498 MAN CONTROLS HIS ENVIRONMENT FOR HEALTH 



cities require that every room in a modern apartment, except the 

 bathroom, must have at least ninety square feet of floor area, that 

 every room must have one outside window, and that at least 

 twenty per cent of a lot (except a corner lot) should not be built 

 upon. 



In certain city tenements tuberculosis is believed to have been 

 spread by people occupying rooms in which a previous tenant had 

 tuberculosis. A new tenant should insist on a thorough cleaning 

 of all the rooms and removal of old wall paper before occupancy. 



Practical Exercise 25. Why should we have rugs in our bedroom instead of 

 carpets? How would you clean your bedroom? If you use the room for 

 study as well as sleeping, draw a plan for the arrangement of furniture and 

 give reasons for its disposal. Show how you would get the best ventilatior 

 for sleeping. 



Sunlight is of great importance to health. Every home should 

 have sunlight for a part of the day at least in its living and sleeping 

 rooms. Sunlight is still the greatest germicide we know. 



A student lamp, or shaded incandescent light, should be used 

 for reading, so that the eyes are protected from direct light. Gas 

 is a dangerous servant, because it contains carbon monoxide. 

 It has been estimated that fourteen per cent of the total product 

 of the gas plant leaks into the streets and houses of the cities sup- 

 plied. This forms an unseen menace to health in cities. 



Practical Exercise 26. Contrast indirect- and direct-lighting systems in 

 your home from the standpoint of efficiency and protection of your eyes. 



Care of food in the home. Although we can buy many foods 

 in sealed packages, much of our food is exposed to the handling of 

 people who may be careless. Vegetables and meats are too often 

 exposed to dust, dirt, and handling. Raw fruits and vegetables 

 should be carefully washed before being eaten. 



In the summer, our houses should be provided with screens. All 

 food should be carefully protected from flies. Dirty dishes, scraps 

 of food, and garbage should be quickly cleaned up and disposed of 

 after a meal. 



Carelessness in dishwashing may mean the spreading of disease. 

 Dr. Broadhurst of Teachers College, New York, learned, through a 

 series of tests with several hundred glasses and cups smeared with 



