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ELEMENTARY STUDIES IN INSECT LIFE 



breeding and living in the swamps introduce into the 

 human body with the insertion of their beaks that which 

 brings on malarial fever in the person bitten. Insects 

 as carriers of disease is a subject only coming to be 

 understood and studied. Bites of the horse-fly l and the 

 stable-fly 2 have developed into grievous pustules, show- 

 ing germs of anthrax, a malignant contagious disease, 

 transmissible from cattle to man and from man to 

 cattle. Insects which frequent or breed in decaying 

 animal or vegetable matter should certainly be kept 

 from contact with man and his food. 



This phase of insect injury is to be classed as of 

 the greatest importance, and is a subject which deserves 

 the notice and attention of every one who cares for 

 cleanliness and health. 



Beneficial Insects. - - Insects are not wholly injurious 

 when viewed from the standpoint of man. As scaven- 

 gers they render humanity invaluable service. The 

 services of certain insects in doing away with and 

 rendering harmless dead matter of both plant and ani- 

 mal origin are inestimable. Linnivus, the great nat- 

 uralist, stated that the offspring of three blow-flies 

 would destroy the carcass of a horse as quickly as would 

 a lion. This statement may be somewhat exaggerated, 

 yet it serves to illustrate the good offices of insects. 

 Certainly the offspring of the blow-fly would leave the 

 carcass of the horse in a much less offensive condition 

 than would the lion. Large groups of insects play an 

 important part in cleaning up and removing decaying 

 matter which, if allowed to remain, would certainly 



l Tabanus. "Stomoxys. 



