“From what you have told us about your eating and drinking, Mr. Midith, I have learned so many new ideas that I should like to have you give us an explanation of how you teach and inculcate cleanliness, and what sanitary regulations you have,” requested Viola. “Very well,” said Mr. Midith. “In the first place, our conveniences for bathing are excellent, and we generally bathe at least once a day. In the parks we have, as I have already told you, large artificial lakes, which are supplied with water by a fountain, fed by the electric pump at the big-houses. These lakes are fenced so that children can not fall into them. During fine weather in summer, we generally bathe and swim in these shady lakes. Little children who have not yet learned to swim have a separate department with a shallow lake in which children cannot drown. In these shallow lakes children, under the instruction of older swimmers, learn to swim. This practice makes us all good swimmers. By example, we teach that bathing and swimming are healthy and useful, as well as delightful exercises after we have accustomed ourselves to them. When the weather is unfit for bathing in the lakes, we use the numerous bath-rooms in the big-houses. Each private apartment is also furnished with a wash-stand and hydrants containing both hot and cold water. “All of us, men and women, young and old, wear our hair cut short. We think it is more healthful and freer for the head. The hair is also more easily kept clean and in order. We teach how to keep our finger and toe nails clean and trimmed by practicing it on our infants, little children, and on ourselves in the presence of our older children, who are beginning to be able to care for their own personal cleanliness. By cleaning and brushing our teeth in the morning and after each meal, we teach how to care, at least in part, for our teeth. We have learned that our teeth are organs of digestion, and, that if they are poor, digestion will be impaired. To preserve sound teeth, we must not bite any hard substances such as nuts, etc., that are liable to crack the enamel; we must also keep them clean, so as to prevent them from decaying. A dentist should frequently examine the teeth, and if he finds them unsound, we should have them cared for in time. How to care for the other organs of special sense, we teach in a similar manner, always practicing ourselves, and doing for our helpless children from infancy what we desire them to do in after-years. By these lessons, our children, as they grow in years, learn to do for themselves what they had done for them by others during infancy. The habits, by use, gradually become pleasurable. Thus, we always teach by example, keeping in mind that hygienic lessons which are good for children are also good for older persons, and what is not worth doing for adults is not worth doing for our children.”