The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1919-05-09
MDcAT|ONSNAREH
THAT 1919 WILL Be
ACTIVE YEAR FOR FLIES
STATE BOARD OF HEALTH URGES
EARLY CAMPAIGN AGAINST h
THE PESTS.
FLIES ARE GREAT DRINKERS
Won't Stay Long in Dry Territory,
But July 1, 1919, VIII Have No Ter
ror for Them--kill EN- Anyway
Possible. 1t
Estate Board Health Bulletin,)

Unless all sign fails, 1919 will be a.
fly year. The remarkably mild win
ter made possible the survival and
active life of an unusual number of
lies and the early spring has been
most favorable for the breeding of
.hese pestiferous and disease bearing
Insects.
The Tennessee State Board OF
Health wishes to impress anew the i'm
,ortance of the destruction of flies as
| means of disease prevention. 1t is
veil established fact that the germs
# typhoid fever and other intestinal
diseases are carried by flies and it Is
undoubtedly true that other communi-
able diseases maybe spread in the
anne manner. y
The way to get rid Of flies is to kill
en-, wherever they are found, by any
means whatsoever. Swat 'em, poison
EN-, starve 'em, burn EN-, freeze 'em,
md if you can think of any other way
o destroy flies, do that to 'em, too.
The place to begin fly destruction
n theebreeding place, whichs.may be
he manure pile at the barn, the open
)rivy, the garbage pile or any other
,lace where organic matter has accum-
tlted, and the way to begin is to re-
move and properly dispose of the mat
err in which flies will breed-if such
emoval and disposal are possible. II
he manure pile cannot be removed eX-
ept at ingrequent intervals its posi-
,ilities for fly breeding can be some
that reduced by treatment with borax
one pound of borax to ten or twelve
bushels of manure. Flies will keep
way from the dark and hence will
not breed abundantly in properly
constructed privy vault. There should
,e no such thing as a garbage pile
n the premises of any home. The
light kind of garbage can, properly
lsed will not contribute to the welfare
# the fly, but even the very best gar
)age can will furnish nourishment for
Id Mrs. Fly and az nest for all her
dany children if it is not kept tightly
,losed and reasonably clean on the
outside.
I Flies are great drinkers and will not
stay long in dry territory. 1t is not
meant by this that the date July l.,
,919, has any great terror for the fly,
or alcoholic drinks are not his spec
atty. On the other hand, the fly
las always been great imbiber OF
hat fluid of natures free provision
which is going to receive such a great
BOOST on the above named date. The
act that the fly is not at all finicky
,bout his drinking water may be taken
advantage of to his undOings his
water supply in the house may be poi
;oned without his knowing it and a
lew drinks of properly poisoned water
will put him out of business. Formal
lehide solution is a good fly poison
ind a solution of sodium salicylate Is
Ilso said to be fatal to the imbibing
iy. The formaldehyde solution must
be freshly prepared; since it soon
oses its fatal effect, and may be made
by adding formalin to water-three
easpoohsful to a pint. The sodium
salicylate solution can be made by dis
solving three teaspoonsful of the salt
in pint of water. Arsenic solutions
should not be used, because arsenic
will kill folks as readily as flies and
there are instances on record of ba-
bies poisoned by drinking arsenical So
buttons prepared for killing flies.
Flies unlike most other doors of
evil, do not seek darkness rather
than light on the other hand, they
are partial to the light. A room which
is darkened everywhere except at one
window will soon be free of flies in
all places other than the source of
light. 1t is therefore, good scheme
TO put the fly's poisoned water in or
near a partially opened window in a
room to which the insects have gained |
entrance. The light will attract them |
and they will drink and die.
Flies cannot easily enter a properly
screened house. Screens which are
poorly fitted or improperly used, how
,ver, ae worthless as means of keep
ng out flies. A small crack under or
around the screen is nothing more or
ess than a dare to an ordinarily am
bilious fly and he will negotiate such
IN opening or die in the attempt. 1t is
matter for wonder that so many per-
ons will bo to the trouble and ex-
'ense involved in screening their
Iouses and viii then allow the screens
o sag or become broken and to so re-
main, furnishing no protection against
lies. As you walk down the street
ONE fine day this summer, amuse