Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-07-06
on the
Fly by the State
Board of Health

Some years ago the State Board of
Health issued special bulletin on the
fly and the mitigation Of the nuisance
which he perpetrates. Another bulletin
just issued by the board again takes up
the same subject bringing the story
down to date, as it were, and giving
some inside information about the
pest under consideration, and telling
about some later and more efficient
agencies and methods for fighting the fly.
Aside from some notes on the fly
question. the bulletin contains two cir
culars which. as reprints. will be kept
in stock by the board to aid local boards
or others In their local anti-1y cam
paigns. and two concise leaflets for wider
distribution. the one on 1.-THE Danger
From Flies" and the other relating to
Insect Pests" particularly those which
have part in the spread of infectious
diseases.
We are told that the fly is getting him
self so written up as one of the sinister
us to see the fact that we are losing too
much by not taking hold of this matter
in downing the fly nuisance. 1t is cost
ing too much in sickness and for funerals.
and again we shall lose financially and in
self-esteem if We fail to keep in the very
forefront in continual cleanup work so
that there shall be no breeding places
for flies.
Circular No. 122, The Filthy Fly as a
Disease Carrier" has ten cuts, illustra-
tive OF some of the biological points re-
lating to the fly and the methods of de-
stroying him.
| Particularly interesting and. when we
cannot succeed in completely banishing
the lily from cur haDitations, disquietins
are some paragraphs on how the fly is
| built and "A Bit About His Inside Ma
chinery. The bristly, hairy surface OF
the NY, his legs and his whole body, are
nicely adapted to picking up and
transporting filthy and infectious stuff.
| 1t is emphasized that the danger which
! comes from the inside of the body is
| much greater than that. from the infec-
ton which he carries on his outside.
Among the things which have hitherto
not been brought out in the literature for
popular instruction is that the fly has as
part of his internal plan, a capacious
storage reservoir, a crop, into which food
goes when 1t is found in abundance
from the crop the food intake may re-
turn to the stomach and from there be
passed on to the intestines: or it may
be regurgitated or vomIted up and thi;
apparently at will Finding a drop OF
partly dried milk at the edge of the
chld's drinking cup. or solid sweets In
the sugar bowl he applies his proboscis
or suction tube to it and forthwith pro
ceeds to hquefy it with liberal quantity
OF saliva and BY the vomit from his cro,,
There is no other way for he has no
teeth. a1B .r
Upon lump of sugar he leaves Sigh.
depression where he has liquefed and
sucked up the sweets. He quite likely
leaves something else. Not long ago,
perhaps, he came from an out-buildins
where he had filled himself with danger
laden filth. 1t has been shown by care
full experimental work that the germs
of typhoid fever and other bacteria may
retain their life and power of harm fo-
quite number of days within the fly.
While the infection of tuberculosis may
remain much longer time within the fly,
or even in the "ny-specks."
Good reasons are given why all persons
should unite in a vigorous campairr
against the fly nuisance, not merely in
swattng the winged carrier of pestilence
but also in the destruction of flies in
! their earlier stages before they have
wings. or the prevention of their develop
ment. Indeed, we are told that much
more may be accomplished if the main
part of the work is directed against the
Matching and breeding places rather
than attempts at destroying flies when
they are abroad upon their wings
After years Of tentative methods with
various poisons. the practice among pro-
fessional fiy-killers seems to be settling
down upon borax and calcined colemanita
for the destruction of flies in manure O,
other rubbish before they become flies
Against the fly after his wings have
converted him into full-fiedged evil
doer three lines of work are recommend
ed: a. The destruction of flies, (2) their
exclusion from homes and food supplies,
G) their exclusion from material or
places in which they may become loaded
with infection. The methods of destruc-
ton are by poisoning and by trapping. A
caution is given against the use of pois-
onous fly paper for the reason that chill
dren have somewhat frequently been
fatally poisoned by this dangerous ex-
pedient. Illustrations and descriptions
are furnished which may serve as build
ing plans for the construction of efficient
fly traps.