Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1921-04-08
WAR DECLARED
ON HOUSE FLY
Worst Enemy of Health to Soon
Make Appearance Here
Health Board Urges Precau-
tions by Removing Filth.

With the coming of warm weather
also begins the greatest problem OF
the County Health Departments: The
prevention of Disease Distribution
by Flies.
The life work of the fly is the dis
tribution of filth. Since ninety per-
cent breed in horse manure and tho
other ten in unspeakable surround
iings, their calling is perfectly ma
tural. However if the disgusting
contamination with their bodies re-
suited in just merely filth we might
get along with them without sus-
tanning loss of life but it so hap
pens that the particular kinds Of
filth which the fly most enjoys and
in which they traffick are those
kinds which contain the greatest
quantities and tho most dreaded dis
ease germs. The average number of
bacteria carried by the Iordinnrv
house fly is $4,000. Also one speck
from fly fed on consumptivc spu-
tenn will contain 5000 germs of tn
bcrcplosis. Typhoid fever and other
intestinal Diseases are carried main
ly by flies.
Flies get their start each season
through limited number of fc-
males which live through the wint
er and are, therefore, carried over
from the previous season. AS soon
as the weather il warm enough lin
this locality about the 18th of ApriD
these females start laying their
eggs, an average of 120 Mt n layinp.
The eggs are usually deposited in
warm stable manure where they de-
velope, on the second day into the
maggot stage. on the sixth day into
the lpupa stage and by the fourteen
tn day are mature flies laying eggs
themselves. Due ITO this rapid de-
velopment it has been estimated (you
are going to be astoundcd by these
hgures) that one female fly carried
over the winter and which begins
laying eggs by April 18th will be
responsible for the production of
6,698, ,720 100000 by September 10th
or the end of the season. These flies
placed end to end in row would
reach around the world $50 times.
From the above the Importance
and advantage of killing the early
iies are evident, or to go back a
step further, the Importance of elimi-
mating the breeding places is more
evident. The treatment is simple:
Either haul the stable manure ont
and spread it on the land ut least
once n week from the carly Spring
throughout the season, or. if IL must
be accumulated, treat the manure
pile once n week with iron sulphate
mixed with water, or lime. In this
manner the mapority of fly breeding
and production will be eliminated
however, number will mature and
against these it must be continual
warfare of trapping, swattinr nnd
poisoning.
To kill the fly, of course. is the
pest way OF all to stop him but for
those that do manage to exist some
addltlonal measures must be adopt
ed. These are also simple: Dispose
OF all human filth in such n manner
as the flies may never come in con-
tact with it. First of all be sure that
the human excrement is protected
from fly contact.
This means you must either be
connected with certified town or
city sewer system, have correct
private system of your own or a
sanitary privy. Since the large ma
Jority of our county people are de-
pendent upon the country privy as
a place and means of disposing of
human excrement, this is the time to
give some attention to whether or
not that privy is safe and if it is not
MAKE 1T SAFE NOW-we will be
glad to show you how. Call or write
for information.
COUNTY HEALTH DEPT.