Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-07-05
Healthy Homes.


The subsoiI beneath house should
be naturally dry, or it should be made
dry by land draining. The ground floor
of a house should not be below the level
Of the land, street or road outside. a
site excavated on the side of hill or
steep bank is liable to be dangerous, as
external ventilation may be defective,
and the subsOil water from above may
soak toward and beneath such houses.
Middens, ash-pits and cess pools, if at
the back, must also faint such base
ments
The subson within every basement
should have layer of concrete over it,
and there should be full ventilation.
Cess-pools. cess-pits, sink-holes or
drains should not be formed nor be re-
tanned within house easements. The
ground around dwelling houses should
be paved tagged. asphalted, covered
with concrete or be graveled. Outside
channels should be in good order, and
be regularly cleaned. Housewives
should be guttered and spouted. Swill-
tubs should not be near doors or Win
dows. Pigsties should ever be kept at
a distance; and, where pigs are kept,
there should be rigid cleanliness. I'M
properly keeping pigs has caused much
more human sickness and destroyed
more life than all the battles the coun-
try has been ever engaged in. Garden
plats should, of course, be in order, and
be properly cultivated.
Many houses, from the mansion to
the cottage, are unwholesome for some
of the following reasons:
Damp and unventilated basins; cess
pools and foul drains within the base
ment; rotten timbers in floors and skirt
ings, and tainted Wallpapers; kitchen
sinks in improper places, and unyentil-
ated; water-closetS in improper places,
and unventilated; rooms without ade-
quate means of ventilation; water els
terms and pumps in improper places,
supplying contaminated water. These
defects should be remedied by landlords.
Houses are also unWhOlesOme from
accumulated dirt, careleSsness and per-
sonal neglect. AS when: Rooms are
not sufficiently cleansed; carpets are
left down too long and never swept,
windows are seldom opened; water-clos-
cts are dirty, neglected, and without
ventilation; dirty beds are unmade and
shrouded by dirty hangings; dirty ward
robes and dirty clothes closets; hooks,
corners and shelves which are never
busted.
There are points of construction to be
attended to which | will name, so as to
put them onrecord for the remembrance
of those who may, at some time or 9th
er, build cottages or small houses, or be
NJvhn do
build, or are going to do so.
Do not build on heaps of rubbish, fill
lings in with cess-poOl refuse, chemical
waste, or on swampy ground which can,
not be drained. Thousands of houses
have been so placed and are now being
so placed in the suburbs of our towns.
A bed of concrete over the site of cot
tages will vastly modify an otherwise
Objectionable position; but, indeed,
bed Of concrete should be used in all
cases.
To ventilate stairs and passages. open
the staircase or passage window, or both,
by drawing down the top sash several
inches in summer, one or more inches
in winter, and in some cases screw the
sash fast, so that these windows must be
open all the year round; if there is
skylight above the staircase, let there
be ventilation here which cannot be
closed. The result will be improved
health to the family. Pay no attention
to anv casual remark: ''How cold you1
staircase isn' Let the ladies put ON an
extra shawl. But the remark will sell
dom be made.
Schools, as q rule, are very effectively
ventilated. Ordinary flat ceilinged
rooms are totally unfit for public schools.
The space should be open up to roof.
ridge, and this should be lowered.
Nurseries and children's rooms should
be permanently ventilated.
Dormitories for children should have
ample ventilation; clothe the children
warmly, cover the beds warmly, pre-
vent direct draughts, and the cool air
will not injure.
Avoid fue ventilation of every sort;
let the fresh air come in as direct rs pos
sible. Night air is the only air you can
have at night, so do not fear it. Dread
foul, because tainted, air manufactured
within the rooms. Any outside fresh
air is better than lung and skin tainted
inside air.