74 



Insects and Disease 



"We have thus shown that the typhoid or house fly 

 is a general and common carrier of pathogenic bacteria. 

 It may carry typhoid fever, Asiatic cholera, dysentery, 

 cholera morbus, and other intestinal diseases; it may 

 carry the bacilli of tuberculosis and certain eye diseases. 

 It is the duty of every individual to guard so far as 

 possible against the occurrence of flies upon his prem- 

 ises. It is the duty of every community, through its 

 board of health, to spend money in the warfare against 

 this enemy of mankind. This duty is as pronounced 

 as though the community were attacked by bands of 

 ravenous wolves." 



Again: 



"A leading editorial in an afternoon paper of the 

 city of Washington, of October 20, 1908, bears the 

 heading, 'Typhoid a National Scourge/ arguing that 

 it is to-day as great a scourge as tuberculosis. The 

 editorial writer might equally well have used the head- 

 ing 'Typhoid a National Reproach/ or perhaps even 

 'Typhoid a National Crime/ since it is an absolutely 

 preventable disease. And as for the typhoid fly, that a 

 creature born in indescribable filth and absolutely 

 swarming with disease germs should practically be in- 

 vited to multiply unchecked, even in great centers of 

 population, is surely nothing less than criminal.' 9 



The whole bulletin (No. 78, Bureau of Entomol- 

 ogy) should be read and studied by all who are 

 interested in this subject. 



