584 TROPICAL HYGIENE, SANITAl^ION, ETC. 



daily, or an amount equal to that contained in about four ounces of 

 whisky or brandy. 



Mineral Waters. 



Soda water contains little or no soda at all, but carbon dioxide gas. 



It is useful for some invalids. 



Lemonade from fresh limes, not the chemically made article, is a 

 refreshing beverage. 



Commercial articles contain saccharin which has a sweet taste, but 

 no nutritive value. It is a drug and not a food, and is forbidden in 

 the United States except for medicinal purposes. Sugar is not desir- 

 able as a substitute in these instances because it would ferment. 



Saponin is a hjemol^ytic poison which is used in drinks and should 

 be prohibited. This produces the "head " so well known in beers. 



Gum arabic could be substituted, but why should a " head " be 

 required at all ? 



Coal tar colouring matters are sometimes used, some of which are 

 poisonous. 



SANITATION. * 



REFUSE, ITS COLLECTION, REMOVAL AND DISPOSAL. 



An outline only of this subject is attempted here. 



The systems to be adopted vary according to the population, the 

 nature of the surrounding country and the local tribes for which 

 provision is to be made. 



A medical ofificer is often placed where there is no legal enforce- 

 ment of hygienic measures, and he must adopt that system, most 

 hygienic, which the particular people with whom he has to deal are 

 prepared to use. 



All waste products and refuse decompose much more rapidly in 

 the tropics, and must be removed and disposed of daily. This consists 

 of domestic refuse, human excreta, solid and liquid, slop water, animal 

 excreta and waste. 



In large towns sewers are in existence for dealing with human 

 excreta, but in villages and small towns manual labour is required for 

 its removal and disposal. 



The amount to be removed is one and a half times as much for 

 tropical natives as for Europeans, the latter being largelv meat eaters 

 and the former vegetable feeders. For each vegetable feeder one could 

 estimate as a maximum 8 ounces (225 grm.) of solids and 40 ounces 

 (ri2 litres) of liquid excreta per man per diem, or if ablution water is 

 to be included 80 ounces (2*25 litres) of liquids. Hence for 1,000 

 people there would be 500 lb. (226 k.) of solids and 500 gallons 

 (2"268 litres) of liquids to be removed daily. 



