Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-04-20

Health OF Country Homes.
The HouSe.-The only probable source of
danger TO health In a farm house lies in
the condition of the cellar, or the space
which separates the lowest floor from the
ground. II there be cellar, observe wheth
err ii is dry and FREQ from standing water
or decaying vegetable matter allowed TO
accumulate there through the negligence
of servants) If the house is built upon
The ground, the lower floor should be at
least is inches above the ground, aud The
sides should be so open that the air can cir
culate freely through the space.
The WeU.-If the wafer is clear and
sweet, and free from any unpleasant odor,
one may pretty safely assume that no harm
is 10 be anticipated from this source. Far
mers are often In the habit, however, of
hanging meat in the well for the purpose
of keeping II cool. a pretty severe cpl
demic lin 1874 of diarrhea, in boarding
house at one of the bealthiest Long Island
Summer resorts, was traced TO the eGis-
tence of a decomposing shoulder Of mutton
at the bottom of the we'll, into which II had
accidentally fallen.
INC LT1tVs-l - llNliO W NV NhhbNa
from contamination Of the air by the con-
tents of the privy. The real danger lies in
the diffusion of these contents through the
soil and their contamination of the wafer
of the well. To avoid such possibility,
the prvy should be placed at least GO or 70
feet from the WELL and-if the direction of
the natural drainage currents he known
in such position that the contents of the
privy will drain away from the we'll. Bet
ter yet, let the privy be so constructed that
its offensive contents shall simply lie upon
the surface of the ground, and let there be
easy access 10 it from behind, so that fresh
earth may be frequently added, and the
entire accumu lation removed, say once
week.
The SlopS.-How common it is for the
kitchen authorities in a farmhouse TO
throw the slops upon the ground, just out
side the kitchen door, and perhaps within
six feet of the well. have known of a
clearinghouse epidemic of dlarrhea which
could be traced 10 no other source than the
contamination of the well water by shall
low pool of sun-exposed, loul-smelling
slops. A cemented cistern should be built
about rs or 100 feet from the house, and at
a dstanc from the well, and 10 this all the
kitchen slops, vegetable waste, &C., should
be conducted through a suitable pipe or
conduit. From the cistern these matters
may be fed TO the pigs, or thrown upon the
ground at a proper distance from the house.
The Ice.-The ice may be so loaded with
foul vegetable matter as to give rise TO
quite severe disturbances of the bowels
and stomach. If it be found free from i'm
b edded impurities, and if, when melted, it
be free from an unpleasant odor, one may
safely assume that no danger is 10 be anti
cipated from this source. An interesting
epidemic of bowel troubles was traced TO
impure ice last summer at Rye Beach.
Draindge.--This is a more difficult SUBJ
ject 10 investigate, and one concerning
which l hardly dare venture any remarks
in this place. In a general way, however,
the statement may be made that pools OF
standing water, or marshy flats near brooks
or streams Except, perhaps, at the seasde),
are not desirable neighbors. This is espe-
cially the case if The house in which you
live is situated in hollow (as in some
mountain valley, however elevated it may
be above the seal, where the air does net
freely circulate. The prevalence oftyphoid
fever in some OF the Vermont and New
York mountain valleys, especially in early
Autumn, is probably 10 be explained by
the existence of just such conditions. In
the case of large hotel, the investigation
should be practically the same as in the
case of farm house. The difficulties in the
way of such an investigation will be found,
however, to be much greater, and it would
proba bly, be better in such case TO secure
neer who is familiar with the subject
NeW York Tribune.