The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1913-10-25
HEALTH NOTES.

6A<AId 6OTES.
According to the London Lancet,
1900 tons OF SCOT fell in that city dur
ing the year 1912. This vast amount
Of aerial filth came from the chimneys
and smoke stacks of 100000 people
and contained 5000 tons of ammonia,
5000 tons Of sulphates, and 5000 tons
OF ehlorides and carbons, tar, tin and
lead. The effects of London's dirty
and soot-laden air are to be seen in its
corrosive action on all metal surfaces
and on the exteriors of all stone build
lngs-. Neither can there be any doubt
as TO the injurious effects of an atmo-
sphere so heavily charged with SCOT
and filth on the lungs of the people
who are compelled to breathe it. In
all large cities where there are large
industrial plants together with steam
railways and steam ships; there is found
to be a SCOT and smoke burdeped at
mosphere that is not good for people
to breathe. One of the big problems of
municipal sanitation yet to be solved
Is that of getting better air for city
jewellers. Much progress has been made
along these lines, but much yet remains
to be done. The final solution no doubt
lies in electricity as q motive Light and
power, furnished from a comparatively
few large central plants and these
plants SO constructed and operated as
to insure the most perfect combustion
and therefore q minimum amount of
smoke discharged into the air.
Teach your children that the mouth
is intended to receive food and drink
only. This is important for the reason
that, as every one knows, all children
are inclined to put almost everything
they have into their mouth. This they
do to help them to determine whether
it is good to eat and to help them to
form an idea as to its value or use to
them as an object of pleasure or amuse-
ment or both. Anyhow it seems to be
that this is a ehild's way Of investi-
eating most objects which it comes in
contact with, not excepting even, its
own dirty fingers.
And while we are on the subject of
child hygiene, it will not be amiss to
call attention to some other important |
facts as to the mouth and nose. For |
example, children should be taught that |
the mouth and nose always contain bae-
terra; that sputum and discharges from
either are laden with germs and are
therefore dangerous. This means that
children should not bite, lick or suck
pencils, penholders or other objects of |
use. Such habits are dangerous to
health and should be avoided. In other
words the most persistent and careful
attention should be paid to habits of
personal cleanliness.
It takes, according to some suthori-
ties, at least three generations Of edu-
cation to bring about radical changes
in human habits and methods. This is
why in all public health work we do
not see immediate and general results
from efforts made to teach people what
they should do to avoid many Of the ]
preYentable ills Of life. What We have
always been accustomed to do, We are
not always ready to cease doing unless
we are pretty fOreefuIly convinced that
it viii pay rs in very material and Prae-
teal ways. This il, perhaps, an unfor-
tunate trait Of human nature, but it
seems to. be true. Peoples habits have
q great deal to do with the spread of
communicable diseases. And the fight
that is now being made against most Of
these is directed along the lines Of get
ting people to change their habits. For
example, in the dirty air diseases, bron-
ehitis, pneumonia, eatarrh and eonsump-
ton, much emphasis is laid upon the
necessity Of getting . plentiful supply |
Of fresh, pure air in our homes and
work places, all the time. And 80 on
through all the long list Of diseases
that people may avoid If only they do
the things they should do, It is largely
q question Of inducing them to change
their hshfts.'