HEALTH NOTES.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVI, Issue 10473, 31 December 1927, Page 5

HEALTH NOTES.

THE FLY

METHODS OP CO-NTHOL

CARRIER, OF DISEASE

(Contributed' by the '''Department of Health.)

With the advent of summer must be considered that most common of all household pests, the housefly, its life cycle, habits, methods of control, and relationship to disease. This insect is undoubtedly the commonest and. most widely-spread ! of all insects; one,that has accompanied man ■wherever travelled—from the polar regions to the tropics. The structure of the. fly is J sum liar to all. It has one pair of wings. The front oH’ the head is occupied almost entirely by a pair of large, compound eyes. 'Each of these compound eyes is composed of about four thousand faceted individual eyes, and so the insect is provided with a wide range of vision. The head also carries the “proboscis,” or, as it is familiarly called, the tongue. This proboscis represents the very much modified mouth, parts of jaws of other insects, and is wholly adapted to sucking. The common housefly cannot bite. Other varieties of flies such as the stable fly, do and can bite, and their mouth parts are modified accordingly. When not feeding and in a state of rest; the proboscis is carried bent upin the inside of the lower part or the head, hut when the fly alights on food the proboscis or “tongue’’ is protruded, it has a thorax or chest, abdomen, and three pairs of logs. The terminal segment of the legs are so constructed that the fly can crawl on very smooth surfaces and can progress without difficulty in an upsidedown position along ceilings. They are extremely prolific. The adult female lays eggs and will deposit about 100 to Uat each laying, anil will repeat trie performance about four to six times in one season, so that one temale -lly may lay anything up to 080 or so eggs in one season. These eggs are usually deposited m positions that are favorable to their development. The site most, commonly chosen is in horse manure, but the eggs may he deposited in.any decaying matter. Thus the eggs may be deposited on decaying vegetables, decaying fruit, meat, human and animal excreta of all descriptions. The eggs are pjearly-wlute in color. In suitable conditions ns to temperature and moisture these eggs may hatch out m from eight to twenty-four hours info definite larval stage, but in unfavorable surroundings Urn hatchings may require four days.

FEEDING HALITS

The Hv is a constant guest at our tables, sipping the milk, tasting the sugar, and next minute may be tickling its palate with a tasty morsel from a nearby ash-tm or stable, it may be feeding on the most indescribable filth, and next moment be buzzing round the kitchen, i lies are always most numerous where tilth abounds and the number of Hies present is in some measure a criterion of the sanitary conditions, (food sanitation implies an absence of breed-ing-grounds and an absence ol exposed food, and si> implies a minimum of flies.

FLfES AND DISEASE

Elies may spread disease m more than one way. The germs ol disease may adhere to the body or legs of the lly'and may be deposited on its next resting-place. Thus disease germs may also absorb disease germs in their food, and the germs may live some considerable time in the alimentary tract of the lly. These germs may then be deposited on its next resting-place either by regurgitation or vomiting, or m its excreta. So it :s not to be wondered at that flics are implicated in the spread of diseases like typhoid fever. epidemic diarrhoea, dysentery, etc. it is considered that' flies may spread the infection in summer of epidemic diarrhoea; wluch is such a serums disease in children.

CONTROL MEASURES

The "first essential of control is to remove the possible breeding grounds, and to control adequately those that cannot be immediately removed. Accumulation' of decaying vegetables, dirtv paper, kitchen amt table i.efust should nor be allowed to remain about the premises. All sanitary arrangements should be kept clean, anti the household privy fitted with a tightly fitting, fiv-proof lid. Horse and cow manure should he -lrequently swept up and deposited in a manure bin protected from flies by a suitable lid. Such manure should he removed at least once a week, and buried in the mu-den or field. Another method ot preventing the breeding oi dies m manure is of spraying with sutli a solution as coaltar, sheopMip, or with an emulsion 3 ot crude tar oil unci soap. Stables and cowsheds should he kept clean, all manure being removed at least twice a day. In the home no iood should he exposed to the attacks of .flies, and every endeavour should he made to kill them by the use of fly-traps, sticky papers, etc. A useful solution is to add an ounce of fomqilin to a pint ol water and milk, and expose m dishes about ihe rooms. , Remember—Flies spread disease. I> v carrying into persistent practice that Well-known slogan, "to swat the 11 v ” much can be done to reduce dnno-er to health from this source. All '“food-sin fls in the home or exposed for sale should he protected from»contamination from Hies Keniemhor, that Hies spend most o their lives in a very circumscribed neon, so that if postered with them it is probable that the breeding-ground is near at hand, and should he sought for and dealt with efficiently.