xx PUBLIC HEALTH AND PERSONAL HYGIENE 301 



211. Public Intelligence. While every city and town 

 is making an effort to maintain good sanitary conditions 

 through its officers appointed expressly for that pur- 

 pose, it cannot protect the public as it should without 

 the hearty support and constant cooperation of its 

 citizens. Not only should they see that their officers 

 perform the duties assigned, but they should keep them 

 informed as to dangerous or unsanitary conditions in any 

 portion of the town and city. 



Every good citizen should be informed on questions 

 of public health, should know the dangers of unhygienic 

 and unsanitary surroundings, and should be willing to 

 lend his support to all movements that tend to protect 

 the health and safety of the community. Ignorant per- 

 sons are often unwilling to cooperate with the organized 

 efforts for better sanitation, and for that reason it is 

 almost impossible to check contagious diseases when 

 they occur among them. When all people become in- 

 telligent on matters pertaining to public health and 

 general sanitation, and live up to their knowledge, com- 

 municable diseases will be unknown, public health and 

 safety will be increased, and human life prolonged by 

 many years. The hope of our nation lies in the intelli- 

 gence of the rising generation. 



212. Foods. In every city an effort is made to in- 

 spect all food products offered for sale. In New York 

 there are about four hundred experts employed by the 

 city who devote their entire time to the inspection and 

 examination of meats, fish, milk, vegetables, and fruits. 

 If any stale, diseased, impure, or otherwise unwholesome 



