Evening capital and Maryland gazette., 1916-06-05
NOW IS THE TIME
To SWAT THE FLY
Pests Are Responsible for Spread
Of Disease.
USE FLY SWATTERS.
First Step Should be Sanitation oi
Breeding Places, Then Proper lso-
lation Of Garbage and Other
Wastes.


Now is the time to swat the fly. to
annihilate that pestiferious breeder
and disease spreader. The co-opera-
tion of all housewives is asked in the
matter and all are urged TO make their
premises clean and the city clean.
The United States Bureau of Health
has sent out the following bulletin;
The presence of flies in any large
number in a city is a mark of bad mu-
nicipal and domestic housekeeping.
Flies are not only irritating pests but
often are responsible for spreading
communicable disease. A considerable
number of diseases may be spread by
flies. In this latitude in the summer
ana autumn seasons they are particu
larly dangerous as spreaders of ty
phoid fever and other diarrhoeal dis
eases, especially summer complaints of
infants. While there are many spe-
cies of flies, the most common to us,
are the stable fly and the horse fly.
Protection against flies is accomplish
ed in several ways.
The most effective way is to prevent
their breeding and this is accomplish
ed by breaking up their breeding pla-
ces; namely, the proper care of ma
nure, garbage and other organic waste
Access of flies to these substances is
best prevented by screening and other
forms of covering. This is accom-
plished by putting all garbage and 9TH
err organic house waste in metal con-
tainers with securely fitting metal COW
ers, by screening and cleaning stables
putting the manure in closely covered
and well-sealed pits, and by abolishing
nj av"idable drop wells and carefully
screening all those the use of which
for practical reasons cannot be given
up at all.
To prevent the breeding of flies in
organic waste to which flies already
have had access, il is necessary to de-
stroy the material in which they breed
or TO treat it in some manner that Will
| effectively destroy the eggs or the lar
vac The city removes garbage and de-
stroys it in an effective manner when
st is received in the proper way.
Householders are especially warned to
put garbage in garbage cans and not
in ash cans or in waste paper and III
refuse heaps.
When householders place garbage in
ashes they not only break the law, but
| they are liable to transform ash dumps
/ into breeding places for flies. There
| fore, it is well to see that carnage is
| put in garbage can; that the latter is
securely covered, frequently and thor
oughly emptied by the garbage man
and kept clean. The sprinkljng of
lime or powdered borax over the bot
tom and sides of the can will help to
to keep the can clean. If possible, 1t
is practical to keep the garbage can
out of the sun.
Stables should if possible, be kept
screened They must be frequently
cleaned, and the manure placed in wa
ter-tight and securely covered pits.
These must be emptied at least twice
week The bottom and the sides of
the pit and the manure should be
sprinkled with borax. The stable floor
should be smooth and free from cracks
and dirty floors and any cracks in
wood or cement floors frequently dust
ed with powdered boraX. 1t is unlaw-
ful to have manure piles in or about
q stable.
All toilet and cesspools which are
not connected with the city's sewers
should be tightly and effectively pro-
tected against the entrance of flies, and
all drop wells must be cleaned at
proper intervals and frequently sprink-
led with lime or powdered borax.
The second step for fly protection is
to keep flies out of dwellings and other
houses. This is accomplished by stop
ping up or by screening with wire or
with cheescloth all openings through
which flies may gain access. This trou-
blesome and relatively expensive pre-
caution would be unnecessary if the
breeding of flies were eff ectively pre-
vented. The use of fly traps and fly
paper for catching flies in the house
is strongly recommended.