1170 Journal of Applied Microscopy 



" At the end of five days we examined the tubes and found that the two tubes, 

 one sterilized by heat and the other by poison, were perfectly clean, while the 

 other had a large colony growing. From this I infer that corrosive sublimate 

 and the heat killed the bacteria." 



We are fortunate in possessing a hundred copies of " The Story of Bacteria " 

 and a like number of " Dust and its Dangers " by Dr. T. M. Prudden. These 

 books were loaned to the 192 pupils who were studying the subject, and about 

 one-fourth of the chapters w^ere assigned for text-book lessons. One may judge 

 of the interest in this study by the following figures : When the books were 

 returned it was found that 103 pupils had read the whole book; that the books 

 had been read by 197 parents or friends of the pupils; and that various topics 

 in bacteriology had been discussed in over half of the homes. 



The practical applications of the subject were brought out in discussion of a 

 list of questions from which the following are selected : 



1. From all your experiments state — 



a. What conditions seem to favor the growth of bacteria ? 

 />. What conditions seem to hinder the growth of bacteria ? 



2. Why are fruits cooked before canning? 



3. Why should fruit jars be filled completely before screwing on the cover ? 



4. Why is grass dried before putting it in the barn ? 



5. Why are milk, meat, etc., put in the refrigerator in summer time? 



6. Why should the prohibition against spitting in public places be rigidly 



enforced ? 



7. Why should sweeping be done as far as possible without raising a dust ? 



8. Why are hard wood floors more healthful than carpets ? 



9. Why should the teeth be brushed often ? 



10. Why should the refuse be removed from the streets every morning early, 



especially in summer time ? 



11. Why should sink drains be carefully inspected ? 



12. Why should wounds be carefully cleansed and dressed at once ? 



13. Why are typhoid fever, diphtheria, and other infectious diseases often 



best treated in hospitals ? 

 The tables of the New York Board of Health give figures and charts which 

 serve to clinch the argument in favor of good city housekeeping. The pupils 

 copied into their note-books the following figures giving the annual death-rate 

 per thousand of the population in New York City, 188G to 1896 inclusive: 



1886, 25.99 1891, 26.31 



1887, 26.32 1892, 25.95 



1888, 26.39 1893, 25.30 



1889, 25.32 1894, 22.76 



1890, 24.87 1895, 23.11 

 1896, 21.52 (first part of year). 



There was little need to suggest that the sudden decrease in death-rate in 1894 

 and in succeeding years was doubtless due in no small measure to the efficiency 

 of the Street Cleaning Department organized and directed by the late Col. 

 Waring. 



