The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-09-15
Health IN the Home.

best means of preventing disease have
attracted much attention of late years,
and columns upon columns have been
given to the public through the medium
Of the press on this topic. This is mat
ter Of generalization, for no question Is
Of more vital Importance to the world at
large, and none deserve more earnest
study. But it is also true that the great
masses of the people take no precautions
against disease.
The startling statement was made
some time ago that half of the deaths
in our large cities are due to preyentable
diseases. Admitting this to be true, the
way to prevent these deaths is for every
man and woman to take the best pos
sible care OF his or her human machin-
cry, without which precaution all the
city Boards of Health in our land will
be unayailing.
1t should be pretty well understood by
this time that the body must have pure
ali, pure water, wholesome food, suitable
clothing, sunshine, protection from
special contagious diseases, and last, but
not least, rest and recreation. Impure
air is at the bottom of much more sick
ness than people generally believe, and it
Is the one desideratum of health that is
the least controllable. The atmosphere
is always contaminated with dust con-
tanning minute germs which cause putre-
faction and fermentation; and these, IT
is now asserted, cause nearly all the mala-
rial and contagious diseases. Persons hy-
ing in the country have little impure air
to contend against, except in narshy pla-
ces, but In the city foul streets and reek-
ing cutters are very hot-beds for the de-
yelopment Of these germs. Foul gasses:
which make themselves known by their
odOrs, work their worst results by caus-
ing people to close their windows, and
as consequence, to breathe bad air,
which is a thousand times more destruc-
tive than is the most nauseating odOr.
The human machine requires a vast
amount of air, and the poisons cast of
by the human system are deadly, and il
breathed over and over again, will very
shortly impair the most robust constitu-
ton. The most insidious of noxious
gasses is that which arises from sewers,
and is almost impossible of detection be-
cause it is practically odorless. Many a
serious case of fever or debilitated and
broken down organism may be traced to
stationary wasbstand in q sleeping
room, or to Il defective trap in waste
pipe Care should be taken that all
waste pipes be properly disinfected at fire.
quent intervals, which may go far toward
preserving the health of the family and
save not only disease and death, but doc
tors bills as we'll
Again, people are careless about the
cellars where they store food and veg.
yetables in winter, from which fungi de-
velop and spread through the house. In
ninety-nine houses out of hundred the
cellar will be found damp and musty
and even in other well regulated house
holds, in a shocking state of uncleanli-
ness. 1t should have an asphalt floor
lime, into which copperas had been in
troduced, at least twice year, and il
should be well ventilated.
The use of improper food, in no,
weather especially, is fruitful cause OF
disease. Too much meat and too few
fruits and farinaceous foods are eaten
and, too, there is small doubt but that
we eat too much, whatever the nature oil
the food. Meat three times a day is not
only unnecessary, but absolutely harm
full, especially in hot weather. That it i.
not essential to the production Of
strength is proved by the herculean work
of the Roman soldiers who built sucl
wonderful roads, meanwhile carrying {
weight of armor that would crush the
average farm hand, and who lived OF
coarse bread and sour wine. But they
were temperate in both eating anC
drinking, and regular and constant il
exercise. The Smyrna porter eats only
fruit, bread and olives. Meat rarely ol
never enters into his bill of fare; ye
he walks off with his load of 800 pounds
The coolie, fed on rice, is more active
than the negro fed on fat meat. Th'
heavy work of the world is not done by
the biggest eaters, and the fastest anC
longest windeG horse is not the sleekes
Moderation in diet and regular hours
and persistent exercise are the prerequi
sites for sound mental and physica
health. This is a matter that is easill
regulated by the housemother, at leas
so far as herself and her children arr
concerned, and the subject of diet anC
exercise is one she cannot afford 4
ignore, as it is the primary factor in th
establishment and maintenance of Wig
orous health.
The question of a supply OF pur,
water is not so easily settled. Well-to
do people, many of them, have sprin!
water brought to their houses by tn
barrel, which is used for all culinar,
purposes; others drink only melted ice
others still put their trust in the filter
little imagining that the purest waite
may become defiled by passing through
an imperfectly cleansed filter. Far safe
than the most approved patent filter
| the plan of boiling the water befor
using it. This means is within reach o
| the humblest dweller, and win 70
contaminated water of its terrors.
powerful agent in the preservation
of health is sunlight. Let the carpet
and upholstery fade, but don't shut tn
sunlight out of the home. 1t will nc
help the family to keep well in body, bu
it will make them happy, and thus les
liable TO contract contagious diseases
The power of the mind over matter is
conceded fact.
There is little doubt that oyerheatin
in summer and exposures to sudde
changes in temperature lay the seeds {
disease from which springs the misery {
two thirds of the women of to-da,
especially those of the working clas
Standing over red-hot stove cooking c
ironing, or elbow deep in seething soal
suds with the thermometer at 90 degree
in the shade, is a sore trial to the col
stitution of the most robust woman, an
when it is undertaken by the wife an
mother of a family it is little short {
! suicide. Her principal business durir
the hot season should be simply to exi
with as much physical comfort as poss
bic. Let her put the washing and irol
ing out; let her and her family tai
their dinners out; let her give her fami
light breakfast, and bread and milk an
fruit suppers. They will be just
happy and far healthier if their diet
a little circumscribed. and when Il
frosts come the tired housekeeper w
: feel as though she had had a vacatio
She will have had time for resting al
reading, for catching up with t
neglected sewing, and, best of all, +
taking delightful little excursions in
the parks or country with the childre
! 1t viii pay.
: Neat But Not Gaudy.
: The following is pretty model for
vauny iadv's autumu dress. Ii Is