wacneal] WHAT TEACHERS MAY DO 39 



The syphilitic of modern times, however, with a disease no less 

 contagious at certain stages of its course, mingles in society, and 

 in the mart, drinking from our public fonts, wiping his face and 

 hands upon our roller towels, using public conveniences in the 

 toilet rooms of our public buildings and railways. He never 

 raises a warning hand and his own family may not know of his 

 revolting "uncleanness." In some cases the infected individual 

 even subjects members of his own household to the dangers of 

 infection. Thousands of innocent people, right-living men, 

 women, and little children, come in contact with the virus and 

 get an infection which may ruin the health and happiness for all 

 the future. 



But this is too dark a picture; let us put it aside and try to- 

 forget it. However, let us not forget to warn every youth to 

 observe every precaution in the use of public facilities of every 

 kind. 



Fortunately, the rules of sanitation necessary to observe 

 with respect to accidental infection with the virus of veneral dis- 

 eases are general rules applicable to many other contagious dis- 

 eases. Not too much emphasis should be laid upon the danger 

 of catching venereal diseases from the use of public utensils and 

 facilities. Venereal diseases should be simply mentioned as one 

 of the possibilities. 



Personal association with lewd and unclean people is an 

 incomparably greater source of danger and every boy and every 

 girl should know of the danger. 



WHAT TEACHERS MAY DO TO PROMOTE PERSONAL HYGIENE AND 



PUBLIC HEALTH 



By Dr. W. J. MACNEAL, Assistant Chief in Bacteriology, Agricultural Experiment 



Station, University of Illinois 

 i . School building and grounds should be kept in as nearly- 

 ideal condition as possible. Particular attention to cleanliness 

 in the toilet rooms, water closets as clean and wholesome as 

 any in the best homes of the community, provision for clean 

 cups for drinking water, — proper attention to these things will 

 yield a valuable return in the physical, mental and moral devel- 

 opment of the pupils. 



2. The physical well-being of the pupils must receive at- 

 tention. Defects of the eyes and of the throat may be discov- 

 ered by the watchful teacher when they have escaped the atten- 



