ause he
had no one to help him. Each man should take part in the great social
hygienic struggle, if he is to reap the highest rewards in his own
personal hygienic struggle. And he can do a great deal if he will be
patient and persistent. If, for instance, he would always insist on
suitable air conditions in public buildings, electric cars, theaters,
and churches, and encourage others to do so, it would not take long to
make air reform general.

[Sidenote: The Consumer's Duty]

In fact, it is the common public, constituting the consumer, who has it
in his power to bring about most of the necessary reforms in public
hygiene. When the consumer really values hygienic environment, the
producer will supply it. The great improvement in recent years in
drinking water was brought about through the appreciation, by the
consumer, of the danger from impure water. His complaints produced the
change. Hotels found it profitable to provide and advertise pure water.
So also the education of the public as to the dangers of a common public
drinking cup led to the invention of bubbling fountains and cheap
individual cups and to the introduction of these conveniences in railway
stations and other public places.

We need to concern ourselves particularly with the character of our
public water supply, air supply and food supply, the number of bacteria
in milk, the fitness for human consumption of the meat, fowl, fish, and
shell-fish sold in the public markets, and the use of adulterants and
preservatives in canned and bottled goods.

[Sidenote: Quacks and Quackery]

Quacks and quackery should be vigorously fought by laymen as well as
physicians. Quacks live by lying and misleading advertisements. Every
one should cooperate to encourage the movement by which newspapers and
magazines are giving up quack and immoral advertisements and the
advertisements of alcoholic beverages. Especially should we refuse to
patronize the quack advertiser. When no one is deceived by him, he will
cease to advertise. A more immediate method is to change from the
newspaper containing such advertising to one which does not. We should
also appeal to the editors to reform their advertising, as many of them
are now doing.

[Sidenote: Vaccination]

Vaccination is now a known preventive against smallpox, typhoid fever,
and other germ maladies. Its use should be advocated and the ignorant
prejudice against it should be overcome.

[Sidenote: Social Evil]

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