(155) 



396 0. GORDON HEWITT. 



of B. anthracis as one might expect. Specimens of M. 

 domestica were also given access to the carcase of an ox 

 which had died of anthrax; they all subsequently caused 

 growths of the anthrax bacillus on agar. I entirely agree 

 with Nuttall, who says: "It does seem high time, though, 

 after nearly a century and a half of discussion, to see what 

 would be the result of properly carried out experiments. 

 That ordinary flies (M. domestica and the like) may carry 

 about and deposit the bacillus of anthrax in their excrements, 

 or cause infection through their soiled exterior coming in 

 contact with wounded surfaces or food, may be accepted as 

 proven in view of the experimental evidence already pre- 

 sented. 35 



3. Cholera. 



One of the first to suggest that flies may disseminate the 

 cholera spirillum was Nicholas (1873), who, in an interesting 

 and prophetic letter, said : " In 1849, on an occasion of going 

 through the wards of the Malta Hospital, where a large 

 amount of Asiatic cholera was under treatment, my first 

 impression of the possibilty of the transfer of the disease by 

 flies was derived from the observation of the manner in which 

 these voracious creatures, present in great numbers, and 

 having equal access to the dejections and food of the patients, 

 gorged themselves indiscriminately, and then disgorged 

 themselves on the food and drinking, utensils. In 1850 the 

 ' Superb/ in common with the rest of the Mediterranean 

 squadron, was at sea for nearly six months; during the 

 greater part of the time she had cholera on board. On 

 putting to sea the flies were in great force, but after a time 

 the flies gradually disappeared and the epidemic slowly sub- 

 sided. On going into Malta Harbour, but without com- 

 municating with the shore, the flies returned in greater 

 force, and the cholera also with increased violence. After 

 more cruising at sea the flies disappeared gradually, with the 

 subsidence of the disease. In the cholera years of 1854 and 

 1866 in this country the periods of occurrence and disappear- 



