358 BIOLOGY AND HUMAN LIFE 



too, there are visiting nurses, ambulance service, and public hos- 

 pitals, all helping to keep down the amount of sickness and to 

 reduce the suffering. 



Licenses are required of physicians, dentists, druggists, nurses, 

 and midwives. Rules are provided to guard against the trans- 

 mission of disease by barbers, manicurists, and masseurs. 



The keeping of animals within the city limits — dogs and cats 

 as well as horses, cows, pigs, and poultry — is regulated for pre- 

 venting the multiplication and spread of bacteria. In many 

 cities dogs must be muzzled ; this plan must in time eliminate 

 all rabies from towns, since this disease is transmitted by the 

 bites of dogs. The disposal of dead animals is also regulated. 



In all up-to-date communities, spitting in public places and 

 using public towels are prohibited. Street cars, boats, and other 

 public conveyances must be kept thoroughly clean and sanitary. 

 In many towns provision is made for baths that are either en- 

 tirely free for all to use or are open for a nominal fee. 



For the purpose of enabling the public to measure from time 

 to time the progress made in matters of health, population, etc., 

 many states and cities require the registration of all births as 

 well as of all deaths, and the notification of the health authori- 

 ties in every case of communicable disease. An example of 

 progress in regulating health conditions is shown graphically in 

 Fig. 1 66. In general it may be said that the best index of the 

 health conditions in any community is to be found in the infant 

 death rate, that is, the number of babies under one year of age 

 who die out of every thousand born each year (see table, p. 374). 



272. Prohibitive regulations. We can no longer say, ''I 

 have a right to eat or drink what I like." Of course it is no one's 

 business if I prefer ice cream to apple dumpling, but in the case 

 of drugs and intoxicants the question is one of protecting people 

 from their own ignorance or from vicious habits and customs. 



The conditions that have made it necessary for the public to 

 undertake the regulation of water and food supplies have also 

 made it necessary for the public to undertake the regulation of 

 the sale of drugs. All people are interested in their health, and 



