Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-07-27
Serves Useful Purpose in
Showing Lack of Proper
Sanitation.
SECOND ARTICLE BY
DR.. N. DU VAL BRECHT
Former Public Health Service
Surgeon Tells Star Readers of
Methods Of Combating Pest.

Does the fly serve any useful pur-
pose?
An interesting answer to this question
Is furnished by DR.. Nelson Du Val
Brecht, formerly assistant surgeon in the
United States public health service, in
the second of series of articles deal
Ing with the insects which he has Writ
ten especially for The Stars educational
anti-fly campaign.
DR.. Brecht describes methods for pre-
venting and controlling the disease
spreaders and answers the question con-
corning their usefulness by saying that
they are OF value to a community in
Shat their presence indicates a lack
of sanitation. The article, which con-
tains valuable hints for every house
holder who is Interested in exterminating
the fly, follows:
Could Abolish Epidemics.
''Sir Ray Lancaster states: "Within the
past few years the knowledge of the
causes Of disease has become so far
advanced that it is a matter of practical
certainty that by the unstinted applica-
ton Of known methods of investigation
and consequent controlling action all cpl
demic diseases could be abolished within
Having described in a previous ar
ticle the important role played by flies
in the dissemination of the communities
BILE diseases of man and the lower ami
mails: II behooves US to consider measures
for their control and destruction, that we
may eradicate the fiy-borne diseases at
least. II the fly were not a porter of
disease. Its filthy and irritating habits
render it a sufficient nuisance and pest to
justify relentless warfare against it.
N rfvnl he A.,
may be considered under three head
ings:
First. Destruction or elimination of
breeding places.
Infection by the insect.
self
"All inimical measures against the
UBIQUITOUS insect are comprised under
municipal sanitation and domestic SAN
ltation. In other words, responsibility
for the eradication falls equally upon
the city health department and the in
dividual citizen. each of whom must per-
form certain sanitary duties.
Flies Breeding Places.
1.-THE chief breeding places Of flies are
stables, public dumps. slaughter houses
domestic refuse heaps. garbage cans
alleys and all exposed organic refuse
In all buildings where cooking is per-
formed the kitchen, Of course. acts as
the lodestone or magnetic influence. The
cooking Of certain articles Of food, such
as pork. lamb and fish. attracts all OF
the flies within range OF smell. Sirup
molasses and stale beer are greatly relish
ed by the insect, and hence make ex-
cellent bait for fly traps. 1t Is also
well to remember that the, fly requires
water. and all unnecessary collections OF
water. as In old cans. dishes. dish-wash-
ing mace mes. poorly drained cutters
rain barrels and puddles. aid 1t In lead
ing q comfortable existence. The front
streets are often kept clean to the neg
lect Of the back alleys. General cleanli-
ness must be insisted upon as the first
rule In an anti-fiy campaign.
CAS- long as stables are tolerated within
city limits. eternal vigilance will be re-
quired against the fly. There Is no justi-
fcation for the presence of the stable
inside the are limits Of a modern city
and we may safely predict Its ultimate
relocation to, the country. All stables
should be screened, have water light floors
OF concrete. cement or masonry, be pro.
vtded with water-t1ght covered receptacles
for manure and be fumigated once weekly
during the fy-breeding season. The
manure should be treated with an In.
secticide at regular intervals to inhibii
the growthidf and destroy nlaggots.
"a barrel pf chloride Of lime should b