THE HOUSE FLY 21 



upon by its gastric juices, and sufficiently changed to allow 

 of absorption. All the rest of the material, containing the 

 living disease microbes, is evacuated anywhere it is a 

 matter of utter indifference to the fly where these specks 

 are deposited. Foodstuffs exposed to flies soon become 

 smothered with specks, as may be seen in any unclean 

 housewife's pantry, or in the commoner class of bunshops. 

 This aspect of the fly danger may be considered too repul- 

 sive to mention, but we are dealing with an unclean subject, 

 and it is essential to know the ways and habits of this living 

 scourge of mankind, so that we may know just how to 

 combat it. 



If there are flies in a house, even with the most scrupulous 

 cleanliness it is impossible to prevent the interior of the 

 dwelling from becoming contaminated with fly specks. 

 Wherever a fly settles, there a speck will, almost to a cer- 

 tainty, be found. The kitchen and pantry being the prin- 

 cipal rendezvous of flies, it is natural that the contents of 

 these places should rapidly get smothered with fly specks. 

 The moment any food substance is exposed, flies settle upon 

 it, and within a few minutes there may be hundreds of fly 

 specks on it. 



Fly specks, as already mentioned, are the excreta of flies. 

 This fact alone should be sufficient to arouse people from 

 their lethargy in regard to the fly menace, and to see to it 

 that their homes are free from flies ; and moreover that they 

 do not purchase their food supplies from shopkeepers who 

 neglect to screen their wares from contamination by flies. 

 It is a common sight to see swarms of flies on cakes, sweet- 

 stuffs, cheese, fruit, and a host of other food materials ex- 

 posed for sale in shop windows and on counters. 



