Evening star., 1915-04-09
|CLEAN UP REASONS
| FOR HOUSEHOLDERS
Removal of Trash Destroys
Breeding Places of Disease
Carrying Germs.
| EDUCATIONAL INFLUENCE
OF CAMPAIGN IS CITED
Suggestions for Residents and In
formation Regarding Removal
of Refuse From Premises.

why should city like Washington
have to conduct a city cleaning cam
palgn" This question has been asked
many times, and can best be replie,
to by the query, ''Why, from time i'm
memorial. have housewives of even the
best of regulated homes considered
both spring and fall house cleaning an
absolute obligation of household duty
Every day tons of refuse are removed
from houses in this city under the reg
ular collection system. vet there is
refuse and other wastes which do not
come within the scope of the routine
collection. Ordinarily this refuse must
be removed by the householder, which
too frequently means that il is not
removed at all. The causes for this
neglect on the part of householders are
various, some reasonable. but a larger
number without good reason. Conse-
Iquently. month after month a residue
|of refuse matter is permitted to accu
mulate i'll Yards. sheds. cellars. area
ways. private alleys and other out-of-
the-way places.
The first and most important purpose
OF city cleaning campaign is that
during general cleanup places of the
character mentioned above usually are
Of general campaign with it's pub
licity. would be permitted to continue
Uttered
Filth and Disease '.Side Partners.
The second and a closely allied pur-
pose of a cityWfle cleanup. especially
in the early spring. is for the purpose
of placing the city in Il sanitary con-
dition for the summer months Filth
and disease. particularly during warm
weather. always have been looked
upon as side partners. While accu-
mutations of refuse are not necessarily
the direct cause of disease. yet such
refuse during the heat of summer af-
fords excellent breeding places for
disease germs. and through the propa-
CATION of flies. mosquitoes and vermin,
IT acts as potent means of disseminat-
ing infection. Typhoid fever tubercu-
losis. malaria, scarlet fever. dia rrheal
disorders and other maladies flourish
in direct proportion TO the flthiness
OF community. Nearly two-thirds of
the infant mortality is caused by bad
food. bad and unclean surround
ings. Experience has shown that the
large number of deaths of infants in
which conSenital weakness is a con
t1ibuting cause may be materially re
duced by clean surroundings in the
home.
Tho third and last purpose of such q
campaign against refuse is the educa-
tional influence effected by it Many
persons who would not have given the
matter Of refuse thought viii have
their interest in the work stimulated
Dormant civic pride. that indcscrib ba Die
patriotism operating for the best in
terest and the welfare of the munich
pa1ity. will in many be rekindled. PEI
sons who during such Il campaign VIII
take advantage of the opportunity to
place their premises in good sanitary
condition. realizing the benefits 10 lie
derived from cleaner and NOR. whole
some surroundings, will in in:tuv Ill
stances conduct their premises in Il
more sanitary manner ihrolI-,hou the
year. The lessons in "1Nics taught by u
campaign of this kind. especially to
the younger generation. viii do much
10 arouse iii them a greater apprcci-
alton Of the moral obi "a ion Of the in
ii diNit!uai to the general welfare and
health Of the community.