HEALTH CONDITIONS 



coal, or timber. No doubt our greatest 

 national loss and waste lies in disease and 

 reduced bodily efficiency of the citizens of 

 the Republic. 



The sanitary condition of the open coun- 

 try is also of the greatest importance to 

 the city and the town. From the country 

 are derived water, milk, and nearly all the 

 food consumed in the cities. The condi- 

 tion of these supplies is of the greatest con- 

 sequence to every person living in an 

 urban community. As society becomes 

 better organized, every member of it bears 

 increasing responsibilities toward the other 

 members. Therefore there is a distinct 

 brotherhood responsibility on the part of 

 the country toward the healthfulness of 

 urban regions ; and a no less reciprocal re- 

 sponsibility on the part of the city toward 

 the country. 



I do not know whether the health condi- 

 tions of the country are worse than those 

 of the city; I make no comparison what- 

 ever as between -rural and urban communi- 

 ties. I mean only to state what some of 

 the country conditions are. 

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