Butered according to Act of Congress, A.D. 1890, by A. N. BELL, in the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

APR19 1892.

THE SANITARIAN.

JANUARY, 1890.

NUMBER 242.

CIVIC CLEANLINESS.*

By J. S. COLEMAN, Commissioner of Street Cleaning, New York.

CIVIC cleanliness is a subject which invites the most serious attention of all intelligent people, because the health and comfort of individuals and communities are involved therein and affected by it to the extent that it is attained or disregarded. Wherever masses of human beings congregate, whether in cities, towns, or villages, or in armies in the field, camp, or barrack, an artificial existence to a certain extent springs up. Each individual is no longer dependent upon himself; the habits of those around him influence his own position. The preservation of the health of every class in the community is equally important to the rich and to the poor. It is important to the wealthy that the poor should be kept in good health, for the influence of infection, once introduced into the dwellings of the poor, often spreads far and wide, and is no respecter of persons. It is important to the poor man, as his health is his wealth.

Pure air is as essential for life and health as pure water and nutritious food-any one of which once used or combined with matter of a deleterious character loses its vital property and becomes as it were poison. The breathing of vitiated air lowers the natural vitality so as to render the human subject susceptible to disease. Therefore the great principle to be observed in relation to the health of cities is, that whatever tends to vitiate the atmosphere must be eradicated as soon as

* Address at the Brooklyn Institute, November 29th, 1889, in the course on the "Promotion of Health," in connection with the Brooklyn Health Exhibition.