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(2) The discovery of the internal combustion engine leading
to the mechanisation of road transport. The disappearance
of the horse from town streets has resulted in cleaner
street surfaces. It is believed that manure-infected dust
blown about the streets was one of the commonest sources
of intestinal infection of infants.
Another mode of infection which has been greatly
diminished by the passing of the horse was the house-fly,
which used the manure heaps of stables and mews as
breeding grounds and conveyed infection from these to
milk and other foods in the homes.
(3) Improved methods of road construction and sweeping,
which have abolished dust from town streets.
(4) Improvement in methods of house refuse collection and
disposal and in municipal hygiene generally.
(5) Higher standards of education, especially education in
personal hygiene.
(6) Maternity and Child Welfare work carried out systematically
by Health Visitors in the homes and by Doctors,
Voluntary Workers and Health Visitors at the Centres.
No attempt is made to arrange these factors in the order of
their importance.