The Washington bee., 1893-12-02
GIRLS AND CHEMISTRY.
AN IMPORTANT STUDY FOR FU-
TURE HOUSEkEEPERS.

Where knowledge is Power-A Plea for
Practical Science in the Kitchen and in
the General Administration of House,
hold Affairs
1t is contended, even to WEAKNESS,
that young woman's first and fore
most duty should be to make herself
proficient in housekeeping; and yet the
study which is the sureSt stepping
stone to this estimable object is incOn-
slderably forgotten in most cases. 1t
Is chemistry-the science which tells
what things are made of, and how their
elements combine with others to pro-
duce certain fixed results. In cooking,
canning and preserving fruits; wash
ing, dying and renovating garments;
house-cleaning, gardening and poultry
raising, not to mention the treatment
of cuts, burns and common family all
mentS, the housewife stands in con-
slant need of just such practical in
formation as the study of chemistry
would give her
Many people hold the erroneous opin-
ion that good cooks are blessed with
their peculiar gift by nature, and that
scientific knowledge would be of no
account They are accustomed to tell
with guSto about some aunt who lust
throws things together" but whose cul-
mary productions always taste good"
and they hold this up as an argument
that knowledge of the materials she
deals with is not necessary to the
housewife. Yet, if questioned closely,
they will always admit that even this
famous individual ''sometimes has bad
luck" That means that her working
knowledge, however good it may be,
must fail in the face of adverse cir
cumstances, especially such as are of
a hidden nature; and then she has
nothing to help her out and produce a
successful result from her undertak-
Ing, whether it be in bread-making,
canning corn or any other domestic
procedure. Scientific knowledge is nee
essary for that. SO, too, it would be
beneficial in other ways. Knowing the
chemical composition of -four, meat
and potatoes, and the effect of various
methods of preparation housewife
can put her learning to economical
uses, and do her cooking on such a
basis as to produce palatable dishes
with no loss Of nutriment and at the
least expense. AS matter Of fact, an
uneducated cook, even though she en-
JOtS tIlc always
things taste good" is seldom saving
cook; not because she has not the sci
entific knowledge regarding food ma
terialS and their management, which
would enable her to be saving. On
the other hand, an intelligent cook has
scientific reason for every direction
and every process. She is able not
only to produce the most appetizing
raSI1tS h1,t tn do with thn taS
economy of time. labor and money.
The same is true in other depart
ments which come under the care of
the housewife. A knowledge of chem
istry and the ability to make Il few
simple tests would enable her to avoid
the use Of Il great many frauds, Use
less and injurious articles-for exam
pie, washing compounds that are ut
terly worthless, or that will rot the
clothes; toilet powders, containing bis
muth or arsenic, for her own complex
ion or for use in the nursery; eXpen-
sive baking powders that contain alum
or something worse; a wonderful furni-
ture polish at fifty cents pint, that
costs about fifteen cents gallon;
poisonous hair dyes; dangerous Oint-
mentS, Quack medicines, warranted to
cure the most severe attack of some
thing in half an hour, ETC., etc, ad in
finitum.
therefore, we say, let the girls study
chemistry in the school, not merely for
the culture and mental discipline to be
derived from it, but for its practical
economic value; and not only let
them do it, but insist that the school
directors furnish the opportunity for
them to study at least the elements of
the subject. While chemistry seems
e-eminently useful for the girls, it is
likewise important for boys, especially
for such as expect to become farmers
or manufacturers. The composition of
soils, the qualities of fertilizers, the
nutritive strength of grains for feed
ing, are questions confronting the far
mer every day, and which depend up
on a knowledge of chemistry for their
economical solution. Let us have it in
the common schools, not tucked away
as a luxury in the last year of the high
school course.