The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1874-08-06
Health of Farmers and the Influence
Of their Surroundings.
BY ALEXANDER HYDE.


and inappropriate diet. the former induc-
ing rheumatism and the latter dyspepsia,
the two most prevalent diseases among
this class of our population. Farmers are
also subject to fevers, especially those OF a
malariOns origin, and caused by some of
their surroundings, which Ignorance or
carelessness leads them to neglect. As
these fevers are apt to be malignant in
their character, and annually carry TO a
premature grave thousands of. our best
yeomanry, it is subject well worthy of
their attention. 1t specially deserves con-
slderation at this season of the year, when
the decay of all organic matter is rapid,
and ehe spores of disOrganiZatiOn are float
ing around abundantly, ready 10 alight
and propagate still further decay.
The first point to which we desire to call
the attention of farmers is the location OF
their houses. We sometimes see a farm
house situated near swamp or in some
low, wet hole, where the eXhalatiOns from
decaying vegetation must always fill the
air with the seeds of decay; and where the
togs and dampness must tend to keep these
eXhalatiOns near the earth. In the Middle
and Eastern States there is no necessity
for locating house in these low, damp
places. Dry elevations abound on almost
every farm, and though an ascent to ones
house may cause some additional tax on
the muscles of both man and beast, health
is a matter of paramount importance.
With vigorous health, the muscles can
carry one up an ascent with more ease
than when debilitated they can move on a
plain. Many object to an elevated site for
the house, because it exposes them to
winds and cold. To all such we would
say that the thermometer indicates low
er degree of cold in the valley than on the
hill, and that the fOgs and dampness of
the low site are far more chilling than the
dry winds which sweep across the sum-
NIT.
If any one is so unfortunate as to own a
house near a swamp, and cannot easily re-
move, the best guard against the eXhala
tions of the decaying vegetation is to set
out plantation of white pines between
the premises and the swamp. These will
in a short time furnish good
barricade, and, if thick enough, will
absorb all unhealthy exhalatiOns, and
will themselves eXhale an exceed
ingl healthy balsanic odOr. There are
few things of a more antiseptic nature
than pine gum, and in a land of white
pines we expect to find few fevers and
little consumption.
The next surrounding of the farmer
which is prolific of disease is his cellar.
1t is apt to be damp, often undrained, and
the repository of much filth and some de-
caying vegetables. We have been in
many cellars over which we would no
sooner think of living than over a tomb.
The air was damp and redOlent of rotten
cabbages, turnips and onions. The cellar
windows were all shut, and there was no
egress for the vile OdOrS except up the
stairway into the living rooms. If the
dwellers in a house over such cellar
should have typhoid fever, they should
not attribute their sickness TO some mys-
teriOus Providence. The wonder is that
Providence provides so many antidOtes to
disease when men are so careless. The
cellar should be kept neat and well venti-
lated, especially should all vegetables be
removed as soon as they begin to sprOut
and decOmpose. A coat of whitewash
will do much toward sweetening the air of
the cellar, but nothing can accomplish
this etfectually without thorough ventila-
ton. OF course the windows should all
be out, and the gangway left open. The
most effectual ventilation for the cellar,
and one which operates both winter and
summer, is to make a hole into the CHM
ney. The draft will be up the chimney,
whether the wind blows or not, and all
vile odors will be deOdorized as they pass
up the flues. If allowed to escape from
the cellar windows they often find their
way into the house and always pOllute
the surrounding air.
Another frequent cause of disease in a
farmers surroundings is the cesspOOl.
Into this are poured the wash-water and
the slops of the house generally, and a
richer compound for the land can hardly
be desired than that found in cesspOOl
during the fermenting months of July
and August. 1t makes squashes and GU
cumbeTs grow at great rate, but the
very cause which makes it good for the
land renders its exhalations unfit for
breathing How to avoid the poisonous
gases arising from the fermenting contents
of the cesspoOl is one of the perpleXing
questions of country life. We have no
sewers by which to take off the waste OF
the family to the sea or river, and would
not like to lose all this fertiliZing material
if we had sewer. If the house stands
on an elevation this waste can be easily
conveyed in cement pipes to such a dis
tance that the eXhalatiOns will not return
to poi jOn the famil especially if some
pine lTGtS DC pldllltOl DtlN6tu tIlC must
and the outlet. At this outlet a compost
heap can be formed of great value by
scooping out the soil, bOwl-shaped, ce-
menting the bottom, if it is of a leachy
nature, and filling in occasionally with
sods or dry muck.
If the site of the house will not allow the
waste to run off in this manner to a dis
tance, the next best course is to dig deep
,NAa1 ctn nm tha CifIas an1
with plank. on which earth should be
placed, leaving trap-dOor for throwing in
disinfectants and cleaning out the pool.
If a wooden tube, eight or ten inches
square, and twelve or fifteen high is placed
in the top, the gases anat will be generated
in the pool will be conducted up this tube
into thin. air, and de comparatively little
damage. 1t would be better still to con-
duct these gases through tin or iron tube
into the chimney, when the smoke, SCOT
and creosote will dsinfect all noXious
properties. For a disinfectant,t to be placed
in the pool, we know nothing superior to
sulphate of iron (cOpperas), which Is also
a most valuable fertilizer.
The privy is another prolific source OF
disease around the farmers premises.
Here are deposited the excrements of the
family, and though no one may be sick,
and thus communicate disease through
this sink-hole, still the decay and waste OF
the body are represented in the privy-
vault, and the tendency of all decay is TO
propagate decay. If the water closet is
under the same roof with the house, the
pernicious gases are liable TO penetrate into
every room, unless special pains are taken.
The privy-vault should be cemented on the
sides and made air-tight on top, and then,
with ventilating tube running from 1t 10
the top of the hOuse-or better still, TO the
chimney-the current of air will pass down
through the holes and up this tube. With
daily sprinkling of dry earth or sifted
cOal-ashes upon the eXcrement, the air OF
the water-closet can be kept perfectly
sweet and wholesome. The privies OF
many farmers are outdoors, and, ofcourse,
there is less hazard from these, as the air
circHlates between them and the house !;
but in these cases it will pay, both in health
and fertilizing material, to cover the excre-
ment daily with dry earth and an occa-
sional sprinkling of copperas.
Another surrounding of the farm house,
and a great breeder of disease as it is too
frequently kept, is the barn-yard. Now,
barn-yards are good in their place; but
their place is not under the kitchen win
dows, as we have sometimes seen them To-
Gated. He makes a great mistake who