Evening star., 1914-08-13
Fewer Insects This Year Fol-
low Campaign Directed
by DR.. Murray.
STAR DISTRIBUTES
MANY "SWATTERS"
Children Will Use Them in Hostili-
ties Against Disease Carriers.
Stable Instructions.

That Washington's fly population by the
end Of summer will be the smallest on
record Is the prediction made by Or.
Arthur L. Murray. director of the Health
and Happiness League. who has Just COM
pleted distributing to children of the play
grounds several thousand fly 'swatters"
donated by The Star.
DIR. Murray supervised Washington's
first big war on the insects. which was
llunched three years ago under the
auspices of The Star. and has since taken
an active part in urging upon residents
Of the capital employment OF constant
1ieilanca 10 prevent development of the
disease spreaders AS a result OF the
anti-hy operations the pests not only ap-
reared in fewer numbers this spring, but
health records of the District showed
substantial reduction in the typhoid fever
rate.
In view of the wholesale hostilities
against the fly now being carried on Dy
children in every section OF the CITY, Dr.
Murray believes that the winged scourges
not only will have suffered severe set
back before the end of the season, out
that there will be fewer of them next
wear to menace the health of the capital.
Distribute Star Fly "Swatters.'
with DR.. Murray in distributing the
"swatters" Copies of The Stars Pre-
vent-the- Fly poster, containing in
structions as to effective methods OF
combating the insect, also were dis
tributed This literature is expected
to find It's way into hundreds OF wash
ington homes and be a potent factor
in arousing adult residents of the city
to the Importance of destroying the
fly.
In conjunction with the distribution
of the .swatters" and posters. the Dis
trict health department devoted the
major portion of its weekly report to
d discussion of the fly problem, par
ticularly in its relation to the care
of ST. bles. 1t has long been recognized
that stables are the principal fly
hatcheries OF community. The de-
partment, in it's report, calls attention
to the requirements of the law gov
erning the care of stables, as follows:
The regulations governing the con-
struction of stables, care of stables, etc,
provide that every person using within
the District of Columbia any building, or
any portion of a building. in the city
OF Washington, or in any of the more
densely populated suburbs thereof, as
stable for one or more horses, mules or
cows shall report that fact to the health
officer in writing. That the surface of
the ground beneath every stall and for
4 distance of four feet from the rear
thereof he covered with a watertight
floor laid with such grades as will cause
III a3ida that fall upon II to flow as
- alpt.y as possible. If the public sewer
lie avai.alle into the public sewer, and
if the -uel.~ sever is not available to
that pof. n uf the premises where they
will cause the leafs possible nuisance.
Stable Cleanliness.
"A biz or pit shall be n.aintsined IN
connection With stable Tor the re
ceptlon OF manure. and shall be so con-
structed as to exclude rainwater, and
shall in all other respects. be water
tight except as it may be connected d
with public sewer or as other definite
provisions may be made for cleaning
and flushing from time to time: pro-
vided with a suitable cover. and con-
structed so as to prevent in so far as
may be practicable the ingress and
egress of flies. The manure must be
removed from the premises at least
twice a week between June 1 and Oc-
tober 81, inclusive. Of each year. and
at least once every week between No
vember l of each year and May 81 of
the following year. both dates In
elusive.
TT has been demonstrated that
maggots ordinarily leave manure to
pupate in the earth. Therefore. own
ers and occupants Of stables should
see that the bottom and sides OF the
manure bin be kept tight at all times,
so as to prevent the ingress of the
maggots.
While the sanitary condition of the
stables in the District Is constantly
improving. much remains to be done
before 1t can be said to be ideal. With
the limited number Of inspectors at
the disposal of the health department
II is impossible to make frequent sys-
tematic inspections of all stables To-
Gated in the District. The department
requests the cooperation of all own
ers and occupants of stables to the
end that so far as filthy stables con-
tribute to the fly nuisance 1t may be
reduced to q minimum"