221 



convalesciug, ur tbe healthy "oanicr" oT lUiThtSiorin. scarlet fever, tuber- 

 culosis, piieninoiiia. tonsilitis, mumps, whooping-cough, measles, infantile 

 paralysis, eouuuou colds or other infectious diseases into the mouth of the 

 healthy, willing susceptible. 



The normal functioning of the body is absolutely dependent upon 

 abundant water Iteing furnished the system, and a deficiency leads to 

 general ill health and lowered resistance. Almndance of water is almost 

 as important as purity of water, i^ufficieut and attractive facilities as well 

 as clean water offered frou\ sanitai'v devices .should be furnished the public. 



The war against jiublic spitting has been vigorously and efficiently 

 waged for some time now and with undoubted good results. Just what the 

 relative importance of large masses of sputum thrown into the environ- 

 ment is when contrasted with saliva exchanges that take place in more 

 obvious and direct ways on things smeared either directly by the lips or by 

 the lingers moistened with saliva, I do not venture to state. Our epidemio- 

 logical evidence and our laboratory findings seem to be opposed to the 

 theory that disease is ^ery generallv spread through the medium of the 

 air. Sputum thrown upon the sidewalk or in the hotel lobby drys slowly 

 as a rule and tends to adhere to the surface upon which it is dried. The 

 dryness, light, time and other factors are germicidal and the disease germ.'j 

 present, especially, tend to quickly perish. Saliva deposited on food by the 

 cook or waiter, on pencils exchanged b.A- children in school, on street-car 

 checks b.\- (-(jnductors, on soda glasses, trolley straps, the leaves of books 

 and a multitude of things that we come in contact with in the daily routine 

 seems to find a more direct route and gives ample room for explaining 

 obscure endemic cases of disease of the respiratory tract. For my part, I 

 had rather \vd\e the car conductor spit on the floor than deposit a lesser 

 amount on the check he hands me. I believe it is high time our anti- 

 spitting league took on a new, broader work and began an anti-saliva cam- 

 paign. Spitting may, and undoubtedly does spread disease. It is a vile 

 habit and should be prohibited. The campaign against it will raise th>'' 

 public opinion of cleanliness and civic responsil>ility and will tend to im 

 prove the sanitary tone of a community. 



The phenomenon of improved municipal health following the substitu- 

 tion of a pure or purified water supply, for a itolluted supply is too common 

 to need illustration. Other sanitary improvements, as installation of a 

 proper sewage or garl)age disposal plant or a clean milk campaign, like- 



