Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-09-19
Healthy Homes,

Robert Rawlinson, G. E., London, has
given the following rules for securing
healthy houses in his Letters and Papers
on Sanitary Questions
The subsoil beneath the house should be
naturally dry, or it should be made dry by
land draining.
The ground floor 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 aLove may soak
toward and beneath such honses Mid
dens, ashpits. and cesspools, if at The back
must also faint at the Easements.
The subsoil within every basement
should have q layer of concrete over it,
and there should be full ventilation.
Cesspools, cesspits, sink holes. or drains
must not be formed nor be retained within
house easements.
The ground around dwelling houses
should be paved, tagged, asphalled,
covered with concrete or be gravelled.
Outside channels should be in good
order and be regularly cleansed
House caves should be guttered and
spouted.
Swil tubs should not be near doors or
windows
Pigsties should ever be at distance;
and, where pigs are kept, there should be
rigid cleanness. Improperly keeping pigs
has caused more human sickness and
destroyed more life than all the battles the
country has ever been engaged in,
Garden pants should, of cour,e, be in
order, and be properly cultivated.
Many houses. from the mansion to the
cottage, are unwhClesome for sIlne Of the
following reasons:
Damp and unvcntiIatcd Easements
Rotten timber in floors and skirtings
and tainted wall papers.
Kitchen sinks in improper places and
unventliated.
Rooms W thout ad, quate means for ven
ation,
Water closets in improper places and
unventlated.
Water cisterns and pumps in improper
places supplying contaminated water.
These detects should be remedied by
landlo, DIS.
Houses are unwholesome from accumu
lated, carelessness and personal neglect.
As when:
Rooms arc not sufficiently cleans d.
Carpets are left down too long and
never swept.
Windows are seldom opened.
Water closets are dirty, neglected and
without ventilation.
Dirty beds are unmade and shrouded
by dirty hangings.
Dirty wardrobes and dry clothes clos.
els.
Nooks, corners and shelves which are
never busted.
There are points of construction 10 be
attended TO which will name, so as 10
put them on record for the remembrance
those who may, at sometime or other
build cottages or small houses. or be in
with those who DO build
or are going to do so.
DO not build on heaps of rubbish, fill.
ings in with cesspuol 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 otherwise objec.
tionable positions; but, indeed. bed OF
should be used in all cases.
To ventiate stairs and passages, open
The staircase or passage window, or both
by drawing down the 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 skyight ab we
he staircase. let here be ventilation here
which cannot be closed. The result will
be improved health to the family. Pay
no attention TO any casual remark, "How
cold your staircase is" Let the ladies
put on an extra shawl. But The remark
" be seldom made.
Schools, as rule, are very effectively |
ventilated. Ordinary flat ceilenged rooms
are totally unfit for public schools. The
space should be open up to the roofridge,
and this should he lowered.
Nurseries and chldrep's rooms should |
be permanently ventilated. Dormitories
For childrens should have ample ventlation:
,lotbe the children warmly, cover the
beds warmly, prevent direct draughts, and
he cool air will not NIUE.
Avoid fine ventilation of every sort
ct the fresh sir come in as direct as
possible. Night air is the only air you
IAN have at night, so do not fear it,
Dread foul, because tainted, air manufac
ured within The rooms And outside
resi- air is better than lung and skin
ainted inside air,