New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-08-06

ing, in0SmuCh - a. 80
massive agents Of the spread Of the
,.,..e whereas the most active agent
- determination is not mentioned
" 7hc vacationist is warned TO beware
-, country milk and water; TO avoid
s,ss cool. inviting spring in the mea-
s,v and the leafy basin Of bubbling
w,,erp which the Board Of Health
5o,,ors have found to be particularly
dangerous" but not one word is said
,hop, the deadly house fly, which the
1.-;,ss States health authorities have
,bowp 70 be one Of the most active and
,,5ys,rious agents in the spread Of ty-
-bo;d Venomous reptiles and beasts
- nrev are naturally dreaded, yet they
,-s less dangerous, because the mis-
cb;sf thew do is not so widespread.
Our Intimate Enemies.
The domestic insects have long been
sgspee,ed by far-sighted Investigators,
bpt it is only within recent years that
archaeological advances have enabled
scientific men 10 prove the case against
them. However, the case is now so
eonelusively proven that none but the
most delusiyely biased will venture to
dispute 1t.
Yet unfortunately, many persons
most intimately concerned are still ig-
rorant Of the facts established, and,
therefore, fatally Indifferent TO the
danger they incur.
It is time these facts should be en-
blszoned on the walls Of every house
hold in the land, so that its occupants
may protect themselves by preventive
measures.
Working men and women, who are
the chief sufferers, should lose no
time in informing themselves and their
children Of the many dangers incurred
from domestic insects. and taking
prompt steps to safeguard their
health and lives.
The deadly househy stands at the
head Of these domestic enemies by
reason Of its omnipresence, filthy hab'
rs. and persistent intrusiveness. DR..
l. 0. Howard. whose efficiency, as head
o. the chronological Bureau Of the
United States Department Of Agricul-
ture, none will venture to question
has touched the quick of the matter by
proposing the name typhoid fly" fol-
this exceedingly dangerous insect.
"People," he says, "have altogether
too long considered the house fly as
harmless creature, or at the most
simply a nuisance. While scientific re-
searches have shown that it is most
dangerous creature from the stand
point Of disease, and while popular
opinion is rapidly being educated to
the same point, the retention Of the
name house fly is considered inadvis-
able as perpetuating in some degree
the old ideas. Strictly speaking, the
the term typhoid fly is open TO some
objection as conveying the erroneous
idea that this fly is solely responsible
for the spread Of typhoid, but con-
sidering that the creature is danger
Gus from every point Of view, and that
It IS an important element in the
spread Of typhoid, it seems advisable
10 give it a name which is almost
wholly justified and which conveys in
itself the idea of serious disease"
Not Restricted TO Typhoid.
Ny object IS to show the active
agency Of the fly in the spread OF ty-
IhOid, but before proceeding TO do that
It is pertinent TO suggest that the term
typhoid fly" is Objectionable as being
700 restrictive.
The house fly, while an industrious
carrier OF typhoid germs, Is also an
active dissemination Of tuberculosis and
many other dangerous diseases, so that
II it were called the deadly house
fly" its malignant versatility would be
more comprehensively designated.
For poor and rich, for young and DID,
Tor inhabitants of temperate as well
as tropical and sub-tropical regions
the all important fact 20 be borne con-
siantly IN mind is that the house fly
Is deadly enemy.
As far back as the sixteenth century
fsrsighted Italian physician suggest
60 that the spread Of a prevailing
plague was due TO the agency OF hies'
which, after crawling over the BODIES
OF victims, visited neighboring houses
and spread seeds Of the disease by
crawling over the food of the inmates
however, his suggestion was too far IN
sovanee Of the age 20 be productive OF
beneficial results. II was not un'l
1875 that scientific investigation
brought about by the Spanish-Ameri-
Tan War, fixed the guilt indubitaoiy
'pon the deadly house fly.
IN consequence Of the outbUak OF
Who'd in The concentration camps OF
N United States, an army typhoiu
"snission was appointed in August
" that year. The head Of that com
~'sion was Dr.. Walter Reed, L. ). A.
VINO afterward became famous as the
Oi'eoverer Of the true etiology Of yell
~" lever. The other members were
victor NJ. Vaughn, U. S. ". and E. U.
shakespeare. U. S.~y- both men OF