The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1883-12-20
Cold Rea.Roone.

U IS always q matter Of great moment
% maintain an equitable temperature Ia
the bedroom. A bedroom the air Of
which is subject to great and frequent
and rapid changes of temperRture Is
always a trap for danger. TO persons
who are in the prime of life, and who are
In robust health, this danger is less pro-
nounced, but to the young and the fee
bic it is a most serious danger. I& rs
especially dangerous 10 aged people 20
sleep in room that is easily lowered il
warmth. When the great waves Of cold
come III the winter season, old people
begin to drop off with rapidity that Ia
perfectly startling. We take up the lat
Of deaths during these seasons, and the
most marked of facts ID the number of
deceased aged persons. 1t Is like an
epidemic Of death by old age. The pub
lie mind accepts this record as indicative
ot general change Of external condj-
tions, and of a mortality, therefore, that
Is necessary as a result Of that change.
l would not myself dispute that there Is
line Of truth and sound common sense
and common observation in this view
but when we descend from the general
to the particular we find that much of
the mortality seen III such excess among
the eyed is induced by mistakes on the
subject Of warmth in the bedroom.
The fatal event comes about somewhat
IA this way. The room IN Which the on
feebled person has been sitting before
going to bed has been warmed probably
up to summer heat; q light meal has been
taken before retiring to rest, and then the
bedroom is entered. The bedroom per
chance has 10 fire in it, or, If FIRE be
lighted, provision Is not made to keep il
allght for more thai an hour or two
The result is that m the carly
part of the morning, from three to
four o'clock, when the temperature Ct
the air in all parts is lowest, the glow
from the fire or stove which should warm
the room has ceased, and the room l.
cold to an extreme degree. In country
houses the water viii often be found
frozen in the hand-basins or overs under
these conditions.
Meanwhile, the sleeper lies unconscious
If the great change which is taking
place In the air around him. Slowly and
surely there is o decline Of tempera
tGre TO the extent it noy be Of thirty on
f0rty degrees on the Fahrenheit scale;
snd though he may be fairly covered |
Eltb bed-clothes, he is receiving into Iris
lungs this cold air, by which the circGla- |
ton through tho lungs is materially |
modified
The condition Of tile body itself Is at |
this time unfav0rable for meeting any +
emergency. In the period between NIL /
night and six in the morning the animal /
vital processes are at their lowest ebb /
1t Is in these times shat those who are en-
feebled from any cause II ut frequently /
die. Physi.ian oftea consider those
hour ~ c=fticll, aad freSarn anxious
friends il respect 70 thela. Frorl time
i1In .IaoriAl those who lave been &C
Gas ssj7a-i to -ait AMI tead o. tlo sick
hzT5 noted these hours 1acst anzi1usly,
5O thatiiiey haVs f,ecn called - one 4
bur old Trsters 9" ths l.o'gr - Lts IN
.liis space Of tiiae tnc ia4ucncg II the
sHn has baen layFsst wzh.
Ira an from man, aad Che loart= a. a. are
sven the strongest beat then with sub
iued tone. Sleep IS heaviest. and dazaA
8 nearest to US all, In "ahs houD Ct
ato.'
The safest method is to have the air 81
=he room, a short time before it Is occu-
pied, brought up to uniform tcrnpera-
ure Of sixty so sixty-flve degrees Fallren- !
lett. It should never fall five degrees
below sixty degrees, ard never rise above
l1ty-five degrees under ordinary circurn-
tanees. In cases where the occupant Of /
he room Il extremely enfeebled it may
q necessary 70 raise the temperature 10
HIGHER point