The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1877-03-21
plying remove all grease by spirits of sal am
monia, sulphide Of carbon, or ether.
Hoalfh OF Country Homes.
Wv i ok ITIDune.i
TEE HOUSE.

New York Tribune.]
TIE HOUSE.
The only probable source of danger To
health in farm house lies in the condition
OF the cellar, or of the space which separates
the lowest floor from the ground. III there
be a cellar observe whether it is dry and free
from standing water or decayiDg vegetable
matter lallowed to accumulate there through
the negligence of servantsl III the house is
built upon the ground, the lower floor
should be at least Is inches above the
ground, and the sides should be so open that
the air can circulate freely through the
space.
THE WELL.
III the water is clear and sweet and free
from any unpleasant ODER one may pretty
safely assume that no harm is to be antici-
pated from this source. Farmers are often
In the habit, however, of hanging meat in
the well for the purpose of keeping il cool
A pretty severe epidemic lin 1874 of dier-
rhoea, in boarding house at one of the
healthiest Long Island summer resorts, was
traced TO the existence of a decomposing
shoulder OF mutton at the bottom OF the
well, into which it had fallen accidentally.
There is little or no Danger from con-
taminaton 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 water
with the well. To avoid such possibility.
the privy should be placed at least 60 or 20
feet from the we'll and ii the direction of the
natural drainage currents be known in such
position that the contents of the priYy will
drain away from the contents of the well.
Better 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 to il from behind, so that fresh
Qarfh no fronnantlU addad and he
tire accumulation removed, say once week.
THE Stops.
How common is it for the kitchen author
tiles Of a farm house to throw the slops upon
the ground just outside the kitchen door,
and perhaps within six feet of the we'll /
have known of boarding house epidemic of
diarrhea which could be traced to no other
source than the contamination of the well
water by shallow pool of sun exposed,
foul smelling slops. A cemented cistern
should be built about IS or 100 feet from the
house, and at distance from the we'll, and
to this all the kitchen slops, vegetable
waste. ETC., should be conducted through a
suitable pipe or conduit. From the sewers
these matters may be fed to the pigs, or
thrown upon the ground at a proper dis
lance from the house.
THE ICE.
The ice may be so loaded with foul vege-
JaDle matter as 10 give rise 10 quite severe
disturbances of the bowels and stomach. IL
it be found free from imbedded impurities,
and if, when melted, it be free from an I'M
| pleasant odor, che may safely assume that
no danger is to be anticipated from this
source. An interesting epidemic of bowel
troubles was traced to impure ice last sum-
| mer at Rye Beach.
DRAINAGE.
This is difficult subject TO investigate,
and one concerning which / 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 seaside),
are not desirable neighbors. This
| is especially 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 not
| freely circulate. The prevalence of typhoid
| fever in some of the Vermont and New York
mountain valleys, especially in early au-
tumn, is probably to be explained by the ex-
| stence 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 IL will probably be
| better in such a case TO secure the assistance
| Of some physician or engineer who is famil
| lar with the subject