edings of International Congress of Charities at
Chicago, pp. 69 _sq_. Story of "The Child's {94} Mother," in Mrs.
Margaret Deland's "Old Chester Tales." "The Wisdom of Fools," Mrs.
Margaret Deland (see, for difficulties in reclaiming girls, the story
entitled "The Law and the Gospel"). Reports of Conventions of Working
Girls' Societies at Boston, 1894, and Philadelphia, 1897. For
pamphlets on School Savings Banks apply to J. H. Thiry, Long Island
City, N.Y.

[1] Proceedings of Fifteenth National Conference of Charities, 1887, p.
152.

[2] Miss Z. D. Smith.

[3] Proceedings of International Congress of Charities, Chicago, 1893.
Volume on "Care of Children," p. 7.

[4] Proceedings of Twenty-third National Conference of Charities, 1896,
p. 164.

[5] "Charities Review," Vol. VI, pp. 433 _sq_.

[6] pp. 13 _sq_.

{95}

CHAPTER VI

HEALTH

About one-fourth of all the poverty that has come within the scope of
charitable investigation is directly caused by sickness. "In both
American and English experience," writes Warner, "the percentage
attributable to this cause sinks but once slightly below fifteen and
never quite reaches thirty. The average is between twenty and
twenty-five. This is one of the most significant facts brought out by
these tables [of the statistical causes of poverty]. It is not one
which the author anticipated when the collection of statistics began;
and yet it has been confirmed and reconfirmed in so many ways that the
conclusion seems inevitable that the figures set forth real and
important facts. Personal acquaintance with the destitute classes has
further convinced him that most of the {96} causes of poverty result
from or result in a weakened physical and mental constitution, often
merging into actual disease." [1]

This fact gives added importance to all the efforts of modern charity
to secure improved dwellings, open spaces, cheap baths, and better
municipal sanitation for the poor. But improvement in these matters
cannot come entirely from without; "the model tenement implies a model
tenant." As a London authority puts it: "The condition of the house
may degrade its occupants. The careless life and habits of the
occupants will spoil the house, and make it filthy and unhealthy." The
friendly visitor should try to make the family healthily discontented
with unsanitary surroundings, and so prepare them for better quarters.
Removing families from unfit tenements is