Twin city review. [volume] (Champaign, Ill.) 19??-1929, 1925-09-25
Observation-Disclosures
HEALTH GRAMS


railway station In Chicago is the alb
senee of cuspidors. The habitual
splitter fails 10 locate one even in.
smoking and rest rooms. This fact
Is distinct tribute 10 the advance
ment of sanitary customs of the pub
lie.
Net SO many years ago railroad
station of whatever magnitude and
architectural splendor would not have
been complete without its array of
shining spittoons which We're usually
regarded as q signal for the general
direction in which one Vas expected
to eNpel superfuous salivafy accumu-
latlons. The absence of cuSpidorS in
Chleago's splendid new terminal Is an
eloquent announcement that people
are not expected 10 spit in any direc-
ton while in the depot Even the
most hardened addict ito careless
splitting would scarcely have the
crust to eNpectorate on the spotleSs
, marble floors of this new railroad
terminal.
Application of advanced sanitary
ideas did not stop with spittoon elm
ination from the new union railroad
station. Drinking fountains, doing
away with the necessity for cups, are
found At convenient places. Lava
tories, with liquid soap equipment
and paper towels make it possible
for one to wash the hands and face
without any dangerous contact what
soeyer with any person who used
these facilities beforehand. Toilets
are of the most modern type, clean
and easily kept that way. Compared
any railroad depot built more than
decade ago, this new terminal is a
revelation in the advancement of sani-
tary and hygienic knowledge and prac-
tive and in architectural splendor.
The builders of the new union rail-
road station have not set up a new
standard of depot sanitation. They
have merely met the public demands
on this subject. Nobody would spit
on the floor in the middle of his dining
room at home. Everyone enjoys the
use of individual towels, eating uteu-
| sis and toilet facilities. These ideas
have become so generally accepted
that the travelling public expects no
1
minals which have come to he regard
ed as a sort of public living room or
temporary home,
Splitting is one of the easiest ways
of spreading tuberculosis, pneumonia
and colds. Not only do germs of
these diseases ride for several feet
upon the air waves in tiny droplets
from infected persons who spit, cough
or sneeze, but they rise on PARTICLES
of dust to which they cling after an
infected person has spit. Anyone
who happens along while these germs
are sailing around will inhale them
with each new breath. Manifesuy
anything that will discourage care
less, indiscriminate splitting will tend
to check the spread of contagious
disease.
Weather conditions have been
cratic this year. So have mortality
rates. In January, which was com
paratiyely very cold, the death rate
was considerably higher than for the
corresponding month last year. There
was but little difference from that
month until June which was eXces-
sively hot and which was marked by
death rate decidedly higher than
the average for that month During
August the death rate again climbed
to a full point higher than what 1t
was for that month in 1924. Excess
sive heat or cold is apt TO be reflect
ed irl climbing mortality rates.
Either condition therefore should be
regarded as a sign to exercise I'M
usual care in health matters.
Typhoid fever continues to be more
prevalent than at any time since 1871,
For August 307 cases were reported
in Illinois against l6S for the same
month last year with 233 and 255
respectively for August of the two
preceding years.
Diphtheria continues to wane. In
August only 266 cases were reported
against an average of J27 for the
same month during the past five
years. Case reports for this year
have been less than for the cores
pionding period in any other year on
record while the figures for August
are lower than for any other month
on record This gratifying decline in
diphtheria prevalence is regarded as
another triumph for preventive medi-
cine although it is not accepted as
sign that diphtheria has ceased to be
health problem of major Importance.
Keeping diphtheria away permanently
will depend upon constantly bringing
toxin-antitoxin into the homes Of
children just as surely as keeping the
wolf away from the door depends up
on constantly bringing in the sheckels,
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