The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1874-04-22
sTse rnrernar rrying Fan"

Board OF lltaltn. ibAS
has Just published volume OF hive
hundreed and fifty pages, which arr
as "chack full o'science" as old 90
Giles. 1T is very simple and compre
bensible science, however illustrating
sncb matters ms Preventive Medicine
ond the Doctor of the future" "Tht
Political Economy of Health" Duties
ofLocal Wards" "The Health ol
Farmers School Hygiene" "Cere'
bro. Spinal Meningitis"
The paper entitled "The Health
of Farmers" is full Of suggestion
for other classes of hard-working men
and women. The average age OF
Massachusetts, farmers reaches Sixty
Eve wears which is fourteen years
bicber than that of other ayocations.
but the wives and children not enly
die Young but are far too often delicate
and diseased. Physicians all over
the state have furnished the essayist
with careful statistics. Almost all
these doctors assert that farmers.
wives are orerworked, and many OF
,bem declare that the children, as
well. are prematurely exhausted by
labor. But the fruitful cause OF the
dyspepsia, erysipelas, fevers, and
consumption which drag so many
women into the grave is affirmed to
be improper diet. The men-folks," "
working out-of-doors day, after day,
steeped in health-giving sunshine,
breathing tonic oxygen, slouehing off
the impurities OF the blood through
free respiration, find a partial anti
dote to their perpetual poisoning, and
with more or less vigor, carry
their burden of mortality to a late
found grave. Even they, however
do not reach the threescore years and
ten of allotted time, much less, "by
reason of strength" attain four
score.
But the women live indoors in
sunless rooms, inclosed by walls, sa-
turated, perhaps, with the exhala-
tions of many years of uncleanli-
cess, sleeping on feathers in unventi-
lated chambers, working from morn
ing till night, lifting weights too heavy
to them, heated to fever in the steam-
ing kitchen, chilled to freezingin the
open woodshed, and above all, eating
when utterly tired out, rank, rich,
food, at which an ostrich might hest
tate.
Tive or three years ago, in spirit
OF helpfulness, we asked-our subscrib
ers to send us the genuine bill of fare
for one weekof their comfortable home
tables. We believe that many wo
men. at their wits end to devise new
and inexpensive dishes, would fnd
suggestions in their unknown neigh
bors' way of managing these con
stant perplexities. The hundreds o
courteous and intelligent replies re
ceived. disclosed the appalling fac
that the basic idea of the larder, so t
speak. the unfailing mana in the will
derness of uninveutiveness, the eXpe
dient Of haste aud the apparent choic,
of leisure, was fried salt pork. Eigh
out of every Ten house-keepers useC
it every week. Many used it ever,
day, or every two DAYS. Doughnuts
fried potatoes, fried steak, fried cakes
fried ham, were frequent offerings Il
the spirits Of home comfort. In short
throughout the lenght and breadth o
the land that instrument of wo'
which Doctor Morse calls The infer
nal frying-pan," seems TO bs an ugly
sort Of Circe's cup, subjugating who
ever tastes Of its contents.
Now frying is a method of cookery
which has simplyinglorlous ease to rec
ommended it. 1t disengages fatty
acid which the meekest stomach re-
bells against, and the humblest blood
refuses TO incorporate in healtbfu
union. 1t toughens and makes indi
g-s6ble the tenderest fibre subjected
70 its ravages, and therefore while
such food satisfies hunger it does not
repair the wastes of the body. A
continuance in the 'eating of fried
viands invites dyspepsia. nervous irri.
liability, weakness of body, perveret.
ty Of spirit, and domestic infelicitiis
Indeed, it might almost be said that
when the frying-pan comes in at the
door love flies out at the window.
In winter, at least, most rural
households, and especially those o.
farmers, are under an unbroken dis
pensation of frying-pan. Towards
spring the brand of their servitude
appears in pimpIed compilations, want
of appetite, lassitude, and general de-
lility. All these symptoms are be-
lieved to be soincident with the
warmer weather. The careful house
mother announces that the family
hlood needs purifying and strength
cning. The village store is called
upon to yield up its hoard of patent
medicine, and the sequence of the fry
ing-pan is somebody's Golden Bitters
or Iron Syrup, or patent pill, or Vital
EliXer.
A distinguished preacher has late
ly delivered lecture on,,"The Wastes
and Burdens of Life.n Among these
he might well have numbered the
patent-medicine iniquity. The annu-
al sum squandered on nostrums would
90 far 10 pay the interest on the ma
tional debt. The misery they entail
is a perpetual burden TO the wretched
flesh which has incurred it. No in
telligent person is guiltless who uses
patent medicines. The diseases
they pretend TO cure are the result of
ignorant or wilful sins Of diet or bod
lily habit. If an Ameican farmers or
mechanics wife does not knew, TODAY
that unwholesome food is poison,
and that rich greasy, fried food is un-
wholesome, she is inexcusable for
that ignorance. If she does know it,
and continues in her offence, to save
time or labor or expense, she is gull
ty efslow poisoning If she have no
meat but pork let that be used spar
ingly or not at all Well boiled rice
or oatmeal, or eggs, baked potatoes,
and fresh bread and butter, milk or
beans, are better food aud cheaper.
Beef and mutton, broiled or baked,
make muscle and fibre and healthy
nerves. Fried, they make mischief
only.