The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-05-15

CARRIERS OF DISEASE
None Of These Winged CRITTERS" Are
Innocent Of Indictment Which
Has Been Placed Up.
on Them.

l
be the greatest advertisement that
this city could have. No one in the
country or in the world could fail,
upon hearing slogan of this kind,
| to picture to himself the hustling,
progressive, American nature of a
community that can truthfully make
this boast
Everybody, and particularly the
travelling public, are having impress
ed upon them daily the dangers In.
CURED through permitting the pres
ence Of flies.
| A flyless town, therefore, will have
perpetual booster in every transient
| who ever passes through it, and in
every person who ever leaves the
town for a less fortunate locality.
No other influence could have a
worse effect upon visitor than con-
slant annoyance from. filthy, loath-
some flies. And nothing else will be
SO quickly noticed, nor receive more
| favorable comment, than the fact
that a community protects its people
and their, visitors from the universal
pest.
Throughout the United States the
authorities are making persistent
| efforts to arouse the people to
realization of the fly menace. Bull
letins and information of all kinds
concerning flies and fly prevention
and fly destruction are issued daily.
And every investigation shows up
Mr.. Fly in a more menacing and dis
gushing light.
The federal government has itself
been interested in the matter, and
the department Of agriculture have
spread broadcast bulletins describing
1 81 ira Of
warnings as to their dangerous activ-
tiles, and outlines of measures for
| DISCRIMINATION.
How the HousefIy Works.
| According to the Investigators, the
housefly is probably the most COM
mon of the various species, and may
be distinguished in several ways. 1t
| is slightly over a quarter OF an inch
! in length, has two very thin wings,
and has four long stripes on the up
per part of its body. Its hairy legs
are peculiarly constructed to give out
a sticky fluid. and it is this which
enables the fly to crawl upon vertical
window panes, and on the ceiling.
| The fluid causes his feet to adhere
to whatever he touches.
! Upon these hairy, sticky legs are
| -
the fIy's collection, although there
are many to be found all over his
body, even to his great eye.
| The housefly is not bitter, but
feeds by dissolving its food in a
viscid fluid which he discharges from
the appendage hanging just below mis-
head, and then sucking up the fluid
| again. AS this fly's food consists
almost entirely of the most putrld,
disease-reeking filth, its disgusting
method OF eating effectually ruins
any food-stuffs it may attack.
Any food upon which flies are seen
to be walking should. be rejected
Stores where flies are permitted to
| swarm about foodstuffs should be
boycotted until their methods are
changed, and screens and fly catch
ing devices are installed for the pro-
lection Of their goods.
Another Filthy Member.
| The Cluster fly is another COM
monty found in the house, and is dis
tinguishable on account of its darker
color. It is also slightly larger than
the housefly 1t Is not so active as
| the housefly. and is much easier to
swat In the fall these flies seem TO
become supplied in some manner,
and may occasionally be picked up In
a semi-conscious condition.
Like the housefly, the Cluster fly
is extremely filthy in It's habits.
These flies also feed principally on
decayed foods, garbage, manure piles,
human excrements, or anything put
rid and disease-breeding. Their
touch is sufficient to defile any food
stuff and render it unfit for use.
Stable Fly is Bitter.
| The stable fly is an example OF the
biting variety, which are as filthy
and even more dangerous than their
brothers. These flies attack all
warm blooded animals with their
sting, and they are active carriers OF
| the various blood diseases. Their
legs and bodies are fully as dirty as
| those of the housefly and Cluster fly,
| their smaller brothers.
There are other varieties OF flies
more difficult to recognize, and all
partaking more or less of the nature
1 of those described.
The enumeration and classified
ton of the different germs to be
( found on a single fly would afford
sufficient material for good sized
book. The capacity OF the fly Tor
getting into filthy and diseased en-
vironments is almost limitless. 1t is
| difficult to imagine where so many
/ loathsome and virulent diseases can
/ be found for fly to visit, but it is
/ true beyond every possible doubt that
, flies may carry representatives from
almost every germ classification.
/ No innocent Flies.
There can be no chance of innocent
I flies being killed in the war upon the
disease-carriers There are no in
nocent ones The very birthplaces