66 



Insects and Disease 



typhoid germs would go on developing in the in- 

 testine of the fly and would be passed out with the 

 feces in which they retain their virulence for some 

 days. In other words, the too familiar " fly-specks " 

 are not only disgusting, but may be a very grave 

 source of danger. It will be seen that in this way 

 several members of a community might become 

 infected with the typhoid germs before anyone was 

 aware that there was a case of typhoid or a "bacil- 

 lus carrier" in the neighborhood. 



One more example out of the scores that might 

 be cited to show how the fly may carry typhoid 

 germs. They may enter the sick chamber in the 

 home or in the hospital and there gain access to the 

 typhoid germs. These they may carry to other 

 parts of the house or to near-by houses, or the flies 

 may light on passing carriages or cars and be 

 carried perhaps for miles before they enter another 

 house and contaminate the food there. 



These are hypothetical cases, but they illustrate 

 what is taking place hundreds of times every season 

 all over the world wherever typhoid fever and flies 

 occur, and no country or race is known to be im- 

 mune from typhoid, and the fly is found " wherever 

 man is found." 



In the summer of 1898 a commission was ap- 

 pointed to investigate the prevalence of typhoid 



