The Globe-republican., 1889-10-23
HOUSEHOLD HYGIENE.
Why Mothers Should study the Leading
Principles of Sanitation.

Why Mothers Should study the Leading
Principles of Sanitation.
Every mother should make household
hygiene a study. To do this she need
! not be obligedto institute exhaustive
research in technical treatises. but she
should acquaint herself enough with
the leading principle Of. sanitation to
preclude the likelihood of her children
becoming poisoned by defective drain
age or neglected garbage through her
ignorance of the deadly influence these
exert 1t may be safely declared that
where there are evil OdOrs. perfect
healthfulness can not exist Ii the
mother notices offensive smells proceed
ing from the drain pipes. or sinks. or
basins. if an eflluvium arises from the
cellar. she may be sure something is
wrong. and her first business must DO to
investigate the cause of the trouble. In
modern houses the system OF traps used
in waste pipes is much more perfect
than in buildings erected even ten
years ago. Where there is any doubt
as to whether the traps are in perfect
working order. no time should be lost
in summoning a plumber. 1t is better
to pay his bills than those of q physi-
clan.
Even when there seems to be nothing
radically wrong about the drains and
sewer connections, it is safe to use a few
simple precautions. One Of the best of
these is to flush every pipe daily with
hot water, if that is possible. To this
may be added crushed washing-sOda.
household ammonia, potash. or some
good disinfectant. Chloride OF lime is
so disagreeable to most people that the
remedy gained by employingit seems to
many almost worse than the disease it
is to cOunteract. Copperas water is in
offensive, cheap and easily prepared
1t must be handled with care however.
for it makes ugly spots and stains. even
upon white goods. that are almost i'm
possible to efface.
The accumulation of waste heaps
in the cellar or yard should never be
permitted. What can not be burned
in the kitchen stove with the aid of q
hot fire. closed lids and open drafts.
should be sent of by scavenger to a
remote dumping ground Stores of
fruit and vegetables should be picked
over at regular intervals, that the rot
ting portions may be thrown away.
This course not only avoids risk from
the decaying matter, but helps to pre-
serve that which has not yet been
tainted. The cellar should never be
allowed to become receptacle for gar
bage of any kind. for it is too easily
overlooked in those underground re-
cesses. II scraps and remnants are
kept in sight. they are much less likely
to be neglected than if they are hidden
in an Out-of-the-way corner where
they may escape the housekeeper
eye.
Children seem to have a natural pro-
clivity for unhealthy localities II
there is damp. heavily shaded corner
OF the garden, they seek this in pref
erence to the sunny open. If there Is
a place where they can get their feet
wet, thither they gravitate with unfail-
ing directness. The mother must exer-
else constant vigilance to prevent tho
seeds OF sore throats. rheumatism or
diphtheria being sOwn in the baby syS-
TENS. Childish ailments that can no:
be escaped are only too plenty without
mourning the risk OF those that care
and watchfu!usss may aid to avert
Housewife