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no cases were they found to be suffering from any
disease communicable to man, and in no case was
the xenopsylla cheopis, or the rat flea, which is
the vector of plague in the tropics, found.
(7) Sinks. In a great many houses sinks
made of Yorkshire stone have been found, many
of which were untrapped. The rough stone, however
useful it may be for sharpening knives, its
use as a sink is unwise. The surface is rough,
and, in a very short time, the uneven bottom
allows water to accumulate in it. The roughened
projections and depressions afford an excellent
hold for decomposing fats and all kinds of
bacteria. It is desirable that these sinks should
be abolished, and their place, taken by glazed
stoneware sinks.
(8) Flies. Although the presence of flies in
a dwelling house cannot be said to render that
dwelling house insanitary, yet in effect it does.
During last summer flies were not greatly
in evidence on account of the low atmospheric
temperature, but, if we are to enjoy any degree
of immunity from these pests, active steps will
have to be taken in the quick removal of household
refuse, the removal of dung and the removal
of trade refuse in those trades in which animal
matter enters. Some interesting points were
observed in connection with this subject during
last summer. As is well known, the breeding
places preferred by the musca domestica, or
common house fly and the homalomyia canicularis
or lesser house fly are dung heaps, stable refuse,
and the like, and their play-grounds are domestic
dwelling houses. The dangers of the fly are, of
course, too well-known to be recapitulated here,
but the point we wished to draw attention to was
the possibility of dwelling houses becoming
infested by the protocalliphora groenlandica, or