HEALTH ON THE FARM 67 



labor, and exposure to the vicissitudes of weather favor 

 also the lodgment of the germ of tuberculosis in the 

 lungs or other parts of the body and encourage its speedy 

 and vigorous growth. The poorly ventilated sleeping- 

 rooms of the winter add a contribution to the breaking 

 down of the farmer's health. The cooking in many 

 farm houses is far from the best and this adds to the 

 tendency to acquire disease. The soggy bread, made 

 quickly from baking powder, in which the starch has 

 been only lightly changed, helps to increase dyspepsia 

 and its attendant evils. Denied the privileges of the 

 bathroom and toilet, he does not give proper attention 

 to the insistent needs of promptly disposing of the 

 wastes of the body. 



The general disregard of the requirements of good 

 sanitation often leads to an infected water supply. The 

 spring is contaminated with the offal of pigs and chick- 

 ens. The well is polluted with surface drainage and 

 the cistern is foul with the debris of the roof. These 

 are the shadows which rest upon the neglected farm 

 house, the cabin of the tenant and the shack of the 

 laborer. In the city the health officer looks after the 

 water and food supply, certifies the milk and sees that 

 the garbage and ash man attend to the back yard. The 

 man with typhoid and the child with measles are segre- 

 gated. The dictates of sound sanitation are heeded. 

 The water is freed from typhoid germs by sand filtra- 

 tion. The people are instructed respecting the venti- 

 lation of the sleeping rooms. Reasonably effective safe- 

 guards protect the citizen from wandering diseases or 

 local epidemics. It is true, of course, that many coun- 

 try homes are properly safeguarded. It is likewise 

 true that many cities are poorly protected. I have 

 pictured only types which are commonly met. No 



