THE HOUSE-FLY AS A CARRIER OF CONTAGION.

Thames Star, Volume XIV, Issue 4470, 3 May 1883, Page 3

THE HOUSE-FLY AS A CARRIER OF CONTAGION.

This subject, which has attracted Rome attention of late, was discussed by Dr Thomas Taylor, of Washington, at the Montreal meeting of the A . A. A.S. Having noticed a species of anguillula within the proboscis and abdomen of dissected flies, he undertook a series of experiments to determine whether the house-fly might not be a carrier and distributor of germinal virus of various kinds. The suction tube of the;fly was found hy measurement to be of 'sufficient diameter to admit of taking up the spores of cryptogams, trichina, the eggs of anguillula, or even the anguillula themselves. Thirteen specimens of anguillula were found in the proboscis of a siagle house<fly, and sixteen acari in the. thorax of another. Furthermore, flies fed with the spores of a red rust of grasses, mixed with sugar, swallowed it freely, and also carries about t^e spores attached to the hairs on their limbs; The fact that by far the greater part of the spores were consumed, and digested without germinating, suggested to. the author that the flies might thus be destroyers of microscopic germs as well as disseminators of them. Dr. Leidy made similar observations some years ago.