DISEASES CARRIED BY FLIES AND FLEAS 285 



Colonies of bacteria which have devel- 

 oped in a culture medium upon which a 

 fly was allowed to walk. 



easily include those of typhoid fever, tuberculosis, '' summer 



complaint," and possibly other diseases. A pamphlet published 



by the Merchants' Association 



in the city of New York shows 



that the rapid increase of flies 



during the summer months has 



a definite correlation with the 



increase in the number of cases 



of '' summer complaint." Ob- 

 servations in other cities seem 



to show the increase in number 



of typhoid cases in the early fall 



is due, in part at least, to the 



same cause. A terrible toll of 



disease and death may be laid 



at the door of the typhoid fly. 

 Control. — Cleanliness which 



destroys the breeding places of 



flies, the frequent removal and destruction of garbage, rubbish, and 



manure, covering all food when not 

 in use, and especially the careful 

 screening of windows and doors 

 during the breeding season are wise 

 precautions to prevent diseases. 

 Far more important than to " swat 

 the fly " is to " remove their breed- 

 ing places " ! 



Other Insect Disease Carriers. — 

 Fleas and bedbugs recently have 

 been added to. those insects proved 

 to carry disease to man. Bubonic 

 plague, which is primarily a disease 

 of rats, is undoubtedly transmitted 

 from infected rats to man by fleas. 

 Fleas are also believed to transmit 

 leprosy, although this is not proved. 

 To rid a house of fleas we must first find their breeding places. 



Old carpets, the sleeping places of cats or dogs, and any dirty 



Qses 



Jan. 



hb 



Mar 



l^pr. 



May 



he 



My 



Aon 



Sepi 



Oct 



Wok 



Dec 



100 



























90 



























80 

















\ 











70 

















\ 











60 













, 





\ 











50 













/ 





\ 











40 











1910 



\ 















30 











1 

















20 









1 



1 



''" 



nil 













10 









J 



'/ 



/v 



m 





X. 



^ 



s;>->. 









"\ 





^ 











""^ 







V 



\ 



There were 329 typhoid cases in a 

 city of about 50,000 inhabitants in 

 1910, 158 in 1911, 87 in first 10 

 months of 1912. 80 to 85 per cent 

 of outdoor toilets were made fly proof 

 during the winter of 1910. Account 

 for the decrease in typhoid after 

 the flies were kept out of the toilets. 



