The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-10-21
ABOUT THE
 PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE
SOCIAL SERVICE DEPARTMENT Fly MRS. SIDNEY M.- ULLMAN

I their postural training is insisted upon.
 ILLUMINATION OF GARMENT WORK SHOPS
 Tn 5f workshops careful measure ments were made of the light at the stations of the workers, and it was found that the illumination was in- adequate at little over one-half of all the stations, some 1900 in all, at which the workers were located Com mon defects noted were poor arrange ment of working stations with ref erenee to windows, reduction of avail able natural illumination by the use or unnecessary opaque partitions, neg feet to clean windows, obstruction of windows by piles of garments, the use of clear, unshaded lamps, the use of saucer and disk reflectors for local illumination, the use of lamps too large for the reflectors employed, dirty reflectors and lamps, too high or too low suspension of lamps, lamps miss- ing, blackened, burned out or short circuited. the use of a few large in- stead of a greater number of smaller units for local illumination, and lack of uniformity in the distribution of light upon stations where workers are located
 The public health service is engaged in making similar investigations with regard to other trades and will issue similar reports at subsequent times.
 A DEFENSE FOR THE CAT
 The cat has long held the position as one of mans most useful friends, but how useful he is to the world at large is seldom known. We are too apt to think of him as the midnight prowler. without giving him credit for the good he may accomplish.
 Did it ever occur to you that If cats were exterminated or their number largely reduced such a plague as rats and mice would follow that it would be impossible to estimate the amount of valuable property which would be de- stroyed.
 From a bulletin issued by a humane education leaflet, we get this inter- esting information in regard to the Value of cats.
 CATS AS HEALTH OFFICERS
 Official cats are appointed to" all public buildings in the German col ony of Togo, where natives gather. such schools, hospitals and prisons. The government of the colony has is sued decree to this effect to prevent the introduction of plague by rats.
 Cats have won place in China by making the places where they are kept free from the ravages of this enemy of human life.
 In Hongkong orders have been made for the maintenance of one cat in each house and three in the larger houses. An investigation of Lome tTogo) showed that there were rat-catching cats there and that rats were not found in houses where cats were kept.
 It is officially advised that in all coast towns where there is danger of the plague's entrance the number of resident cats be largely increased as rapidly as possible.
 GOVERNMENT CATS.
 The value of cats in the postal serv- ice has come to be so well recognized that an annual appropriation Is made by Congress for their maintenance. They are classed as employees and so carried on the pay rolls. Instead of be- ing paid iri>the coin of the realm they are rewarded in "cat meal.'
 The government, which is ever ready to adopt the most approved methods, is satisfied that cats as catchers of mice, and preyenters of depredations of these rodents, which often tamper with mail, cannot be improved upon. Even in times of rigid economy in the de- partment and of reduction of expenses, it has not been thought expedient to decrease the appropriation for cat hire or reduce the number of eat employees. During one year the department ex- bends for the cats s1S5, from which the government receives ample re- turns.
 FROM CONCERNING CATS
 Cats have a commercial importance in certain lines of trade. Marine insur ance does not cover damage done to the cargo by rats. but if the proprie l tor of the merchandise injured can prove that the ship was not furnished with a cat. he can recover compensa- tion from the owner of the vessel. A ship found under certain circumstances without a living creature on board is considered a derelict, and property rights in her are forfeited. It has ire quently occurred. after ship has been abandoned that a live cat discovered on board has saved the vessel from be- ing condemned. For such reasons ship owners take care not to send vessels to sea without a cat.