this
summer than in any previous season and
the health of Washingtonians. there can
be little doubt. will be greatly safeguard
ed thereby"
Worst Enemies Of Man.
Flies should be destroyed at any cost,
in the opinion of DR.. Frank Crane. who
describes the insects as being the worst
though least suspected. enemies of man.
IF ten terrible monsters came every
spring to this country and all summer
long devoured the people, chewing babies
as we eat blackberries. biting off the
heads of young men and sucking the
blood of damsels. gOring the aged to
death and stalking about among us as
lion among the martyrs of the Colos-
scum. we should be up and doing, militia
would march forth to give them battle
colonies would wave swords. guns would
belch and no enthusiasm would be lack
ing" says DIR. Crane.
But when the monster is small and
playful and common. We let him ravage.
He doesn't somehow appeal to our mag
ination.
Yet he does more harm. being ten bill
lion SO, than any ten minotaurs. poly
phemuses or dragons that ever posed in
the pages of tradition.
He is the common house fly.
although much has been said about
him and his deadliness. the people are
not yet alive to the enormity of his
crimes. There are thousands of kitchens
where flies still swarm and infect the
food. thousands of babies over whose
faces and upon whose lips flies spread
their poison. thousands Of restaurants
and lunch counters where flies are busy
at the work of thinning out the human
race.
Dirtiest Object Known.
The mass Of the people do not vet
realize that the fly is the dirtiest object
known, SO inconceivably dirty that il is
difficult to write about 1t for publication.
TIE fly is the creature of the garbage
can and such things. 1t is from vile
places he comes as he sails gayly into
your unscreened window He enters the
human habitation loaded down with the