WAR ON THE FLY
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR]
have read the article on the Sanitary Inspector in your issue of June 3rd with interest and some astonishment. You mention among the beneficent activities of the inspector his efforts to prevent the breeding of mosquitoes and the sale of infected food ; and you lay stress on the importance of pure food in the maintenance of health. Yet I find not one reference to anything the inspector does about the house-fly, the great food contaminator.
The Americans are far ahead of us in this matter. They have long been " fly-conscious." We English, with our love of fresh air, keep our windows wide open all the year round. In summer we literally keep open house for flies. The American is just as fond of fresh air as we are, but he knows the danger of flies, so although he keeps his windows just as wide open as we do, he carefully screens them. If he sees even one fly in his house he goes after it with a " swatter." He comes to England and sees our indifference to these pests. He sees in country districts farmyards surrounded by resi- dences, and finds that no efforts are being made to prevent the flies 'from breeding in the farmyards and flying into the open windows of the residences. He sees food exposed in butchers' and fishmongers' shops for flies and dust to settle on. Is it to be wondered at that he finds it hard to believe we are in earnest about our• Campaign for National Fitness ?-
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