Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1920-05-11
/. Fly A MENACE
SAYS HEALTH OFFICER
Warns Against Purchasing
Foodstuffs Where They
Are Tolerated
FILTH BREEDS FLIES
Animal and Vegetable Waste Are En-
cellent Breeding Places Fly Direct
and Deadly Carrier of Disease

The fact tnat flies are present, IN
ti..case.s dirt and filth, says the Health
Officer Foulk's. The few flies that
hibernate. over the winter season,
come out early in the spring and soon
begin to look up a manure pile, or
heap of decaying animal or vegetable
/, matter or any other filthy accumuia-
L ton accessible, in which they may
deposit their eggs. They must have
such place in order that the eggs
[ can develop and hatch out the larvae,
(Which in turn must have suitable food
Sd; they can grow and finally change
IS mo perfect flies, ready TO deposit
/! their eggs in turn and start another
i breel. ng cycle. During warm weather,
a gems ation of flies can be produced
in from s. 10 II days. There can be
abcut 8 or 10 generations during the
summer breeding season in this latl-
tudc. 1t would thus be possible for
4 one female fly, starting May 1st to
/ produce 5,5O0,00 10000, ,0G0 flies by the
end of September! But keep in mind
I the fact that flies must have filth IN
which to breed Hence if there was no
filth about, there would be no flies.
1t can thus be readily seen that the
| solution of the Fly question is entirely
in cur own hands.
If we permit manure piles, garbage
h and ctner animal and vegetable waste
to lay about our premises, we not
only furnish breeding spots, but at
tl..ct the. flies from other sections.
Inc fily.is i3ss s.isasS direct and deadly
\ carrier Of disease germs known. The
wings, body, legs and feet of a fly
are covered with countless thousands
Of minute hairs Disease germs Of all
kinds, particularly the typhoid germs,
adhere to these hairs when the fly Is
walking over or feeding upon human
! filth. As high as 6,600,0O0 disease
germs have been found upon the body
of a single fly, while It's intest:nes
contained 2S,0Oo,0o0! This being the
simple truth easily proved in the Ia
baratory, it is NOT hard to understand
why the fyl is deadly menace 10 the
public health.
Remember the same fly you sec
|. craving over your bread, pie, cake OF
otter food, or even the lips Of ycul
hc.!cless baby, may have been feed
ing upon human filth only a few min,
utss before it entered your house!
Every fly you destroy new. actual!
means the destruction cf COUNTLESS
thousands. Kill the first flies before
thev can breed Don't permit any
trash, garbage or filth CT amy kind tt
}ay exposed. In o:her words, dom
furnish either feed or breeding place;
for flies, ard gee that your neghhol
don't. Screen your house Keep you1
food covered. See that the store yol
deal with takes all possible care II
protecting the food he sells you.
Carefully wash all foodstuffs tha
have been handled by others. Wasl
the lips cf the milk bottle before yo'
open it.
Remember that all food and drink i
Fable to contamination until it is ac
tua,iy placed IN your mouth. heel
this fact constantly in mind from tn
time YOU start out to purchase you
supplies, until they are placed upc'
the table for the family meal.
Keep your place sanitary at any cos
for i, means health. happiness an
ccmfc:t. Dirt and filth means disease
Gea:h and destruction.
- \ peer quality Of food IS dear a
any price Better get the best, ever
If YOU have 70 purchase less. bu
reancmber that even good food impro
pegly handled and not protected from
contamination is verse than poo
fGcd carefully handled and protected
The simmer brings food and drink
borre intestinal diseases. so guar
we'll ycur supply. Your health depart
ment : doing its utmost along thes
lnvS, nit yOu must co-opcrate with lis