CHAPTER X 



THE JUSTIFICATION OF EXPENDITURE OF MONEY AND 

 ENERGY 



ORGANISED fly-reduction is a matter of money. The 

 question arises whether the expenditure of the annual 

 sum required is likely to be justified by the results 

 obtained. This in its turn depends on the way in 

 which the work is carried out. Theoretically, it is 

 justifiable to spend as large a sum as can be afforded 

 by the public funds if the improved health of the com- 

 munity is obtained thereby. Public health is the 

 greatest boon which can be conferred on the com- 

 munity, and it would appear that almost any sacrifice 

 would be justified to obtain it. But practically it has 

 been found that the term " Public Health " is a vague 

 one, and that the public will not be satisfied with a 

 vague term as a dividend for funds expended. If 

 public money is expended on any sanitary work, 

 whether it is fly-reduction or mosquito-reduction, or 

 other means of preventing disease, some tangible result 

 will be asked for sooner or later. 



Municipalities, urban or rural district councils, will 

 often spend considerable sums of money raised by 

 and dependent on local taxation upon schemes which 

 bring in little or no return and which are sometimes a 

 perpetual burden on the district. Sooner or later 

 questions will be asked about such schemes and the 



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