The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1915-06-12

have been instituted in many places. But 1t has
been found by experiment that we cannot hope
to kill sufficient es to reduce seriously their total
numbers This is because flies breed at a very
great rate when the weather is warm. and the
total numbers which We can kill Is SO small when
compared to the total numbers born, that the re-
suit OF the "swatting' campaigns has been disap-
pointing
All efforts should be directed at preventing
house flies from breedng-for prevention is bet
ter than cure. The best way to do this is to OBJ
serve strict Observation-Disclosures cleanliness
and home cleanliness. Then these insects will
desert the neighborhood and the diseases they
convey will vanish. This the policy pursued
on the Suez and Panama canals to prevent
laria and yellow fever which conveyed from
one person to another by mosquitoes, The method
was most successful
The house fly breeds in hth. Each female fly.
as soon the weather is warm enough lays
about $50 eggs collections OF manure, decom-
posing garbage. street rubbish house refuse.
and the eggs hatch into tiny maggots. After five
days have passed, each maggot becomes a rolled
up eanshaped chrysalis, and after another five
days each chrysas gives birth to two-winged.
siIlegged, whiskered, bristly flying insect known
to us as the house fly. Bluebottes breed
similarly, but they prefer to lay their eggs
rotting carcasses decaying animal matter.
The house fly and the lesser house fly convey
disease by bathing their legs In germ laden ma
terial which they find during their feeding forays.
The germs stick to their legs and to the lips Of
their telescope proboscides, and then carried
to the milk jug. the teacup, to the cut loaf and
70 the culinary utensils Sometimes the flies
swallow the germs, which multiply inside them,
and afterwards the concentrated disease focus is
again deposited wherever the fly settles
We be rid of flies II observe the ordi-
nary common sense rules of cleanliness and sani.
tation No ny lairs. or breeding places, must be
permitted near human habitations. All unclean
places must be made clean regularly once a week
by the sanitary or municipal authorities and then
the fly maggots will be unable to come to ma
turity, and SO the pest will be exterminated Re
Gently war on files has been taken up assidu-
ously by the press, and the medical officers OF
health exerting themselves to start antify
campaigns
Thus the municipal authorities have made
start, and It remains for the individual house
holders to help them Each OF can do our
share of fly prevention. We can prevent flies
in our own homes. On one morning. every week
we must inspect our own premises. Begin In the
kitchen. Observe every nook of the scullery the
pantry. the cellar, even the dining room. and see
that every corner and Granny is scrupulously
clean. Next we must examine the dustbin to
zee II it is completely cleaned out. Let there be
small collections of tea leaves spilled out of
It, or rotting Feelings scraps of bread or any
other places where flies breed Let the
cheese be well covered and the bread be in its
pan and all food within the harder in its proper
place. And let everything be clean and whole
1t is most important. also to inform our neigh
bors every convenient occasion of the disgust
ing and dangerous character of house flies aud
to ask them to cooperate in preventing them.
Then there will be organized campaign against
these insects The talk about it the
will the thing be done. The education
of children in the matter is also most essential
Then a generation will grow up knowing
the dangers of flies and how to prevent them
Schoomasters and schoolmistresses should be ID
vied to teach their charges about flies. and should
set the example by instructing them in the tenets
of school cleanliness. This viii help greatly
If all keep own homes sweet and clean
our chdren's lives will be spared the horrors of
summer sickness. typhoid will be lessened. doc
tors bill will be reduced, and the health of the
community will be improved enormously With
regard to house flies and fyborne diseases the
remedy is simple. Let us apply it.
AS result of experiments. the specialists
OF the United States department of agriculture
have discovered that small amount of ordinary
borax sprinkled daily on manure will effectively
prevent the breeding of the typhoid or house fly.
Similarly the same substance applied to garbage.
refuse, open toilets, damp floors and crevices in
stables cellars or markets, will prevent fly eggs
from Matching. Borax will not kill the adult
fly prevent it from laying eggs, but its
thorough will prevent any further breeding.
The investigation. which included experiments
with many substances, undertaken to dis
cover some OF preventing the breeding
of flies in horse manure without lessening the
value of this manure fertilizer for use by the
farmer. 1t WAS felt that If some means OF pre-
venting the breeding OF flies near human habi-
tation could be devised. the diseases Spread by
these filthy germ carriers could be greatly re-
duced. While the swat the fly campaign. traps
and other devices for reducing the number OF
typhoid carrying flies are of value, they are Of
less importance than the prevention of the breed
ing. 1t was realized. however, that no measure
for preventing the breeding of flies would come
into common unless 1t was such that the
farmer could use it on his manure pile without
destroying its usefulness for growing plants, and
without introducing into the soil any substance
that would interfere with his crops.
As a result of experiments carried on at the Ar
u,neton farm, in Virginia and New Orleans. La :.