Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-09
HOW TO KEEP COOL,
a
AFariety Of Ways of Forgetting That
This is the Hottest Summer
We've Had for Two Years.
YESTERDAY BROKE TIE RECORD.
Registrar kcCandlesS, Who Complies Vital
Statistics, Says There We're More
Deaths Last Week
THAN EVER BEFORE In THE SANE TINE.
People Taking More Care to Protect Themselves From
Old SOl's Rays

In the bright halcyon dog days OF summer
the question of keeping cool is one in which
everybody is interested. If some one with
the welfare of common humanity at hear
would discover some means of keeping thu
body below the boiling point on such days a.
yesterday he would not have to work for
living, and could enjoy life in a manner
now known only by the cool ice dealer o.
the owner of frst-class soda water foun
tain.
Yesterday was the hottest dav of the year
The mercury in the thermometer owned by
the Signal Service with rapid stride:
jumped up until it registered 81 degrees,
Instead of asking each other if it was hot
mopping their brows, asked: "How are
you going to keep cool?" With view ol
ascertaining this desirable information q
representative of The DISPATCH called
upon DR.. ]. Guy McCandless, City PhysI-
clan and Register of Vital Statistics. The
doctor was found in his Office in his shirt
sleeves, and looked as comfortable as If he
had been reclining in hammock in a re-
frigerator. When questioned he said:
NOT so HARD TO DO.
SIT is the easiest thing in the world to
keep cool, after you know how. After
coming in from the hot street divest my
self of part of my clothing, and allow my
body to cool off, 1t is impossible to be as
cold as an iceberg in summer time, but il
people follow my instructions they would
not only keep cool, but would preserve their
health and prevent trouble. You will
notice that keep my house closed and
dark. 1t is hotter outside than inside a
house in summer time, and when the win
dows are kept closed, the hot air is kept ut
of the house.
'In the first place, believe in dressing
coolly and giving the closest personal at
tention to cleanliness. Contrary to popular
supposition, do not think that people
should wear fannels. A flannel shirt is not
cool. 1t will absorb moisture, but it is not
as cool as silk or muslin. Popular opinion
is in favor of flannel, but the reason for it is
because it is on a wave of popularity. II 1
was going out TO play baseball or tennis I
would put on a flannel shirt. After per-
spring 1 would take it of, and after bath
don a linen shirt. Instead of flannel or
cotton underwear would advise people to
wear silk, il they can.
Keep out of the hot sun as much as you
can, and if you must be out protect the
head. A good scheme is to carry an UNI
brella over the head while walking along a
sIxeet where there is no shade. If you can t
get an umbrella, a cabbage leaf or a wet
sponge carried under the crown OF the hat
will do as well. The cabbage leaf keeps
the effects OF the sun from the head and
allows the blood to circulate more freely.
The practice OF taking stimulating drinks
should be discontinued during excessively
warm weather, as it is not advisable. Cool,
calculated beverages are the best. Root
beer is not bad summer drink, and lemon
ades and acid phosphates, if not too cold,
cool off the blood.
HEAT RAISING THE DEATH LIST.
81 have Just finished my report of the
mortality in the two cities for the past week,
and find it is greater than any week before
within my recollection. People do not pay
anv attention to their diet. They should
eat nothing indigestible, or any unripe
fruit Ii. the system is kept in good con-
dition, the effects of this hot weather would
not be felt so much. Last week we had 124
deaths, and in the corresponding week of
1889, we only had ia. There were two
fatal sunstrokes, 81 cases of choleraic diar-
rhGa and five cases of diarrhea indirectly
caused by the warm weather. There were
also ten cases of typhoid fever. The deaths
were distributed as follows: In the old
city, 2S; East End, 50; Southside, 80, and
in the different institutions, u.
SIN this kind of weather parents should
be careful about the kind of water their
children drink. Many youngsters die from
diarrhOa, and the cause can be traced di-
rectly to bad water. OF the 124 deaths the
p'St week, 49 were children under year.
The death rate is 26.S per J, 900 persons"
A visit was paid to the Signal Service
Observers Office, where Observer Stewart
was found trying to find cool wave some
where, and head it in the direction of this
city. Mr.. Stewart said: "It is the hottest
day of the wear, but thank God and the
Signal Service, it will oe cooler tomorrow
The reports show rain in the South and
Northwest, and it will probably strike us
bv tomorrow. This is the warmest day we
had since July 10, last year, when the mer-
curry crawled up to SO degrees. AT 8 o'clock
last evening it was 81. At midnight the fluid
dropped to so, and at 6:45 o'clock it ascended
again, until it reached IS. At s o'clock it
took a tumble, and dropped to 50, and three
hours later was found at 81. We chased it
another point. and at noon found the mer-
curry at 90 At l o'clock it WAS boiling and
sizzling at "a, and was trying to 20 higher.
At 2 reef was taken in the sails, and it
dropped to 92.5. Three hours later it was
upward again, and reached the 93-
degree stage. The humidity of the atmos-
phere was about &c per cent when the mer-
curry was at its highest point.
HOTTER THAN LAST YEAR.
'Last year the hottest day was in July,
when it got up to $50. The minimum was
5e On the 9th of July, last year, it was
&C; the 9th, 90, and the 10th, SO. The hot
test day in 1883 was on June 90, when it
registered the same as to-day-94. On the
corresponding day of that year, it was awav
down TO So; on the Stn it dropped to 20, and
on the 10th to SO. The year preceding was,
9Th. So; 9th, SO, and 10th, 81. The hottest
period in 1887 was from July - to %. On
the 18th the people baked, with the ther-
mometer at 101. The hottest day we have
had since the establishment of the station
was July 10, 1881, when it jumped up to
1921"
Coroner Mcdowell was caught on Fifth
avenue irving to look comfortable under the
hot sun and the strain of his official duties.
Tie warm weather has increased the bust
ness of the Office, and the Coroner has to
hustle to keep pace with it. He said:
1.-THE best way know to keep cool is to
get 2 piece OF ice and suck it. do not
think cold ice-water thrown into the stom-
ach is good thing, and the use of liqkors
should be avoided. Beer heats the Body
and is liable to put 1t at such temperature
that death may result at any moment DUR
ing the heated part of the day. Ii one can
do without drinking at all, it is a good
thing, and is the safest way to carry one
through the hot spell. ACIDS and phosphates
do not think are advisable to Ake to cool
the blood"
Thomas NJ. Marshall, the well-known at
torney, was seen on the streets yesterday
arrayed in long linen duster that reached
to his heels. 1t was buttoned tight, and
what clothes he had under it could not be
seen. He said be was comfortable, and that