Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1869-11-24
for the farmer.
Farmers Wives = Why Have They Poor
Health?

II seems now to be generally conceded,
that this class of our countrywomen, through
some cause, have come to a state of general
poor health: and this sad state of affairs is
mostly attributed to over work. This. no
doubt, in some cases, has share in the
evil but | am more inclined to ascribe the
general debility and much sickness amongst
US of the rural districts to cooking stores IN
unueahlated kitchens, and close apartments
A little observation will show that this poor
health is bv no means confined to the wives
of farmers, but extends also to the families
Of large portion of our communicate
those in fact who occupy houses built with
small, close chimney fues, instead of the old
fashioned open fireplace, and who sleep in
small apartments, with close windows. and
with no arrangement for the supply of fresh
air through the night hours-except the
occasional opening of door.
The women of our times do not work any
harder than did their grandmothers; but
their toll was pursued near the great open
fire place, where a constant change OF air
was going on; and consequently they never
felt the exhaustion that our women suffer,
shut up with "a red hot demon of a stove.
which itself is consuming the vital air at the
rate Of hogshead every minute, and for
the supply of which provision is seldom
made-for where do you find a house that
has any sensible arrangement by which
fresh, pure air is introduced continuously?
Do people know that air which has once
passed through the lungs, is not only inca
pable of supporting life but is absolutely
poisonous DO they kao,o that air is more
necessary to existence than food? Life can
but without air not one minute. If any one
questions the absolute need Of pure air to
maintain health, let him observe the condi-
ton of any person who lives in a vitiated at
mosphere. Look at the men and boys in
stores and shops where there is stove heat
and no ventilation-how sickly, rale and
dyspeptic they soon become. Farmer 5
wives are not more miserable and weak.
Examine the majority of sleeping rooms
in any country village or neighborhood
Small, close ''seven by nine cIosets-wlth
generally but one window, and that careful
ly closed to exclude the dangerous night air,
as if there was any better air than that pro-
vided by the Great Creator, for our use dur
ing the night hours. Ii door is left open,
it is probably into the kitchen or sitting room
where stoves and lamps and human breath:
have combined to create a poisonous condi
ton of the atmosphere during the day anc
evening
Is it wonderful that, under such circum
stances, sleep is disturbed and unrefreshing
that children are restless and fretful? anC
that daylight finds the mother more tiret
and languid than when she lay down t
rest.
The men and boys of the family suffer les
because they are in pure air outside al! day
and the poison is thus eliminated from thei
systems. Otherwise they too would sink uu
der such a course Of blood poisoning;
for it is into the blood this atmospheric poi
son works, as it is again and again passe,
through the lungs.
Az eminent physician, in work entitle
''How not to be Sick, " attributes the poe
health and poor teeth of Americans to 'H
eccessire use of fine .tloUr, butter and sugar,
leaving out the Strengthening phosphate
and nirates contained in the bran and but
termilk, which are given to our pigs Com
bine with unwholesome, heating food, tn
unwholesome air we breathe, and what wor
der that We have become a race of pale dy!
peptics, with false teeth and contracte
chests. Unwholesome food and vitiate
air poison the springs of life at their vel
source; and unless radical change is MAD
in our modes of building and living, ii
prospect is a sad one for our children