The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-05-10
DANGERS OF SPRING.

Word of Caution Regarding the Health.
While spring weather brings delight
in the renewal of sunshine and the re-
birth OF ell animate things into new
life, 1t should not be forgotten that it
is an especially trying time to the in
valid, the aged, and any one whose
vital powers are not at their normal
standard. We believe that statistics
show that more consumptives die in
the early spring than at any other sea-
son. The rigors of the winters cold
and the sultry heats of summer are not
so fatal as the depressing effects of
the first days of spring. To certain
extent this is due to the sudden
changes we have at this season, to the
storms of dust and winds, more dan
gerous than any storm of rain, and the
general uncertainty of the weather.
The system has been weakened by the
close confinement of winter, so that it
is unable to bear readily the pure
fresh air that is allowed to flow in at
the windows and doors.
A good many people are so impru-
dent as to allow the fires to be extin-
| guished too early in the spring, and
colds arise from this cause AS a rule
the winter fires should be kept going
in our northern climate till May and
the spring house-cleaning is well over.
1t is not safe to allow the tempera ture
In the lying rooms to go below 70 de-
| greaG These winter fires are needed,
not so much because of the cold
weather, as to dissipate the miasmas
and dampness of spring which rise
from the damp ground and fill the air.
There is no power so effective against
| the demon of miasma as heat and pure
| air. The fires should be kept burning,
| even if the windows must be kept
| open. We have heard economic women
| object to this, with the remark that it
did not pay to heat up all outdoors but
the only way to get pure, warm air is
| to heat fresh air from outdoors Many
people are so imprudent as to take off
their heavy winter clothing as soon as
the first mild breezes of spring begin
to blow This is a foolish thing. The
old wife's rule to change no clothing
till the apple blossoms fall, and the
old English proverb that forbids any
change of clothing till MAY is out, -
are the only safe rules to follow. The
outer wrap may be lightened, but the
underclothing should be left intac t
till the uncertain spring weather has
settled into summer
There is a certain class of nervous
people who are not content unless they
can rush the season. This is as foolish
as it is vulgar. Good sense and the
weather should decide upon changes
of dress rather than the calendar. A
foolish fashion prevailed a few years
ago of appearing in full spring attire
on Easter Day. This was pretty
fancy when Easter was late, and it
was safe to put off winter attire, but
where the festival falls so early as it
did this season it is risk to the health
to attempt anything of the kind, and
the best bred people leave Easter dis
play in spring dress to foolish maid
servants and others who are willing to
run any risk rather than be thought
behind the fashion. Aged people and
sick people usually need a tonic at this
season, and there is no better tonic
than stimulating, easily digested food,
like rich beef, good soups free from
grease, and green vegetables and
salads to tone up the system. If we
could take a lesson from the brute
creation we would learn the value of
the green herb. Even the domestic
cat, flesh eater, like all the tiger
species, eagerly devours the first green
herbs of spring that she can find after
the SHOWS have gone, and rabbits and
squirrels who are regular vegetarians,
eat with avidity the green sprouts of
the coming vegetation. All nature re-
joices in the good, green herbs of the
spring.-N. Y. Tribune,