HEALTH ON THE FARM 59 



come from a fatuous reliance on so-called patent medi- 

 cines. It is true the country doctor is not a specialist, 

 but he is a mentor, a guide and a healer of greater skill 

 than many a city physician. He is trustworthy and 

 effective in all ordinary diseases. He knows also where 

 to send his patient for removal of the appendix or any 

 capital operation involving a vital organ. The farmer 

 is not without the means of good medical service when 

 he needs it, but even in the case of a devoted family he 

 misses the helpful ministration of the trained nurse. 



While certain diseases thus show a greater frequency 

 in some of the states in rural communities, upon the 

 whole the death rate from all causes is lower in the coun- 

 try than in the city in all the states reported by the cen- 

 sus except in 'New York. 



The children on the farm are better nourished as a 

 rule than city children. They have more " whole 

 foods " from which the tissue building materials have 

 not been all removed. They have whole cereal products 

 which nourish especially the bones and the teeth. They 

 have at least plenty of skim milk containing practically 

 all the tissue building materials of the body. They 

 have fruits and vegetables which have not been dena- 

 tured in preparing them for the table. They live 

 largely out of doors and go barefoot and plunge daily 

 into the " old swimmin' hole." 



The child in the country is at a greater disadvantage 

 than his father, if he falls ill. The country doctor is 

 certainly not a specialist in children's diseases. But a 

 consulting pediatrist may be easily called from the city 

 in emergencies. The country boy at least has good 

 teeth if he be taught the use of the brush. By reason 

 of the lime and phosphorus he has eaten, he is blessed 

 with strong, hard, resistant teeth, which with cleanliness 



