A manual of hygiene and sanitation / By Seneca Egbert.

  • Egbert, Seneca, 1863-1939.
Date:
[1907], [©1907]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: A manual of hygiene and sanitation / By Seneca Egbert. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University Libraries/Information Services, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University.

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    relations, as a member of a community with certain cus- toms, trades, etc. ; subjected to social and political influ- ences, sexual relations, etc. Third, in bis capacity as an independent being, having within himself sources of action, in thoughts, feelings, desires, personal habits, all of which affect health, and which require self-regulation and control. Even now, incomplete as hygiene is, such a work would, if followed, almost change the face of the world. The student will readily see that the scope of the science is so vast that in a limited work like the present one it would be impossible to go over the entire ground completely and thoroughly. The most that may be attempted will be to discuss its fundamental laws as we now understand them, especially those that are most closely connected with the conscientious physician's duties and practice, and to show the reasons for and the advan- tages resulting from the pursuit of hygienic measures and sanitary methods based on those laws and our experi- ence. Hygiene is, however, a science in the study of which common-sense must be freely used; and if the student will only bring this to his aid and add to it sincere attention, he will speedily find that there is little that is difficult, beyond his grasp, or less than really fas- cinating. It has always been, as it always will be, an art to pre- serve health and to ward off disease. Hippocrates was among the first to define principles of public health or sanitation. He summed up the knowledge of his day concerning hygiene under six headings, viz.: Air, Ali- ment, Exercise and Rest, Sleep and Wakefulness, Reple- tion and Evacuation, and the Passions and Affections of the Mind; and he even pointed out that there must be