A Handbook of Hygiene

PREFACE.

THERE is no need that I should say much by way of preface. I believed that such a handbook would be required after the passing of the Public Health Act 1872, and I have endeavoured to supply the want.

Amongst the numerous works which I have consulted, I desire especially to mention Dr. Parkes' work on Practical Hygiene; Mr. Simon's Reports to the Privy Council; Dr. Letheby's work on Food; Captain Douglas Galton's work on the Construction of Hospitals; and the writings of Dr. Angus Smith, Dr. Hassall, Mr. Rawlinson, Mr. Eassie, and Professor Rankine. Full acknowledgment of other authors is given in the proper places.

I have occasionally inserted extracts of reports to show how sanitary inquiries should be conducted and reports written, nor have I hesitated to use quotations when such quotations bear the stamp of authority.

In Appendix I., I have given an excerpt of the various sanitary enactments, or parts of them, which more immediately concern the duties of medical officers

of health; and in Appendix II., I have added a pricelist of analytical apparatus and reagents referred to in different portions of the work. It will be seen that, as regards food and water, I have only dealt with qualitative examination, so that those who are desirous of becoming proficient in quantitative analysis as well should procure Dr. Parkes' Manual.

While I have endeavoured to notice briefly all the points which are of importance to medical officers of health, I have so arranged the work that it may prove useful as a text-book to medical students, and as a handy book to medical practitioners generally. To all those outside the profession who are interested in sanitary matters, and who may care to read the work, I may at least say that it contains some amount of information freed from technicalities and worth knowing.

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