Milford chronicle., 1929-07-05
ESPECIAL NUMBERh
is THE WORLD REALLY
GOING TO THE BUGS?
Scientists Tell Us That The Insect
Kingdom May Some Day Dominate
The World. Drastic Measures
Needed To Keep This Ever Pres
ent Menace In Check.

man while enroute to California.
Two fellow travellers were derisively
discussing magazine article one of
them had discovered in which a well
known scientist had asserted that
some day mans boasted civilization
would be utterly obliterated by the
ever increasing myriads of the lowly
insect kingdom. "a lot of sensa-
tional rot!" scoffed one. "Yeah," J."
agreed the other. Guess these col
lege profs haven't anything to do but
write fool stuff like that"
1 said nothing for it would have
done no good. 1 would merely have
been considered another of those
fool profs with nothing to do but
concoct lurid poppycock for popular
amusement. Nevertheless, 1 sympa-
thized very much with the writer's
point of view. 1 recalled the fact
that, had it not been for the late
General Gogga's brilliant campaign
against the mosquito, the Panama
Canal would have been the same
dismal failure as the French fiasco
in Nicaragua. AS a matter of fact,
1 would almost be willing to back
the mosquito to accomplish the
down fall of man single handed were
it not for the recent arousing of
public consciousness to the fact that
these insects carry the germs of
malaria and other dangerous dis
eases. The use of insecticides to
combat those pernicious pests has
now become fairly general but much
is yet to be done. There cannot be
too many spray guns in action
against this really formidable enemy.
Should mosquitoes need an ally in
their attempt to conquer mankind
they could hardly do better than en-
list the aid of the lowly house fly.
Born in filth, the fly never loses his
liking for it. Nothing seems to please
him more than a chance to dabble
his feet in every conceivable form Of
germ laden nastiness and then trans
fer it to food intended for human
consumption. Screening is only
partial protection. Flies will get in
in spite of every barrier erected
against them and a good Fly and In
sect Powder should be constantly on
hand to strike them down as fast
as they show up.
But while discussing the various
insect pests that threaten the health
and comfort of mankind let us not
forget that athletic fellow the flea.
To most people he is merely min
or nuisance treated more as a joke
than as a serious menace. Yet,
science now recognizes this tiny
broad jump champion as carrier |
of the dreaded Bubonic Plague. The
fact that almost all domestic ami
mails are occasional hosts to the flea !
Is reason enough for extreme vigil
ance. Fly and Insect Powder for the
smaller animals and especially !
household pets and occasional dip
ping for infested live stock will help |
to keep down the flea. Let it not |
be forgotten, too, that the rat is
carrier of these plague ridden in
sects-so swat the rat. at every pos !
sible opportunity.
Mosquitoes, flies, fieas, bedbugs
and we're just getting good start.
Who said civilization wasn't menac-
ed by bugs? And how about reaches?
Comical clowns of the insect world,
but dangerous pests just the same.
They annually destroy thousands OF
dollars worth of foodstuffs and much |
that they do not actually consume is
so polluted by their filthy bodies
that it is not fit to eat. They leave
disgusting odor on everything they
touch and their is no question but
what, like the flies, their feet and
bodies are living incubators for mil
lions of disease germs which they
strew about with reckless abandon
wherever they go. More work for the
blowgun an dthe insect powder! By
all means remember the roach when
you celebrate National Insect Killing
Week.
So far we have not gone outside
The walls of the home. Yet, we have
already found enough germ carrying
health endangering, comfort de-
insects to make us wonder
f the scientist mentioned at the be-
ginning of this article might not be
somewhere near the truth. Yes, and
we haven't even spoken of the moth
that causes untold damage to cloth
ing. bedding and upholstering in
of homes every year.
And that notorious nocturnal
prowler the bedbug. No home Is SO
carefully kept but what the vile in
truder may occasionally find a way
in. They seem to be able to subslst
without nourishment, but
anyone who has ever acted as an
host for them will GER
tainly testify that they make up for
lost time once the opportunity pre-
sents itself.
AS tormentors of live stock, too,
flies and mosquitoes qualify ror
honors in the insect
world. 1 have seen COWS tormented
almost to the point of insanity by |
the whirling, buzzing, biting hosts
that swarmed around them IN
clouds. orses and other domestlce
animals also suffer painfully from
the same plague. At least tempor-
airy protection can be given py
spraying them with a good Fly
Chaser liquid and their usefulness
will be greatly increased thereby.
Going further afield, think of the
many forms of insect life constantly
the welfare of our poul-
try fiocks-lice and mites, to men
ton only two. Plenty of work for
the right kind of insecticide there.
A good Lice Powder for dustng his |
birds and a supply of Dip and Dis
infectant solution should be consid-
cred part of the essential equipment |
of every poultry raiser.
The gardener, too, is aware of the
of the insect problem. |