Norwich bulletin., 1917-02-23
SHOULD SUPPORT THE LOCAL HEALTH AUTHORITIES. They Guard Our Food and Water
 Supplies.

The time has come for us to actively defend the integrity and honor of our nation and to protect the lives and rights of our citizens. Let us hope this can be accomplished without resort to force and arms, but, if it cannot we are all ready and willing to do our duty, says the February bulletin of the state board of health
 This does not mean that it will be necessary to shoulder gun and march away to show our patriotism While those who do so are truly patriotic, few of us will probably ever have that op- portunity, but there are hundreds of other ways by which we can manifest our patriotism
 He is a patriot who acts for the ad- -vancement of his country and for the welfare of his fellow citizens This is of war-it is true in local affairs as well as in national affairs, and it is true whether the foe be submarine or disease.
 Real patriotism is not spasmodic-it should be the rule of our everyday life. In no way can we better show our patriotism than by our attitude and conduct in the war against disease and death.
 Health authorities should be sup president. It is they who warn us of the approach of the army of germs- it is they who guard our food and water supplies, and it is they to whom we look for gallant service when dis ease invades our land -2s Ia military operations it is often necessary to establish martial law with it's various restrictions and limitations Would anyone be so unpatriotic as to even protest? And yet the health of ficer, battling with a foe that has de- stroyed more lives and caused more misery than all the wars of nation, is frequently handicapped by protest, evasion and even refusal in his efforts or to conf1ne disease by quarantine
 The individual who supplies skim med or impure milk for helpless infants is more disloya1 that the contractor who sells tainted meat to the army. The man or woman who deserts a quarantine house is as much to be despised as deserfer from the army. The person who harbors or secretes a contagious disease in his home is un- occasionally a traitor, comparable with one who secretes in his home the spy of a foreign foe.
 Let us be consistent and show QUE patriotism in all things and at all times, and by our devotion and Sacri- flee lend a hand in making our coun- try, state and home the best place on earth.
 The rug is gradually replacing the old fashioned carpet and mating as covering for the floors of our homes. Modern dwellings are being construct ed with this end in view, but many homes still retain this most insanitary covering Some retain the carpet as a matter of custom, others because of the poor condition of the floor on which the carpet is laid.
 Carpets and mating which are tackled down, tof be taken up once or twice year at housekeeping time, are a great menace to health Their texture is such that they catch and retain great quantities of dirt and, homes where most c1eanly habits are in vogue sneezing or coughing may soil and infect the carpets, or dirt from the street and filth from the back yard may be carrie dinto the house on the shoes. This dirt and foreign matter soon dries, is converted into dust, and upon the slightest agitation mingles with the air of the room, to be inhaled by it's occupants.
 Hotels and lodging houses with car pets on the floors of the sleeping rooms are particularly dangerous to public health for obvious reasons, although this danger has been greatly lessened in some hostelries by the introduction of vacuum cleaning systems.
 Aside from the danger of disease germs, mating and some carpets re- lease into the air minute fbers which are inhaled and produce an irritation
 
 ferer from hay fever and asthma has found relief by removing the carpet from the sleeping room, leaving the bare f1oor., or by substituting rugs for the carpet.
 Rugs, of course, are as receptive for dirt and germs as are carpets, but since they can be be easily removed and cleaned, they can hardly become menace to health. Carpets are removed, cleaned and aired, as a rule. twice a year, while rugs get 52 beatings year.
 Spring housecleaning is near at hand. Prepare to abolish the carpet or have it cleaned and made into rugs. If the floor is rough, paint tiff it is full of cracks. fill up what you can and let the others go.
 Make safety first" the rule of f11e home-it is better to have rough floor than rough lung. or to have a floor than cracked voice.
 Per capita expenditures for health work in Connecticut for the fiscal year Sept 30, 1916, follow:
 State-Board of health cents; tu- berculosis commission. 20 cents.
 Local-Cities. population over 50 1000, 70 cents: population 15.e60 to 5O.00O. Is 1-2 cents. Cities, towns, boroughs, population 5000 to 15,0oo, 1-2 cents;