114 MASSACHUSETTS HORTICULTURAL SOCIETT. 



colors were due to the presence of volcaDic dust in the higher 

 regions of the atmosphere. 



Mrs. H. L. T. Wolcott remarked that while Mrs. Richards was 

 speaking, she had been much exercised in her mind by consider- 

 ing, in connection with what the lecturer said, the condition of 

 the Society's building, and also the relation which the statemenis 

 made bore to domestic housekeeping. She thought one might as 

 well die of bacteria as in an insane asylum, to which excessive 

 care in housekeeping led. Some years ago a family in Dedham 

 were attacked with diphtheria, which proved fatal to four out of 

 five children. Xo other person than the tired mother could be 

 found who would take care of them, for love or money. As she 

 had two or three grandchildren, her family were very fearful that 

 they might take the disease, if she helped to care for these child- 

 ren. She did it however, but after learing the sick-rooms for 

 home she took long walks and shook her clothing thoroughly in 

 the open air. None of her family took the disease then, but long 

 after that time she was stricken down with it, and one of her 

 grandchildren also. The physician who attended them wished to 

 look over the house to see if he could discover the cause of their 

 sickness. The cause was plainly ^'i8ible, as it came from neglect 

 of sanitary conditions in that locality, in respect to wells, vaults, 

 and cesspools. Therefore the speaker thought that people who 

 thus cause diphtheria to be developed in their own or neighboring 

 families should be indicted for criminal neglect. "While, however, 

 it continues to be the fashion to use heav}' curtains, stuffed furni- 

 ture, and velvet carpets in our houses, the penalty must be paid. 

 Therefore it is only by incessant labor and watchfulness on the 

 part of the housekeeper of today that the consequent multiplica- 

 tion of these [jestilent microscopic plant and animal germs can 

 be rendered harmless. 



Mr. "Ware said that he had felt as Mrs. Wolcott did, that life 

 would hardly be worth living if one thought that he was in con- 

 stant danger from bacteria and must spend his life in fighting 

 them. London has been supposed to be the smokiest, dirtiest 

 city in the world, yet medical authorities consider it the safest 

 place in the world for amputations. 



Mrs. Wolcott asked if London really is the dirtiest city in the 

 world. When she was there she found the streets cleaner than 

 were the floors of some public buildings. The dust was removed 



