Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1917-04-20


especially true of the legs. Thus,
when ii crawls over infected mate
rial it readily becomes loaded with
germs, and subsequent visits to hu-
man foods result in their contamina-
tion. When we realize that flies feed
upon the most filthy substances the
necessity and Importance of house-fy
control is clear.
I'm army camps, in mining camps
and in great public works bring
ing together large numbers of men
for longer or shorter time. there is
not always proper sanitation, and the
carriage of typhoid germs to food
by flies is common and often results
In epidemics Of typhoid fever. And
such carriage of typhoid is by no
means confined to temporary camps.
In farmhOuses, in small communities
and even in badly cared for portions
of large cities, typhoid germs are car
ried to food by flies.
'1n''the same way other intestinal
germ~diseases are carried by flies.
Asiatic cholera, dysentery and infan-
tile dfarrhea are all SO carried. Nor
are the diseaseLbearin possibilities
Of the honse fly limited to intestinal
germ diseases. There is strong cir
cumstantial evidence that tuberculo-
sis, anthrax, yaws, ophthalmia, small
pox. tropical sore and parasitic worms
may be and are so carried. -
"In the effort to destroy flies the
use of sticky fly papers is very COM
mon. Another way is to expose in
shallow dishes a mixture of forma-
lin and milk or water, sweetened with
a little sugar Zone teaspoOnful of COM
mercial formalin to one teacupful of
water or milk. This is most effec-
tive when no other liquids are acces-
sible to the flies. Formalin diluted
In this manner is not poisonous to man
and will not injure fabrics. In this
respect 1t is much safer than the fly
pOisons containing arsenic.
Methods Of Destroying Flies.
Burning of fresh pyrethrum pow
der Is also effective In killing f;es in
rooms.
"Flytraps may be used to advan-
tage in decreasing the number of
flies. AS a rule the larger ones arc
the most effective. These should be
placed on the outside of houses,
stores, stables, etc. Bananas, sugar
and vinegar, milk and beer will be
found to be attractive bats under most
circumstances.
THE most logical method Of abat-
ing the fly nuisance is the elimina-
ton or treatment of all breeding
places. 1t would appear from what
we know Of the life, history and hab-
its of the common house fly that
it is perfectly feasible for cities and
towns to reduce the numbers of these
annoying and dangerous insects so
greatly as to render them of compara-
lively slight account.
"The bureau of entomology has for
some years advised that all refuse
and filth In which. flies are likely to
breed be kept In fly-tight pits or bins.
There Is no doubt as to the effective
ness of this method when the neces-
sary precautions are taken.
"Fly-breeding in accumulations of
filth can he prevented by the use of
chemical substances which will kill
the eggs and maggots of the house
fly. We have conducted series of
experiments during the last two years
in which large number of chemi-
Gals were applied to infested manure
and observations made on their eff
cheney in killing the maggots. OF the
numerous substances. tried the one
which seems best to fulfill these con-
ditions is powdered helleb0re. For