heir fellow-men so to move members of a rural community as to order
their lives and ways to avoid sinning against public hygiene. In order
to develop such a sense of honor, it is primarily necessary that the
relation of cause and effect in matters of health shall be plainly
understood and that the dangers to others of the neglect of preventive
measures be appreciated. As a single example, the transmission of
disease at school may be cited. Measles, scarlet fever, whooping cough,
and diphtheria are all children's diseases, easily carried and
transmitted, and held in check only by preventing a sick child from
coming in contact with children not sick. No law is sufficient. The
matter must be left to the mother, who will retain children at home at
the least suspicion of sickness and keep them there until after all
traces of the disease have passed away.

The health conditions in the open country, judged by the standard of
statistics, are quite as good as those of the city. The comforts of
country life are as yet inferior, and it is hoped that this book may do
something to advance the standard of living in the families into which
it may enter.

H. N. OGDEN.

ITHACA, NEW YORK,
November 1, 1910.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I

VITAL STATISTICS OF RURAL LIFE

PAGES

Death-rate. Ideal death-rates. Death-rates in New York State.
Accuracy of records. Effect of children. Death-rates of
children. Small cities. Tuberculosis. Diphtheria, Influenza.
Pneumonia. Old age 1-24

CHAPTER II

LOCATION OF A HOUSE--SOIL AND SURROUNDINGS

Damp soils. Location of house. Objections to trees. Space
between houses. Composition of soils. Cancer and soil
conditions. Topography. Effects of cultivation. Made
ground. Water in soil. Drainage. Ground water 25-48

CHAPTER III

CONSTRUCTION OF HOUSES AND BARNS WITH REFERENCE TO
HEALTHFULNESS

Shutting out soil air. Position of outfall for drains. Dampness
of cellar walls. Use of tar or asphalt. Dry masonry for
cellar walls. Damp courses. The cellar floor. Cellar ventilation.
The old-fashioned privy. Cow stables. Use of
concrete 49-67

CHAPTER IV

VENTILATION

Effects of bad air. Modifying circumstances. Dangers of polluted
air. Effect of changes in air. Composition of air.
Organic matter in air