86 JUSTIFICATION OF EXPENDITURE 



for a hundred years before it turns its head. Cruelty 

 is a name there is always cruelty at home. There 

 is nothing more cruel than the house-fly to us human 

 beings, yet there will be hesitation before we spare 

 expense to institute fly-reduction. If we were to be 

 sparing in sending our medical missions to the wars 

 or to grant relief to the widows and orphans of 

 the latest accident or shipwreck, we should dub 

 ourselves cruel. But the prevention of flies and 

 mosquitos, which produce annually a far greater 

 number of deaths than wars, accidents, or shipwrecks, 

 is considered merely a matter of interest and then 

 often forgotten. This apathy is due to ignorance 

 common, general, public ignorance. Such ignorance 

 can only be overcome by practical example, work, 

 advertisement, talk but let the facts be plain and 

 true. 



Fly-reduction does not cost much. It is not nearly 

 so expensive as many of the objects in which charity 

 interests itself. For a few thousands of pounds our 

 large cities could be rid of flies, and our infant mortality 

 would fall. This would mean the saving of life, and it 

 is surely better to pay for the saving of life than the 

 loss of life ; for there is no difficulty in obtaining funds 

 to supply relief after fatal accidents. 



Yet I am convinced that the public will encourage 

 fly-reduction as soon as it understands its benefits. 

 After some preliminary grumbling there will be no 

 opposition on the score of expense. People will realise 

 the advantages of fly-reduction. In America flies are 

 a much greater pest than in England ; this is due to the 

 difference of climate, and organised fly-reduction will 

 probably be instituted in America first, and then other 

 civilised countries will follow suit. Perhaps a few 



