DANGERS OF THE HOUSE FLY 209 



valent in towns in .summer time, 1 think the term 

 " Septic Fly " would be more appropriate. 



It has for long been believed that the Hy can 

 carry disease germs, tliat it is a mechanical carrier. 

 Every one must have observed that the fly is a filth- 

 eater. What dust-bin, what garbage, exists without 

 the fly ? We become aware that something is wrong 

 or rotten, by the presence of flies. We must have 

 all experienced the dread witli which w^e have seen 

 the common fly in the sick-room. Wherever there 

 is rotting, fermentation, or decay, or, in other words, 

 animal or vegetable offal or excreta of any kind, 

 there the fly must be. Why? Because as the water- 

 barrel is to the larva of the stegomyia and the 

 earth-pool to the larvae of the anophelines, so is putrid, 

 fermenting material to the larvae or maggots of the 

 fly. The fly breeds there, deposits its eggs there, 

 and they hatch out into the well-known maggots. 

 It is not surprising, then, that the natural breeding 

 grounds being filthy material, the fly should carry 

 on its body some of this filth to the sugar basin, 

 the entree dish, or the milk in the bowl in the pantry. 

 Unquestionably the fly can and does contaminate our 

 food supplies, and by landing on the face around 

 the eyes and mouth it may directly inoculate disease 

 germs. Beauperthuy long ago directed attention to 

 this. The presence of flies in a house means that 

 filth is close at hand — not miles away, but, in all 

 probability, close outside the kitchen window in the 

 dust-bin, or in the adjacent stables, or in the highly 

 manured garden soil around the house. 



14 



