Year: 1879

HYGIENE AND THE PUBLIC HEALTH"


1t is seldom that have the pleasure of announc-
ing such contribution to the public veal that
which Messrs. William Wood & Co. have just made
in the shape Of compendium. covering nearly two
Thousand octave pages and bearing the title, "a
Treatise on Hygiene and Public Health" The edi-
tor Dr. Albert H. Buck. already widely and favor
ably known the. American editor of "Ziemsen's q
Cyclopedia Of the Practice of Medicine" we'll
in his profession, while the authors of the various
papers. numbering more than twenty, are all men
who distinguished in the medical profession. A
full list of the contributions each of which is long
and exhaustive book Of ordinary size necessary
to understanding Of the scope of the work. Infant
Hygiene opens the work. and the Importance or the
subject justifes the position which has been given
it. After this comes "Food and Drink. !" Drinking
Water and Public Supplies" which fills more than
hundred pages. and is full of vital suggestions and
warnings; then physical Exercise" and 1.-The Care
Of the Person." allied subjects which should be
studied connectivey; "Son and Water" covers 200
pages, and considers the important question of the
constitution OF the soil affecting direct water
supplies and public and private drainage this latter
being the leading topic because drainage into the
ground is thus far the publics only general method
of disposing of liquid waste and physical excreta
A general perusal of this paper, and appropriate
action afterward, would make the medical fraternity
some millions Of dollars poorer every year. ''rhe
Atmosphere is treated ut almost equal length,
some OF the subdivisions of the subject being
upon heat and moisture. heating and ventila-
tion. stoves and furnaces, and climatology. Would
that most Of tho members of our city's Board Of
Education could be shut up somewhere with this
treatise tor their only diversion. General Prin-
ciples OF Hospital Construction is not of popular
nature OF the papers, hut should nevertheless
be carefully read by the magnates of towns that
promise to become cities, and that have not yet
blundered into constructing that successful death
trap-the old fashioned hospital. "The Hygiene Of
Occupation covers $50 pages. and discusses the
lations to health of various occupations which are
followed by great numbers OF men. This treatise
ought to have been extended largely without paying
attention to any occupations moro largely embraced
than those which the authors specify. The sad but
pre-emnenty important topic Of Infant taity''
is treated at length also "Adulteration of
Food" "Vital Statistics" and Public Nusances %
This last named essay. although by inspector of
the New York Board of Health contains much of
which the Board itself is either ignorant negectful
Papers quarantine smallpox and other contagious
diseases. and the Hygiene Of Syphilis" are of
interest to specialists and physicians than to
the general public; but the concluding articles on
"Disinfectants" Village Sanitary Associations" and
''School Hygiene should receive general attention
The entire work merits the highest praise and it is
to be hoped that the enterprise OF the publishers
will be appreciated by the general public. for
portant a venture in this important direction has
never before been made in this country, and not
likely to be made again.