RURAL SANITATION. 



HY WARD GILTNER. 



It will not be wortli our while to enter upon a lengthy discussion of tlie 

 subject of rural sanitation unless there exists a real need for better 

 sanitarA" eo-nditions in rural communities. That such a need exists is 

 attested by the recent widespread interest in the matter by men and 

 women in various walks of life. To fully appreciate rural conditions as 

 regards sanitation, one must have had broad experience in isolated rural 

 life followed or preceded by the contrast furnished by well organized 

 community life and to make one's perspective truer some time must have 

 been spent also in the congested city districts. To such a one there 

 comes the realization of the certainty that, while the country should and 

 may be the ideal place in which to live and to rear a family, it frequently 

 isn't. It is said that "God made the country, man made the city and 

 the devil made the small town." We are finding considerable evidence 

 of late to substantiate a belief that man has done at times the best job. 



The need for the dissemination of knowledge on sanitation in rural 

 communities is great and pressing, but I am afraid the need is greater 

 than the demand. 



That the country at its best a^jproaches nearest tlie ideal for life I 

 have no doubt and that we will be able to put it at its best by ])ersistence 

 and patience I liave equally little doubt. The selection of the j)roper 

 material to present and the selection of the method to employ and the 

 men to present it and employ it is a great problem. It is not an easy 

 task to convince the rural housewife that physical or niciitai inefficiency, 

 disease or death in her precious household are largely ])revental)lf and 

 exist only because her ignorance, unbelief or inactivity permit ; or to show 

 her worthy husband that the welfare of the livestock in his barns is a 

 matter quite within his control and that the presence or absence of in- 

 fectious diseases in his stock is an index of his intelligence and spirit 

 of ))r()gress. It will require a great deal of tact to get even a hearilig. 

 to say nothing of accom])lis]iing the aim in view. 



Before launching out on a missionary campaign designed to carry the 

 gospel of better, safer living to the good sturdy country people, it is 

 well to pause and analyze the gospel that is to be preached. Let us 

 see if our doctrine is sound and assure ourselves that our ])recepts can be 



lltth Mich. Acad. Sci. Kept., liMT. 



