10 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Ordinarily, flics do not travel a great distance and, in most 

 instances, probably breed within 300 to 500 feet of places where 

 they are extremely abundant. Butcher carts, grocery wagons 

 and electric or steam cars carrying more or less exposed meat'and 

 other supplies attractive to flies, may become important agents 

 in the dissemination of disease, since it is only necessary for these 

 vehicles to load where conditions are favorable for fly infection 

 and we may have a mysterious outbreak of disease at some distance 

 from the source of trouble. 



Sanitary and control measures. It is perhaps needless to add, 

 in view of the foregoing, that the greatest care should be taken to 

 exclude flies from the sick room, especially in the case of contagious 

 diseases. The flies are not only annoying to the patient but may 

 aid in carrying the disease to others. The proper disposal of 

 infected discharges, such as those from typhoid patients, should 

 never be neglected, and under no conditions left where flies may 

 gain access to the infection. 



All food, particularly that eaten without having been cooked, 

 should be carefully protected from flies by the use of screens. This 

 is especially true of milk, since it affords a favorable medium for 

 the multiplication of certain disease germs. It applies to dealers in 

 food supplies as well as to the home. An important step toward 

 better sanitation would be taken if the public refused to patronize 

 provision stores, restaurants and hotels overrun by flies. 



A large reduction in the number of house flies found in most places 

 is thoroughly practical. This can be best effected by doing away 

 with conditions favorable to the unrestricted multiplication of this 

 pest. The first step is to prevent flies from breeding in horse 

 manure and other waste products from the stable. All manure 

 should be placed in a fly-proof receptacle or the accumulation 

 treated daily with small quantities of chlorid of lime. If the 

 manure is removed from the stable at intervals of seven days and 

 spread upon the field, there will be comparatively little breeding. 

 One of these measures can be applied to every stable in cities and 

 villages. The farmer, if unable to carry out any of the preceding 

 suggestions, will find a large measure of relief from the fly nuisance, 

 if the manure is stored in tight, practically fly-proof cellars, such 

 as can be easily constructed with the modern concrete foundation. 

 Flies breed but little in darkness, and the writer has known of 

 barns comparatively free from flies, simply because the manure 

 was stored in the darker parts of a large barn cellar.' 



