xx PUBLIC HEALTH AND PERSONAL HYGIENE 307 



Many kinds of furnaces have been invented for the 

 purpose of burning garbage. 



None of these methods seems to be entirely satisfac- 

 tory, but it is hoped that the time will soon come when 

 every city in the land will dispose of its garbage in a 

 sanitary and, at the same time, economical way. 



216. Cleanliness. The one important condition of 

 public health is cleanliness. Health demands not only 

 clean air, clean, pure water, clean, wholesome, unadul- 

 terated foods, but, in addition to these, clean streets and 

 alleys, clean public buildings and parks, clean private 

 residences and yards, and cleanliness of person and 

 clothing. 



The streets must be cleaned, sprinkled, and lighted 

 in order to keep them in good sanitary condition. 

 Every city employs men to sweep the streets and re- 

 move the rubbish that collects on them from time to 

 time. The city of New York paid over $8,000,000 in 

 1900 to sweep, clean, and light its streets, and employed 

 about thirty-six hundred men to do this work. Boston 

 paid about one fourth that sum for a similar purpose. 



The health departments make a careful inspection of 

 all private yards, barns, and residences, and see that 

 they are kept in a clean and wholesome condition all 

 the time. In this matter public intelligence can do 

 much to maintain good sanitary surroundings. We 

 must remember that disease germs and filth of all kinds 

 are closely associated, and therefore the only way to 

 ward off diseases is to insist upon cleanliness in all 

 respects. 



