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49
CONCLUSION.
Lastly, I may venture to remark in reviewing the sanitary work
that has been done of late, both in Parliament and out of it, that it
is plainly becoming more real and thorough—more lasting in its
character, because less sensational. But still in this matter there is
much to be done, and it is the hugest unwisdom to shut our eyes to
grave defects, which are still helping to poison the very source of
grand reforms. There is nothing, however, surprising in the fact
that a one-sided over zealousness, which has so often injured
other great works in days gone by, should at the present time,
when the public are just beginning to believe that sanitary medicine
has a work and a life, and is as much a reality as curative medicine,
have its last final fling to upset that which has been no slight effort
to raise, and to contaminate what has been so difficult to purify ;
but it is sad to think that all this has so often arisen, not as the
work of enemies, but as the work of friends. The contamination
has come from those who wished well no doubt, but failed to
see the results of false schemes. This is the age of idol worship,
prolific in favourite and one-sided schemes of social improvement,
founded on the sense of some solitary want of human
nature, but barren of good from neglect of all the rest. Our sanitary
work is not catholic —it does not possess a comprehensive grasp of
all the elements of our well being, but it has permitted them to
escape and break up in mischievous analysis, and consign themselves
to separate tracts. Some have taught that all our sanitary evils
would be remedied if the water supply were altered, whilst others
trace all the ills of this life to the practice of Food Adulteration.
In answer to the earnest cry of society, " How shall we better the
condition of our lower classes ?" there are countless fragmentary
answers, in place of the full deep harmony of response which should
characterize the note of a band of sanitary workers. " Build them
Model Lodging Houses," says one: " Inaugurate Working Men's
Clubs and Institutes," says a second : " Erect Monster Schools and
instruct the children in a heap of 'ologies," says a third : whilst not
the least intelligent and worthy will exclaim for the diminution of
distilleries, and the stricter supervision of our public houses. All
this is very well, but it is faulty. Human nature is not like a house
that you can build up piecemeal, first a block of stone then a plank of