THE HOUSE-FLY 15 



the pertinacious curiosity with which every individual 

 of the race seems resolved, for its own satisfaction, to 

 taste, see, and touch every object around it." 



As a result of this restless characteristic of the house- 

 fly, it often plays a prominent part in the contamination 

 of milk. Unfortunately, milk is a favorable medium for 

 the growth and multiplication of bacteria and it is, there- 

 fore, easily contaminated. We have already pointed out 

 that the body and feet of the fly are admirably fitted for 

 carrying bacilli ; and that the bodies of flies are usually 

 teeming with myriads of these microscopic plants. More- 

 over, it is easy, in fact almost inevitable, for flies to fall 

 into open pails and cans of milk whenever the latter are 

 accessible to these roving insects. If a fly bearing typhoid 

 fever bacilli should fall into a pail of milk, the contagion 

 might easily be spread all along the route of the milkman. 

 Undoubtedly, such instances have occurred, as shown 

 by the following case quoted by Hewitt from Taylor 

 (Colorado State Board of Health). " In the city of Denver 

 we had a very sad as well as a plain demonstration of the 

 transmission of typhoid fever by flies and milk. Early 

 in August of this year the wife of a dairyman was taken 

 with typhoid fever, remaining at home about three weeks 

 before the removal to the hospital, August 28. During 

 the first two weeks of September we received reports of 

 numerous cases of typhoid fever in the northern portion 

 of Denver, and upon investigation found that all these 

 cases had been securing their milk from this dairy. An 

 inspection of the dairy was then made, and in addition 

 to learning of the illness of the dairyman's wife, we also 

 found the dairyman himself suffering with a mild case 

 of typhoid fever, but still up and delivering milk. The 



