The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1917-03-30

tifc authorities in the United States
and Europe are generally united in
CSJ The dissemination through this in
sect of the epidemic nfante paralysis,
which last year killed thousands of New York's
children is but one of the many counts in the in
dictment against the filthy fly. Infantile paraly
SIS is peculiarly shocking because il deformS chill
dren so cruelty, but in its destruction of life il is
| lar less serious than typhoid fever. which we
| now know To be largely fyborne disease Simi
ary the fly probably causes far more mortality
'hrough IT'S insirumentality i'm spreading tubercu-
iosis than as carrier of infantile paralysis
All over the world scientists are studying the
ny, discovering dangers 10 public health
caused by 1t and suggesting methods of ex-
terminating it,
Dr. L. o. Howard, the chief entomoogist of the
united States government now suggests that the
name typhoid fly" should be given To the common
mousse n.y. because the latter name fails To suggest
the deadly character.
Mr. Howard tells how the deadly cboroctor ,f
The fly was proved by feeding flies with pure cul-
lures OF the typhoid bacillus. Material from the
bodies of the insects and Gy-specks made by them
were then examined and found To contain tbe
bacilli. This material was injected into animals
and proved 10 be yirulent.
Flies Garry Typhoid
There were 10000 cases of typhoid in the Init
ed States last year, and over 80 900 proved fatal
During the Spanish-American war flies which had
swarned over infected matter In the lime-strewn
pits walked over the soldiers food leaving traces
of lime. Many cases of typhoid occurred killing
far more than bullets. Officers whose tents were
screened from flies showed fewer cases Typboid
disappeared in winter, when flies were no longer
about. Infected water was not an important fac
tor in these camps, but a majority of cases must
have been due to the flies. More than so per cent
of the total deaths in the war were caused by
typhoid
The danger of Infection is greatly increased by
the fact that typhoid germs may remain active I'm
PERSONS nteStineS long after he has recovered
from fever Or. George A. Soper recently discov-
cred of cook employed by several fam-
lies in the vicinity of New York. She had recOv-
cred completely from typhoid fever but she gave
the disease To members of every family where she
was employed Four other cases of this kind are
mentioned by Doctor Howard.
Spread Enteric Fever
During the Boer war 100000 British soldiers
were laid up at one time by enterc fever
shown to have been spread by flies. Profting by
such lessons the United States authorities on the
Panama canal work protected refuse against flies.
and this, together with the careful screening of
houses. ador~ad primarily defense against
malaria, reduced typhoid 10 "A negligible quantity.
long series of observations is being conducted.
showing that flies play an important part in
spreading Asiatic cholera The British warship
Superb. in the Mediterranean, suffered from an
epidemic of cholera. which continued while at sea,
but the disappearance Of flies IL ceased. Pro
fessors Tfzzoni and Cattani of Italy In 1886 found
active cholera germs in the deposits OF flies caught
in the cholera wards at Bologna. Italy.
Cost Millions a Year.
Doctor Howard says the decrease in the vital
assets of our country through typhoid fever in
single year IS more than S35O,0O0OO0.
The typhoid fly is also dlsseminator OF tuber-
culosis DR.. Frederick r. Lord. the Boston scien-
tist says
t,,ho md
crete tuberce bacilli the virulence OF which may
last for at least fifteen days"
Matter from tuberculous patients must. there
fore, not be allowed 10 come In contact with flies
and the patients should be screened for their own
good and that Of the rest OF the community.
Drs w. NJ. Esten and G. ]. Mason Of StOrrs ex-
pertinent station Connecticut. who counted $50 10
100000 bacteria on flies observed that these In
sects carried contamination from the pigpens 10
the milk In dairies.
Life History OF Fly
THE only remedy for this serious condition ot
things" they say. lis 10 remove the pigpen as far
as possible from the dairy and dwelling house.
Extreme care should be taken In keeping flies
out Of the cow stable, milk rooms and dwellings"
Doctor Howard has traced the life history OF
the fly, fndlng that 100 eggs are laid by single
female. and that in Washington in midsummer
generation IL produced every ten days. In eN-
perimenting he found that his flies would breed
only in horse waste. but the evidence indicates
that they breed in various kinds Of filth His con-
Clusion. however is that the vast majority must
come from horse stables.
AZ tested out and recommended by the United
States department Of agriculture, sprnkling and
soaking such a pest heap with n solution Of one
half pound OF powdered helebore In ten gallons Of
water (strring well and s@lo<ring II TO stand for
"a hours). will destroy all the maggots eggs and
larvae which are then present Almost equally
good results. although not quite so certain. can be
secured by sprinkllng freely with powdered boraI
and then pourings water over. so az to carry IL
down all through the mass The amount Of hee-
bore solution required IS about gallon TO the
pushed OF manure.
A recent calculation Of the 6y's rate ~ inc 'ase.