American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-04-06
Beware of the Spare Bed.

A CORRESPONDENT of the Heath Re
former says:
In our Inherent life we have suffered
much by sleeping in beds that were not
daily used. Beds that are not daily ex
posed to the air and sunlight will gather
dampness. And there are but very few
who understand the necessity of having
the sun and air come frequently into theil
sleeping rooms, that bed and bedding
may be kept perfectly dry and free from
| impurities.
| Beds that have been left unused for
| days, and even weeks, in the damp season
of the year are dangerous to the health
and life of those who sleep in them. When
visitors are expected, the parlor stove
may be for the first time set up, and a fire
kindled in it, and the parlor bedroom
opened And this is considered sufficient
preparation to make the friends comfort
able. But the bed and bedding, if not
carefully separated, and aired, are not
safe for any one to use.
have had very affecting experience in
sleeping in damp beds. 1 slept with my
infant two months old in north bed
room. The bed had not been used for
two weeks A fire was kindled in the
room; this was considered all that was
necessary. Next morning l felt that had
taken cold. My babe seemed to be in
great pain when moved His face began
to swell, and he was afflicted with elysip-
elias OF the most aggravating form. My
dear babe was great sufferer for four
weeks, and finally died, a martyr to the
damp bed.
A few weeks later 1 accompanied my
husband to fill appointments in sew
eral places. In four of these places we
had the misfortune to be assigned the
spare bed in rooms opening from the par
lor. The stove was set up in the parlor
adioing these bedrooms the very day we
were expected. Dampness had entered
every part of these unheated, unventi-
lated rooms. The windows had not been
raised, and were carefully covered with
paper curtains, and outside of these drap-
cry, and the blinds were carefully closed
The air had not been permitted to circu
late freely through the house, and the
precious sunlight was excluded as though
it was an enemy. Why was there need
of windows at all when they were not
used? 1t would have saved expense to
have made these houses without win
dows. Our good hearted friends received
us cordially, and we should have enjoyed
our visit, had it not been for the dreaded
spare bed.
At the first two places we visited, we
took severe colds by sleeping in their
damp, unused beds, and we suffered
greatly with the rheumatism; but tried to
ill our appointments. In the third damp
bed, we lay nearly two hours trying to
get warm; but the clothing was literally
wet. We were under the unpleasant nee
essity of calling our friends; for we felt
that 1T would be positively fatal to life
and health to remain in that damp bed.
Our friends cheerfully renewed their fires,
and the bedding was removed from the
bed and thoroughly dried.
We returned home from that journey
and exposure to suffer for months. l
feared that l should he cripple for life
My husband was afflicted with pain in the
chest and lungs, and he had a severe
cough for months. After three months
of almost helpless suffering. and careful
treatment, by the mercy Of God, l was
able to walk.
We have been exposed in our late jour
neys to "death in the spare bed" We
have taken colds, which have settled upon
the lungs, causing soreness of the flesh.
Since our fears have been aroused we
have been careful, and have been under
the necessity of close questioning in re-
gard to our beds. In some cases, we have
removed the bed clothing and have dried
it by the fire before we ventured to sleep.
This may have given the impression that
we were particular and perhaps notion
al. We own that we are particular.
We value life which God has preserved,
by a miracle of his mercy, from the death
in the spare, damp and moldy beds.
In the case of all these beds, where the
air has not circulated through the rooms
daily, the bedding should be removed and
thoroughly dried by the fire, before being
slept in. Sleeping rooms should have the
windows raised every day, and the air
should circulate freely through the rooms
The curtains should be withdrawn from
the windows. The blinds should be fast
ened back and the blessed sunlight should
thus be invited in, to brighten and purify
every bedroom in the house.
LONDON papers state that the comet ca
nard has had a serious effect there, alarm
ing many weak people, and making many
weaker people positively sick"
PHYsIcIANs say that thirty thousand
people die annually in this country from
t~In