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Rural hygiene
PUBLIC
1911. REVIEWS.
TIlE INFLUENCE OF STRONG, PREVALENT, RAINnEARiNG \VINDS ON THE PREVALENCE OF PHTHISIS. By W. Gordon, M.D., 122 pages and 22 maps. 7s. 6d. net. London : H. K. Lewis. Daring recent years our views on climatology with reference to pulmonary tuberculosis have markedly changed. It is becoming more generally recognised that patients do best in England during the winter months, and that summer is the season for them to leave home. Also the idea that a sanatorium should be on some inaccessible height has been shown to be erroneous, as provided the air be pure, patients can be treated with equally good results in the vicinity of a city. In this book Dr. Gordon develops the contention that, quite apart from treatment, the prevalence of strong, rain-bearing winds is associated with a marked increase in the incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis. This is borne out in a most striking manner in the rural districts of Devonshire, those exposed to the south-west wind showing a considerably higher phthisis death rate than those in the sheltered parishes. The author has dealt with the statistics in a manner that makes them at once convincing and, by means of beautifully coloured maps, interesting. Dr. Gordon has been at great pains to estimate all sources of possible or casual error, and his work represents a large amount of patient and painstaking research. It is therefore in no captious mood that one would suggest that the higher death rates in exposed parishes are due to closed doors and windows. The author meets this objection by contending that there is no evidence in its favour. It is true there has been no statistical inquiry as to the effect of closed windows on phthisis incidence, but closed windows are a factor common to density of population, poverty, and overcrowding, three conditions associated with a high phthisis mortality. W h e n Dr. Gordon proceeds to apply his theorem to the inhabited globe, the argument is most interesting, but less convincing. All concerned with wind, rainfall, and influence of soil, will find a novel and interesting presentation of these factors in Dr. Gordon's book. RURAL HYGIENE. A Handbook of Sanitation for the use of Students in the Agricultural Schools and Colleges, and for the residents of the Rural Districts of the United States. By Isaac Williams Brewer, M.D. Philadelphia and London : J. B. Lippincott, I9o 9. pp. 227. Price 4 s. 6d. net. The author of this work dedicates his book to the Country Physicians of the United States, and describes it as a Handbook for Students in Agri-
HEALTH.
041
cultural Colleges and the residents of Rural Districts in that country. In the 227 pages he covers a great deal of ground and treats of an immense number of topics relating to hygiene, in a simple readable way. The matters which naturally receive the greatest amount of attention are milk and water, and regarding these he gives a great deal of information. There are numerous illustrations, drawings and reproductions of photographs, many of considerable interest. The book will be found useful by those for whom it has been prepared. t-IANDnOoK TO TftE tIouslNo .~ND TOWN PLANNING ACT, 5909. By W. Thompson (Richmond, Surrey). Author of " T h e Housing Handbook," etc. London : The National IIonsing Reform Council, 191o. pp. 98 • Price is. This is a most useful compilation, and may be recommended. The author, in addition to providing the text of the Act in a handy form, gives copies of all the forms, etc., already issued by the Local Government Board, and a simple and pleasantly written summary of the various sections. His A.B.C. of the Act, which forms an alphabetical index, is very ingenious and will probably prove useful for reference. It is interesting to note that the author in common with many medical offÉcers of health thinks it well to warn housing reformers not to expect too nmch from the Housing, Town Planning, etc., Act, 19c 9 in its present form. In practice, he says, many of the sections will be found sadly lacking in effectiveness. THE
PUBLIC MILK SUPPLY. By H u g h A. MacEwan, M.B., Ch.B. (Glas.). D.P.H. (London and Cantab). Medical Officer of Health, Fifeshire County Council. London : Blackie & Son, Ltd., I9IO. pp. 182. This is a companion volume to " Food Inspection" by the same author, which was reviewed in these pages some months ago. It is well written and exceedingly practical, and will be found useful by medical officers of health and others concerned with the protection of the milk supply of the people of this country. An examination of the contents reveals the fact that most aspects of the subject are dealt with, the most interesting and valuable of the five sections being, however, those relating to milk in relation to disease and the housing of animals. In t h e former, not unnaturally, tuberculosis takes up most of the space,.but diphtheria and other diseases receive a sufficient amount of attention. The section on housing is copiously illustrated, and the points to be attended to in constructing properly sanitary sheds and byres are fully brought out. Some of the illustrations in other sections are excellent and many seem to be new. As an
