The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1881-06-27
AGRICULTURAL.
How to Live in Summer.

aS" w 1.-Two AL toAAIAAhOis
1t is as yet point of dispute whether cot
ton stuffs are the best wear, many approx
ing Of light woollens. For women, nothing
is sweeter in Summer than linen dress; it
is a pity we do not patronize linens more for
adults; for children, cottons; for working
men, worsteds. The heavy suits of men are
weighing them down in Summer, and clothes
of serge are far preferable to those of thick
wooden cloth. Very thin silk is a cool wear.
The heavily laden skirts of women impede
the free action of movement much, and
should be simplified as much as possible for
Summer. So also the headgear.
Infants, If at all delicate, should not be
allowed to go with bare feet; it often pro-
duces diarrhea, and they should always
wear flannel band round the stomach.
Another important matter is the changing
OF night and day linen among the poorer
classes. 1t is terrible to think that work
man should lie down in the shirr in which
he has perspired all day at his hot work.
Let men accustom themselves to good
washes every evening before they sit down
to their meals, and to changes at night, that
they may take up a dry shirt when going to
their hard days work.
Frequent change of linen is absolutely
necessary-anyhow, night and day change.
This change alone would help to stay NOR
tally among chill lren, il accompanied with
other healthy measures. Where tenements
are very close, wet sheets placed against the
walls will aid to revivify the air and absorb
bad yspors in rooms. All childrcn's hair
should be cut short; boys hair
may be cropped, and girls hair
SO arranged by nets or plaits that air
passes freely round the neck.
Light head coverings are essential in Sum-
ner, for the head must be kept cool. The
most servceable dress is that which allows
air to pass freely around your limbs and
stops neither the evaporation of the body
nor the circulation of the refreshing atmos-
phere. In Summer you must breathe freely
and lightly; you cannot do so with your
stomach full Of undigested food, your blood
full Of overheating alcohol, your lungs full
of vitiated air, your smell disguised with
nauseous scents, your system unable to car
ny out the natural process of digestion.
All the sanitary arrangements in the world
will do no good, If we eat and drink in such
fashion that we are constantly putting on
fuel where it is not needed, and stuffing up
our bodily draught, as we would that of a
heating appliance. Our ignorance and our
bad habits spoil the Summer, that delight
full season of the year-nothing else.
Activity, rest and recreation are weighty
matters in influencing our health in Sum-
mer. We are not so well inclined for acti-
as healthy employment of our energies,
without over-eXertion. Pity those who
must exert themselves to the utmost in this
torrid weather, and feel gratifed if you
need only moderately use your strength
Activity keeps the system going; the blood
in healthy circulation, the digestive process
free from costiveness, the skin open for
evaporation, and prevents all clogging of the
machine. If not forced to work in some
Z nth ho
your mind and exercise your limbs. Stag
nation will bring about lethargy and allow
the atmosphere a greater influence upon
you.
On the other hand, full rest is as necessa-
y. The exhausted frame wants more re-
cuperation, the brain less strain, the system
more gentle treatment. Things look often
darker in hot weather; heat weighs upon
the upper portion of the head, communi-
Gates itself to the perceptive powers, and
influences the senses. We see pictures be-
fore us, and fancy we have not the power to
combat difficulties. 1t is said that more
suicides are committed in hot than cold
weather. A healthy sleep is worth great
deal to us in this hot season; try to court it,
and never play with your life and health BY
wilfully neglecting it.
And what shall we say of that precious,
and, as yet, so little understood phase of
llc, ouI T6CrcdtlOHf III There is one tllng
more than another to be encouraged in sum
mer, it is reasonable recreation; that exer-
else between body and mind which brings
about harmony between both; that periodi-
cal abstaining from incessant labor, which
renders us fresher for it; that intercourse
with beautiful Mother Earth, which leads
us TO value natural aspirations.
Never pass day in summer without
some calm half-hour for quiet and enjoy
ment; life has only so many years, and dur
ing their space we should live, not vegetate
The time will come when sanitary measures
and means for enjoying higher phase of
life will be thought of more than laying up
things that rust.
We cannot here enter upon the meaning
of recreation in wider sense; but it is not
recreation to rush out of town and stop at
some place to drink beer and smoke ali the
time; it is not recreation to push on in
crowds for excitement out of doors; it is not
recreation to overhead yourself and feel
more fatigued the day after than the day
before. For recreation you wan: leisure,
moderate movement, happy thoughts, kind
ly company, some pleasant talk, cheerful
music, refreshing food and drink, and,
above all, thankful heart that you are able
TO enjoy these; then no one could say that
such recreation would be against the high
est religious rules of living Food, drink,
dwelling, clothing, activity, rest and recrea-
ton, all are modified by the social circum-
stances under which we are living.-Food
and Health.