hat are eaten in an
uncooked state, if infected by flies, through cooked foods infected by
flies after the process of cooking, through drinking water which has
been infected by flies, and through milk similarly infected. Fruits are
especially likely to be infected by the small fruit fly commonly found
around markets and stands. Fish may be infected by flies, and in
consequence will undergo rapid decomposition. Decomposition caused in
this way has resulted in many cases of diarrhea and dysentery. What is
commonly known as fly speck is the excreta of the fly, and frequently
contains virulent disease germs. These specks are often found on
foodstuffs that have not been properly protected.

Transmission of disease may also occur by the infection of open wounds
through contact with infected flies. This is true of all pus formation
in wounds. The simple contact of a fly infected with the disease may
cause Oriental plague, sore eyes, and possibly granular eyelids. A fly
infected with dysentery or typhoid fever may cause either of these
diseases by simply coming in contact with the lips of susceptible
persons.

The fly in the house should be relentlessly pursued and destroyed. The
house which is carefully screened and protected from flies is infinitely
safer than one not so protected. In the spring of the year the house fly
begins to take on life. Eggs which were laid the preceding fall begin to
hatch. At first the fly is only a little worm wriggling in some pile of
filth. The eggs are usually laid and the grub developed in a manure pile
or some mass of garbage or other filth. Before the grub develops into
the fly it is easily destroyed. If everything in and about the house
were kept scrupulously clean, and if every manure pile were kept
carefully screened or covered so as to protect it from flies, there
would be no difficulty in preventing the fly nuisance. The most
effective way to accomplish this is to destroy the breeding places. The
importance of this may be seen when it is considered that one fly
produces one hundred and twenty-five millions or more of its kind in one
season.

Stables.--Manure is by far the commonest material in which the fly
lays her eggs. All stables should be kept scrupulously clean. No manure
should be allowed to accumulate where it will be exposed to flies for
even a few minutes. Immediately after it is dropped by an animal, it
should be removed and covered. Manure may be treated with considerable