AMERICAN WAR ON FLIES.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXI, Issue 26, 15 September 1911, Page 7

AMERICAN WAR ON FLIES.

OFFICIAL CAMPAIGN

The Public Health authorities at Washington have formally planned a campaign against the domestic house fly, and it is now being waged through out the United States (writes an Am crican correspondent). “Americans/ ■said Hr Wiley, of the Health Depart raent, “have swatted , the , mpsquitt and other pests, and it, is high ,tirm wo swatted the housefly, ,one qf, the greatest distributors of disease in mod ' era times. - ’ It is, surprising to gec representative citizens wearing .badges, inscribed “Swat the, fly,” and illustrations in the big newspapers ol a housefly magnified a hundred times wiping liis feet, laden with disease germs, upon articles of food. In scores of towns prizes have been offered by the newspapers for the greatest success in the war of extermination, and there is a competition on here now, which has enlisted the services of thousands of fly-lighters throughout the city. Hr. Murray, oi the Health Department, reported, to the week ending a recent Saturday, that the twenty-five leaders in the contest killed 641,150 flies, and the roll of honour included twelve girls and thirteen boys, their ages ranging between ton and fifteen.

t • ’ I : • Dr Murray says: “We are within reach of a flyless age,” and he calls attention to the number of traps which have now been devised for exterminating the pest. The most success ful is a fan-shaped wire “swatter,” which does not crush the insect out. but liills and retains the victims until they are removed. Children find that using the swatter affords more sport than sticky paper and arsenical poisons. Pouring boiling water on flies attracted |by sugar is also verj successful., Lay toil Burdette, aged 13, who heads the’ list of competitors this week, has alone swatted 82,600, being ./han. his. nearest competitor. Some children are working as a syndicate; but Burdette, with scores of , traps, is working alone to earn a priz,e ti o£ £SO. After.the flies are killed they/ are delivered to the Health Department and, officially counted by Dr Murray’s assistants, who use gill measures holding 1600 flies. One result of educating the public regarding the danger of the housefly is that Americans are now avoiding restaurants and shops where the house--11 v is Seen.,