Book Description

Excerpt from Public Health Papers and Reports, Vol. 32: Part I; Presented at the Thirty-Fourth Annual Meeting of the American Public Health Association, Mexico City, Mexico, December 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 1906 I knew also when I set myself seriously to this task, that the verv conditions under which I must Speak would cry aloud for the greatest brevity. I knew that most of my audience would be unable to under stand my words, and most of those who would be able to understand me, would be in a condition to be readily wearied by what I might say; for we have been together for a week or more, in that most trying and testing of positions, that of fellow travelers, and I have always believed that the Old saying about familiarity and contempt must have been spoken originally by a traveler at the end of a journey. But most of all I knew that what I should write would be spoken amid scenes of great novelty to myself and to most of my companions: that new air, new voices, new beauties would be around us, from the time when we Should first enter this wonderful land till we should leave it again; that the Spell Of it all would lie over us, a Spell which we could not shake off if we would, and would not if we could. How manifestly out of harmony with such conditions would be a mere catalogue of accomplishment, especially if compiled by one to whom such a task is most distasteful! The time and place would seem to demand the presentation Of some new problem worthy of both; for the time is the beginning of a new century, when the whole civilized world is aquiver with the hope of pro gress, and the place is that country which perhaps more than others, under its present enlightened ruler, is determined to bring that hope to realization within its own borders. But alas! I soon found that I could not rise adequately to such an occasion. I had no problem which I felt worthy to present, and so I was rather forced to take refuge in certain general principles, to the contemplation Of Which I shall ask vour attention for the few remaining minutes I stand before you. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.