36 



THE UTILITY OF FORESTS. 



The Forest in Its. Relation to Health. 



Supplementary to the statements regarding pure water in 

 relation to the health' of the people — as quoted under a preced- 

 ing head — some observations in general should be made regard- 

 ing the sanitary influence of forests. 



It is well known that — other things being equal — the gen- 

 eral state of health of persons living in the open country, and 

 especially in moderately high altitudes, and in close proximity 

 to forests, is far above that of persons living in towns and cities. 

 There are numerous individual cases, however^ which seem to 

 contradict this statement. For example, whole families who 

 live under what would appear at first to be ideal health condi- 

 itons, are often composed of mere wrecks of beings whose ap- 

 pearance betokens misery and ill health. If the causes for their 

 condition are sought out they will usually be found on the in- 

 terior and not due to outside influences. It is a notable fact, as 

 many persons can attest, that good sanitary conditions in the 

 homes of these unhealthy families are totally lacking; and that 

 the cooks are unable to prepare even plain bread, meat and veg- 

 etables so that they can be eaten and digested with any degree 

 of ?fise, to say nothing of pleasure. It is safe to say that, on 

 the whole, the members of intelligent rural families have before 

 t hem the possibility of longer and happier lives than any other 

 class of people. Their good state of health is due in part to 

 more wholesome exercise, to plainer food, and to more regular 

 habits, and in part to purer air and water and to a more tran- 

 quil state of mind. 



The air in towns and cities is filled with dust, and smoke, 

 and poisonous gases. Moreover, the winds which sweep up the 

 streets often carry countless numbers of pafthogenic, or disease- 

 producing, microbes into the air to spread infectious disease^ 

 among the people. The pure, ozone-filled air of wooded moun- 

 tains is free from all such contaminations. The bacteria which 

 produce diseases, such as fevers, diphtheria, and tuberculosis, 

 are never present in the soil, the water, or the air of virgin 

 forests. 



The influence of surroundings, such as forest regions fur- 



