erve as a means of
spreading those of certain kinds.

*Public Sanitation.*--The general conditions under which germs may thrive
and some of the means by which they are scattered, emphasize the practical
value of measures which have for their purpose the making of one's
surroundings more wholesome and hygienic. Such measures may be directed
both toward one's immediate surroundings--the home--and toward the
neighborhood, town, or city in which one lives. The hygienic conditions of
primary importance in every city or town are as follows:

1. An adequate public supply of pure water.

2. An efficient system of underground pipes for the removal of sewage.

3. An efficient system for removing from the streets and alleys everything
of the nature of waste.

4. Prevention, by enforcement of ordinances, of spitting upon sidewalks
and the floors of public halls and conveyances.

5. A hospital or sanitarium in which people can be cared for when sick
with infectious diseases.

In the larger cities other hygienic measures demand attention, such as
provisions for parks and playgrounds, the proper housing of the poor of
the city, and the suppression of the smoke and dust nuisances. Crowded
together as people are in the cities, the welfare of each individual
depends in a large measure upon the welfare of all. Hence the problems of
public sanitation are matters in which all are vitally concerned.

*Sanitary Conditions of the Home.*--The home, being the feeding and resting
place for the entire family, is the most important factor in one's
physical, as well as moral, environment. For this reason there is no place
where careful attention to hygienic requirements will yield better
results. Much of the danger from germs may be prevented by instituting and
maintaining proper sanitary conditions in and about the home.

One of the first requisites of the home is a suitable location for the
house. The house should be built upon ground that is well drained, and if
natural drainage be lacking, artificial drainage must be supplied. It
should not be situated nearer than a quarter of a mile to any marsh or
swamp and, if so near as that, it ought to be on the side from which the
wind usually blows. A stone foundation should be provided, and at least
eighteen inches of ventilated air space should be left between the ground
and the floor. Ample provisions must be made for pure air and sunlight in
all the rooms. The cellar, if one is desired, need