HEALTH NOTES.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXIX, Issue 5351, 14 November 1928, Page 1

HEALTH NOTES.

dlsease-carrying house FLY. METHODS OF CONTROL. (Contributed by the Department cf Health.) With the advqnt of summer must be considered that most common of a,ll household pests, the house fly, its life cycles habits, methods of control, anfd relationship to- disease-. This insect is undoubtedly the commonest and most widely-spread of all insects ; and when fly-c.ontrol methods are; net carried out thene is a great upward rise in the curve of its prevalence during warm summer weather. The structure of the fly is familiar to all. It has one pair, of wiPigS. The frejnt of its head is occupied almost entirely by a pair of large, compound eyes. Bach of these compound qyes is c,ompose4 of about four thousand faceted individual eyes, anld so, the insect is provided with a, wide range of vision. The head also carries the “proboscis,” or, as itj is familiarly callqd, the tongue. This proboscis represents the very much modified nroutlh parts of jaws qf other insects, and is wholly adapted to sucking. The common house fly 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 ini a state of rest, the proboscis is carried bent up in the inside of the lower part of the head, but when the the fly alights on food the proboscis, of “tqngue,” is protruded. It has a, thorax or chest, abdome-n, and three pairs of legs. The terminal segments of the legs are so constructed that the fly can crawl or, very smqoth surfaces, and can progress without difficulty ip, an upsidedown( position along ceilings.

They ar ( e extremely prolific. The Adult female lays eggs, and) will deposit about 100 to 120 at each laying, and will repeat the performance about four to six times, in qne season, so that one female fly may lay anything up to 680 or so eggs in one season, These eggs arq usually .deposited in positions that are favourable to their development. The site most commonly c.hosen is in horse manure, but t|he eggs may be 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 pearly-whiite in, colour. *ln suitable conditions as to bempqrathire and moisture these eggs may hatch out in from eight to twen|ty-four hours into definite larval stage, but in unfavourable surroundings the hatchings may require four days. 1 HABITS. The fly is a constant guest at -our tables, sipping thq milk, tasting the sugar, an;d nqxt minute may be tickling its palate with a dainty morsel from a nearby ash-tint or stable. It may be feeding on the most indescribable filth, and next moment be buzzing round the kitchen. Flies arp always most numerous where filth abounds, and the number qf flies present is in some measure a criterion, of the sanitary conditions. ” SPREAD DISEASE. Flies may spread disease in more; than one way. The germs of disease may adhere to the body or legs of the fly and may be deposited on its next resting-place. Thus disease; germs may be carried direct. They mlay also absorb disease germs in| their fqod, and these germs may live some considerable. time in t|h.e alimentary tract of thq fly. These germs may thqn be deposited on its next resting-place either by regurgitation or vomiting, qr in its excreta. Sb it is not to be wondered at that flies a l i'e implicated in thet spread of diseases like; typhoid fever, epidlemic diarrhoea, dysentery, etc,. It is considered that flies may spread the infection; in summer of fever, diarrhoeja, which is such a serious disease in children. CONTROL METHODS.

The presence of the house fly in! ° ur dwellings is often submitted to as' An irritating but an inevitable nuisance ; yet many certain remedial measures would almost exterminate this insect. The first essential of conjtrol is to remove the possible breeding grounds, and' to control adequately those that cannot be immediately regnbved. Accumulations of decaying vegetables, dirty paper, kitchen and table refuse, should not be allowed to remain about the premises. AIL sanitary arrangements should be kept c,lean, and tihq household! privy fitted with a flyproof lid. Horse And cow manure should be frequently swept up and. deposited ip a manure bin protected from flies by a suitable lid. Such manure should be removed at least once a week and buried) in the gardepi or field. Another method of preventing the breeding of flies in manure is to spray with such a solution as coal-tar, sheep dip, or with an emulsion of crude tar oil and soap. Stables and cowsheds should be kept clean, all manure beinjg removed! at least twice a day. In the; home food should be exposed to the attacks of flies, and every endeavour* should be made to kill them by the u se 'of fly traps, sticky papers, etjc. Ai useful solution is to add an ounce of formalin c.n a pint of watetr amd milk and expose in disihes about tl )e rooms. Remember—flies spread disease. By carrying into persistent pracjtic© that well-known) slogan, “Swat tihat fly.’” much can be done to reduce danger to health frqm this source. 'All foodstuffs in the home or expose id for sale should be, protected from c ontamipation from flies. Remember that flies spend mqpt of their lives in a very circumscribed area, so tl iat if pestered with them it is pi -obable that th© breeding ground is r tear at hand,