Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-06-09

easy to overdo even so good thing as recre-
alton. Over-fatigue and undue exposure to
| the sun, irregular eating, overteeding on
food to which one is unaccustomed, sitting
or lying on the ground and unnecessary ex-
posure to the dew and dampness after night
fall are all to be avoided by people who
value health.
SPRING WATER.
believe that many city people sow the
seeds OF disease in their systems by drink
| ing spring water Unfortunately. Spring
water often looks crystal clear and the
| general presumption is that it must be
pure, but, it must be remembered, as the
water has been filtered through the earth
1t becomes impregnated with various sub
stances. How pure it Is depends upon the
strata OF earth through which it passes.
The want Of sanitary precautions will pol
Lutte well; it will also contaminate a
spring. Clear brooks sometimes supply
good water; running streams are liable to
contain vegetable matter or animal refuse
washed into them by the heavy rains.
When country places become more popu-
lated and factories are started the seeds of
disease are pretty sure to crop out, owing to
the pollution wrought by chemicals, or from
other causes.
Simple tests are sometimes published in
the newspapers for the analysis of water. 1
do not think a layman can rely on the result
of such tests. Water analysis is one of the
most difficult and delicate processes in the
whole range of chemistry. Such work should
be done by a professional expert, whose
opinion may we'll be worth the SO or $40
ne will charge for it. According to Prof
.. +. Chandler many persons'have a notion
that chemist can take substance like wa
ter apart, like telescope, putting one con-
stltuent In this saucer and another in that
one. Prof Chandler says "the germs Of dis
ease are Invisible. We can simply say that
certain peculiarities found in water, sup
posed to have produced typhoid and other
zymotic diseases are present. You may take
1t as rule that, unless your cesspool is as
tight as bottle the sewage will find its way
to your own or your neighbor's we'll"
PRUDENCE NECESSARY.
But the danger OF contracting sickness in
the country can be almost entirely avoided
by good Judgment and prudence in guard
ing against known or probable dangers.
Good rules are useless unless intelligently
applied, and are more likely to be mislead-
ing than helpful. In a general way it may
be said that the ideal conditions of sanitary
excellence in country houses are very rarely
found, and when found are usually at Vari-
ance with preconeeived notions. The fine
old country homestead, surrounded by tall
shade trees, is seldom safe place for one
not Injured to its conditions by long ex-
perience with them. Such houses are COM
monty a mass of rotting wood saturated
with dampness, moldy and generally
unwholesome. Their ancient wells are more
than likely to be polluted by equally an
cient local nuisances. They are, as
rule, bad places for children, es-
pecially infants who cannot run the
fields and climb the hills and so gain the
health and vigor which will enable them to
resist the unwholesome influences of bad
indoor surroundings Summer hotels and
boarding houses are no better than the
old homestead, unless they are supplied with
impure water or unwholesome food.
Where to go is aquestion largely answered
by circumstances The summer sojourner
should study the general topography of the
country and should be able to learn much
from the medical records of the locality.
What he shall do when he gets there shall
be determined by the exercise of good sound
common sense. 1t is safe rule to keep out
of doors as much aspossible, exercising mod
erately and avoiding fatigue, eating simple
food at regular intervals, avoiding water
from sources open to suspicion, and getting
plenty of sleep. Under these circumstances
the chances are largely in favor of benefit
to result from the change. Further than
this generalizations are unsafe.
j. @. BAYLEs.