FIFTEENTH ANNUAL YEAR BOOK— PART IV 287 



WOMEN AND CHILDREN'S BUILDING. 



No finer accommodations for women and children are provided any- 

 where than the new building at the Iowa fair. Cool, airy, quiet rest 

 rooms; clean, sanitary arrangements, splendid playgrounds and nursery 

 for the little ones, where they are much better cared for than being 

 dragged about among the exhibits; model rural school room, excel- 

 lent art exhibit, quarters for the traveling library commission, health 

 exhibit, occupying much floor and wall space. These are only some 

 of the departments housed in this beautiful building. 



The health exhibit is one of the seven belonging to the State uni- 

 versity and constantly in use throughout the state. It presents warn- 

 ings against flies, patent medicines and insanitary practices in a clear, 

 comprehensive manner. One of the most striking things in this 

 department is the bell that tolls every two and one-half minutes, each 

 toll representing one death from tuberculosis, most of these deaths 

 being preventable. The graphic manner in which the process of 

 securing testimonials by fraudulent patent medicine concerns is pic- 

 tured in another impressive feature of this exhibit. 



The baby health contest is housed in ideal quarters in the Women's 

 building. The interested audiences are accommodated in the audi- 

 torium, from which they view the examinations going on in the glass- 

 walled room, where the babies are undisturbed by the outside noises, 

 which are deadened by the walls. The light is good, the ventilation 

 cared for, arrangements being made by which the air is kept pure, but 

 no drafts are admitted. There is even a fireplace, which was of service 

 in keeping the temperature right during some of the cool days of the 

 week. Mrs. Mary T. Watts, with her corps of assistants, managed the 

 baby contest with a smoothness acquired by a number of years' ex- 

 perience and facilitated by the spacious and well arranged quarters 

 prepared for this important department. 



SWINE DEPARTMENT. 



In numbers the hog show was not up to the average, although more 

 hogs were in the pens than last year. At least two factors were in a 

 measure responsible for the decrease in the usual attendance. All 

 hogs shown at this fair are required to be vaccinated. Some breeders 

 won't vaccinate, consequently cannot show. In many places cholera 

 last fall and winter was very prevalent and without doubt many 

 showmen did not have the pigs to show on this account. 



POLAND CHINA HOGS. 



The Poland China show was, in at least one respect, different from 

 all previous Iowa state fairs. It was a big type show. The hot blood 

 was not there. The ribbons were tied by C. A. Marker, of Tolona, 111., 

 who gave good general satisfaction. 



The aged boars in this division were certainly very attractive. It 

 never before has been our privilege to see such size and quality. They 

 were big, still smooth, with fine backs and with practically perfect 



