St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1885-02-26
Health Precautions for Farmers,

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Health Precautions for Farmers
The occupation of the farmer is pro
verbally healthfnl. Much of his werh
is out-of- doors, where he can breathe
the pure air of the country, free from
| the pestilentiai Oders of, the city o.
commercial center. In his isolated
home the farmer is not liable to sutfe
az do the residents of cities, from ne
glect of sanitary precautions by hi
neighbers. If he or his family are sicl
through preventable causes it is main
ly his own fault; yet farmers are Otter
sick, and the death rate in the country
does not compare as favOrably witt
the city as it did years ago. The resi-
dents of cities, aware of their dangers
have given increased attention to san
itary science Farmers, on the other
hand, mistakenly surprising themselves
safe, have kept on in old methods, and
are more liable To disease than they
used to be.
There are many reasons why, as the
country grows older, greater care must
be taken to guard against disease. The
malaria of our new settlement was bad
enough, breeding fever and ague and
like disorders but it is harmless as
compared with the poisonous malaria
from cesspOols and privy vaults, re-
naming often undisturbed for years,
until it has thoroughly saturated much
of the soil around farm dwellings. More
ill-health to farmers families results
from this cause than from any other.
In the cities the danger from these
sources is more generally recognized
aud their contents are frequently re-
moved. Farmers are mere inexcus-
able for neglecting this, because the
contents Of such receptacles are valu-
able fertilizers for their land; in fact,
the farmers privy vault should never
be more than tight box, the contents
of which can never come in contact
with the soil, except as dry clay is
thrown upon them as an absorbent and
deOdOIizer.
Stops from the house instead of be-
ing thrown on the ground at the back
door should be poured on a bOxful of
earth kept under cover, and which
should be carried to some poor spot on
the farm and plOwed under. The farm
er has always enough soil to which
these applications from his vaults or
house slops will be IL great advantage.
Around his house they are only a
source of disease and death. The barn
yard, pig-pe and other similar farm
cOnveniences should be far enough re-
moved from the house to prevent any
connection of their OdOrs or drainage
with the wells which furnish the fani-
ly with water.
One of the most common sources of
disease in farmers families is to be
found in the cellars under their houses,
filled with half-decayed vegetables,
the Odors from which rise and fill every
never entirely cleaned from one years
end to another.
If entirely dry, potatoes and apples
in limited supply may be stored in eel
lars but they should be we'll looked
after, and decaying specimens removed
as fast as found. If the cellar is not
dry at all seasons, not only should no
vegetables DO kept in it, but the house
above should be considered nuinhabi-
table until it is made dry. The farmer
himself may not become sick. hut his
wife and family almost certainly will,
on account of being within doors so
large Il proportion of the time.
The house we'll is very often proIi-
fic cause of disease. During the past
few months wells have been low in
many parts of the country, and the re-
suit has been an unusual amount OF
sickness in country places. Drinking
the water down almost to the bottom
of the well families have taken in a
larger proportion than usual of its i'm
purties. Most old wells need thorough
cleaning. In fact all wells should be
four years. Now while the water is
low is the best time to do this work.
When done many will be surprised at
the amount of filth removed from wells
the water of which they have perhaps
been drinking for years.
1t is quite possible we may have d
visitation of the Asiatic cholera the
coming season. 1t can scarcely be
kept out of our sea-board cities, and
the sanitary condition of many country
places is more favorable for its spread
than that of well-regulated cities
There is no need for panic on accOuu
of its approach, The cholera come:
where the conditions are most favor
able for its spread and while in cite
the careful may to some extent sutfe
| from the neglect of others, it is the ad
vantage of the farmer that his isolation
enables him, by promptly putting hi
/ own premises III order, to guard him
self and family against its worse at
tacks. 1t were better that this Shout,
! be done from needless alarm than 10
ut all. In fact if farmers will TAX
! even ordinary sanitary precautions tia
coming season it is probable that thei
health and that of their families wi
be generally better than is usual
| I American CultivatOr.
Good Model for a Snow-Plow.