The morning call., 1892-02-20
DIRT AND ITS CURE.
Dr. EIIinW0Od'S Lecture in the
Cooper College.
Re Suggests That Philan .hropists Turn Their
Attention to Bacteriology
Virtue OF Water.

DR.. y Ellinwood delivered a lecture be-
fore the Cooper Medical Institute last even
/ ing on Dirt and Cleanliness" The effort
/ was appreciated and applauded by fairly
good audience, considering the uncongenial
/ outdoor elements.
Dirt, the doctor said. is very hard term
/ to define. The best definition that he could
! give was that it is matter in the wrong
/ place. Shoebacking is not regarded as dirt
/ if applied to ones shoes. but if applied to
/ the face or shirt front it Is very appr0prl-
| ately regarded as dirt
Tobacco IN It's natural state is an attTac-
| tive plant. and no one would ever dream
upon beh0iding IL of chaTacterizing it as
| dirt When il is in the mouth of a human
/ being however, il IS IN the wrong place, ard
/ bee mes dirt Of the Gthiest kind. Indeed,
/ IU depends entirely upon the locality
/ whether or not material = dirt.
! TAREE FROM HEAPS OF MATTER.
Many of the raTest and most delicate
/ articles Of human usefulness are taken from
/ heaps Of matter that IN their uuWrougut
! state would be called dirt pure and
/ simple.
Dirt as thus defined IS inimical to man.
! 1T clogs our brains, It clogs our sewers; IL
/ floats in the air and the water, and it per-
/ Wcates the things we ear. 1t attacks the
! whole living creation; sturdy lie re5enS IT,,
/ but the weakly suCcumbs."
! l. prevails In taiCk.Y populated districts
! more than anywhere else, hence the chances
/ Of life of the boy and girl in tho city are
/ greatly reduced as compared 70 those living
/ IN the pure, fresh, clean air Of the country
! The lecturer dWelt at length on the sub
/ ject of microbes and bacteria j slightly
mistaken popular idea prevails Of this in
! Intestinal species Of life Microbes and
| bacteria are not always the enemies Of hu-
/ manIty. They are indeed It's greatest bene-
factor They are the microscopic scdven gers
/ whose vigilance is ceaseleSs and treleSs IN
/ the pursuit and destruction Of disease germs.
/ Were IL not Tor these little warriors man
! could not long survive.
/ ESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE.
A very essential knowledge for human
! science to acquire, therefore, is all about
/ microbes and bacteria. Go find which are the
/ enemies and which The friends Of life. This
/ opens a vast field for philanthropy. Mil
/ lions Of capital are annually endowed upon
! hospitals, charitable associations, chairs OF
! learning, etc. Would IL not be better If
/ some Of it were expended fer laboratories
/ TO inquire more deeply iHtO the yet undls-
/ covered world Of bacteT0lOgy2 IL might be
the means Of discovering and pT0pagatlng
/ the enemies OF dirt and thus Improving the
/ chances of life. 1t might be that the natural
/ enemies Of consumption, cancer aud Ike
/ diseases could Ge discovered
This same study could b. applied TO the
/ condition Of the water we drink and the
food we consume, and tie means discOY-
cred OF purifying both.
As 60 cleanliness the doctor thought good
pure water tie most conducive 90 it. He
recommended its liberal application, both
internally and externally. To the system 1T
Is rs essential as the flushing Of sewers is TO
a city. JudcOHs bathing and exercise are
1 equally essential