Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1878-11-30

law used to euumefate what they
called the I" cardinal virtnes," viz:
Justice, Tempessncs. Prsds.ee ssd
Fortitude. These great moral psin-
ciples, il strictly adhered 70 and
made rules Of action throughout Ill
the phases Of life, were supposed.
by the stai6 old moralists Of 9TH
es times, to be all that Was required
to insure prosperity in most Of the
common concerns Of life. These
virtues are, doubtless, N valuable
now in securing the amenities Of So
cial and public life as ever they were;
but since the yellow fever commits
sion has concluded its labors, it turns
out that there are some private and
domestic virtues quite as essential to
our well-being as toase jus; stated.
The commission above alluded to,
was composed Of scientific and prac-
teal physicians, and after an ex-
tended investigation Of all the min
ute and principal circumstances at
tending the late epidemic, the con-
clusion Was arrived at, that domestic
uncleanlness was n more desperate
energy 20 fight during the prevalence
of such diseases, than inherited ten
denotes, constitutional temperament,
or hot weather. Moreover, in speak
ing of this most persistent evil, great
stress was laid upon the thousand
and one almost criminal negligences
in and about the common household.
Contagious diseases are, it is true,
often brought from remote points to
this country, but there is no denying
the assumption that when they break
out in our cities their effects are
greatly aggravated by the grossest
negligence of some of the plainest
and simplest principles of sanitary
economy. Personal and domestic
cleanliness is, after all, the infallible
safeguard against the great plaques
of the world. The poorest man can
provide wholesome food and drink
for his family, where anything more
is out of the question; he can clothe
them in clean apparel, if it be coarse
and rude, and while soap is at its
present price and water still comes
down from heaven in the form Of
rain, he can provide all requisite ap.
pliances for keeping himself and
family practically clean. The an.
cient Greeks and Romans were
noted for tie attention they paid tc
those domestic virtues Of which w
have been treating, and it is mat
ter Of history that they were prsctic'
fxlly free from many OF the plague,
that 90 ravaged and thinned out the
surrounding nations. Let anybody
visit those sections of our large citie'
most afflicted with the epidemics thai
regularly return with the 'heatei
term, and they will be invariably
struck with ono ever-unvarying sui
stereotyped category of condolences
viz: dirt and disease, filth and fevel
uncleanliress and unhealthfulness
| A lady writer in the Rural World, il
treating of this topic, chooses as he
text the ominous words, "Dsath il
the dish.cloth;" and we will let hel
tell in we'll chosen words what sh'
thinks about these things:
eff dish-cloths are black and stiff
and smell like bin Of decaying pc
tatoes-it is enough-throw them II
the fire and henceforth and forever
wash your dishes with cloths thai
are white, cloths that you can se.
through, and see if you ever hav.
that disease again. There are some
times other causes, but I have
smellsd q whole house full of ty.
phoid fever in one dish-cloth
Therefore, I say to every housekeep.
er, keep your dish cloths clean.
You may only brush and corlb you,
head on Sundays; you need moi
wear . collar unless you go from
home-but you must wash your dish.
cloths. You may only sweep the
the floor when the sun gets right;
the windows don't need washing
you can look out Of the door; that
spiders web on the front porch don't
hurt anything-but - you love your
lives wash out your dish-cloth. Let