Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1916-04-22
SWAT THE FLY.
The Time To Swat The Disease Breed.
ing Fly Is Right Now Before There
Are Too Many of Them.

are embracing on the greatest con-
certed fight on the typhoid fly in the
states history. This is evident from
reports coming to the state board of
health. Never before has such great
activity against ay borne disease been
started so early in so many places in
the state. Many cities have already
enlisted in fly-fghting campaigns. Or
gained propaganda is giving impetus
to the battle.
Fly swatting alone will not exter-
inmate flies, the state health depart
ment warns. Of first Importance is a
general cleaning up of the premises
and the removal of all breeding places.
Among these are manure piles, expos
ed cesspOols and out-houses, open gar
bage cans, exposed refuse and filth of
all kinds. This means that flies can
best be exterminated by starving
them out.
With warm weather nearly here,
flies are awakening from their winter
lethargy. Once allowed to propagate,
millions of their descendants will
soon horde about the premises, car
rying disease germs wherever they
alight. These are obtained from spit
and human excrement. Nothing is too
filthy nor too nice for them to tread
upon and eat. The house fly with a
capacity for carrying 5000, 900 bac-
terra al once from purifying matter
to the food on the table, is credited
with destroying every year more
people than are killed in battle. It's
designation as the typhoid fly" was
given it by government scientists be-
cause of it's progress with disease
germs from all sorts of filthy places
to the dinner table, the cream pitcher,
the baby's nursing bottle, and the
sick room.
Flies are responsible for a large
proportion of all cases of typhoid
fever, diarrheal diseases of infants,
many eases of tuberculosis, and pos
sibly of yellow fever. Observations
by the Wisconsin state board of health
some years ago, during an epidemic
OF infantile paralysis, proved that the
fly was undoubtedly factor in trans
hitting this disease. Elsewhere it has
been proven by inoculating monkeys.
the simians being infected by the bite
of flies.
The limited radius of the fly is not
generally known by the public Tests
have shown that with an abundant
food supply at or near their breeding
places. flies usually remain within a
few hundred yards from their original
habitant.
The lesson TO be learned in that
where there is no filth there are no
flies. lone pair in April means mil
lions in August" Cities should have
foodscreening ordinances applying
to products for sale. A state law al
ready requires that food products dis
played outside of shops be covered,
and that displayed dairy products be
screened. Homes should be screened
tightly. Prompt garbage disposal is
vital. SO is tight closing of swill bar
rels and garbage cans. Traps and GER
tain poisons are very efficient exter-
mnators, as is the hand swatter.
The following rules are made to
deal effectively with the fly nuisance:
Keep lies away from the sick, es-
pecially those i'll with contagious di-
seases. XIII every Ay that strays into
the sick room, his body is covered
with disease germs.
DO not allow decaying animal mat
ter of any sort to accumulate on or
near your premises.
All refuse tending in any way to
fermentation, such as bedding straw,
paper waste and vegetable matter,
should be stored in tly-proof con-
tainer or covered with lime or kero-
sene.
Screen all food.
Keep receptacles for garbage care
fully covered and the cans cleaned or
sprinkled with oil or lime.
Keep ali stable manure in vault or
pit, screened or sprinkled with lime,
oil or other cheap preparation.
See that your sewerage system is in
good order, that it does not leak, and
is not exposed 10 dies.
Pour kerosene into the drains.
Cover food after a meal; burn or
bury all table refuse.
Screen all food exposed for sale.
If there is nuisance in The neigh
horhood, and the neighbor refuses to
act, notify the health department.
\ vigorous warfare for the exter-
mination Of the house fly should be
instituted in every town. village and
city in the state
Safe Medicine 70. Children.