Gardiner Harris, begins his article by writing of a one year old who lives in Sheohar District in India. This child is diagnosed with malnutrition even though his family has been able to feed him as much as he can eat. Recent studies show that the malnutrition and stunted growth problem in India has to do with the poor sanitation in the country. It is the custom in India to defecate outside which then leaves young children exposed to bacteria that makes them unable to healthily grow. Programs to build public toilets have been initiated, however a survey shows that many people prefer to relieve themselves outside. Even in the places where the toilets are used the pipes are often clogged and floods cause the sewage to enter homes. The rivers that are used for bathing and drinking, for example the Ganges, are full of waste and bacteria that contaminate people. All of these problems with sanitation and spreading bacteria, causes India to be one of the countries with the highest percentage of children under five to be malnourished and/or stunted.
The author is very informative in the way that he writes this article. He uses quotes from people who have addressed the issue about the quality of the sanitation in India and how it can cause malnutrition. Explanations of the problems of sanitation and heath are explained in a simple, easy to understand way. The article is very straight forward with all of the complications that causes the poor sanitation in India. It causes a feeling of pity and disgust to the readers that are not accustomed to living in the same manner that is described. Harris also uses the quotes from families that have been directly affected by this problem.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/15/world/asia/poor-sanitation-in-india-may-afflict-well-fed-children-with-malnutrition.html?_r=0
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