1911. REVIEWS.
TIlE INFLUENCE OF STRONG, PREVALENT, RAINnEARiNG \VINDS ON THE PREVALENCE OF PHTHISIS. By W. Gordon, M.D., 122 pages and 22 maps. 7s. 6d. net. London : H. K. Lewis. Daring recent years our views on climatology with reference to pulmonary tuberculosis have markedly changed. It is becoming more generally recognised that patients do best in England during the winter months, and that summer is the season for them to leave home. Also the idea that a sanatorium should be on some inaccessible height has been shown to be erroneous, as provided the air be pure, patients can be treated with equally good results in the vicinity of a city. In this book Dr. Gordon develops the contention that, quite apart from treatment, the prevalence of strong, rain-bearing winds is associated with a marked increase in the incidence of pulmonary tuberculosis. This is borne out in a most striking manner in the rural districts of Devonshire, those exposed to the south-west wind showing a considerably higher phthisis death rate than those in the sheltered parishes. The author has dealt with the statistics in a manner that makes them at once convincing and, by means of beautifully coloured maps, interesting. Dr. Gordon has been at great pains to estimate all sources of possible or casual error, and his work represents a large amount of patient and painstaking research. It is therefore in no captious mood that one would suggest that the higher death rates in exposed parishes are due to closed doors and windows. The author meets this objection by contending that there is no evidence in its favour. It is true there has been no statistical inquiry as to the effect of closed windows on phthisis incidence, but closed windows are a factor common to density of population, poverty, and overcrowding, three conditions associated with a high phthisis mortality. W h e n Dr. Gordon proceeds to apply his theorem to the inhabited globe, the argument is most interesting, but less convincing. All concerned with wind, rainfall, and influence of soil, will find a novel and interesting presentation of these factors in Dr. Gordon's book. RURAL HYGIENE. A Handbook of Sanitation for the use of Students in the Agricultural Schools and Colleges, and for the residents of the Rural Districts of the United States. By Isaac Williams Brewer, M.D. Philadelphia and London : J. B. Lippincott, I9o 9. pp. 227. Price 4 s. 6d. net. The author of this work dedicates his book to the Country Physicians of the United States, and describes it as a Handbook for Students in Agri-
HEALTH.
041
cultural Colleges and the residents of Rural Districts in that country. In the 227 pages he covers a great deal of ground and treats of an immense number of topics relating to hygiene, in a simple readable way. The matters which naturally receive the greatest amount of attention are milk and water, and regarding these he gives a great deal of information. There are numerous illustrations, drawings and reproductions of photographs, many of considerable interest. The book will be found useful by those for whom it has been prepared. t-IANDnOoK TO TftE tIouslNo .~ND TOWN PLANNING ACT, 5909. By W. Thompson (Richmond, Surrey). Author of " T h e Housing Handbook," etc. London : The National IIonsing Reform Council, 191o. pp. 98 • Price is. This is a most useful compilation, and may be recommended. The author, in addition to providing the text of the Act in a handy form, gives copies of all the forms, etc., already issued by the Local Government Board, and a simple and pleasantly written summary of the various sections. His A.B.C. of the Act, which forms an alphabetical index, is very ingenious and will probably prove useful for reference. It is interesting to note that the author in common with many medical offÉcers of health thinks it well to warn housing reformers not to expect too nmch from the Housing, Town Planning, etc., Act, 19c 9 in its present form. In practice, he says, many of the sections will be found sadly lacking in effectiveness. THE
PUBLIC MILK SUPPLY. By H u g h A. MacEwan, M.B., Ch.B. (Glas.). D.P.H. (London and Cantab). Medical Officer of Health, Fifeshire County Council. London : Blackie & Son, Ltd., I9IO. pp. 182. This is a companion volume to " Food Inspection" by the same author, which was reviewed in these pages some months ago. It is well written and exceedingly practical, and will be found useful by medical officers of health and others concerned with the protection of the milk supply of the people of this country. An examination of the contents reveals the fact that most aspects of the subject are dealt with, the most interesting and valuable of the five sections being, however, those relating to milk in relation to disease and the housing of animals. In t h e former, not unnaturally, tuberculosis takes up most of the space,.but diphtheria and other diseases receive a sufficient amount of attention. The section on housing is copiously illustrated, and the points to be attended to in constructing properly sanitary sheds and byres are fully brought out. Some of the illustrations in other sections are excellent and many seem to be new. As an