Evening journal., 1897-07-08
ouR HOUSES ARE To- VAIN.
TOO Many Housewives Overheat
TheIr Iiving Rooms.

4
rooms is disputed question at this sea-
son and one that every housewife must
consider The Americans as people |
are probably no worse or more un-
healthy than other nations, but we are |
by no means free from blemishes and |
now and then we have our attention
called TO some of our national faults
by sharp-eyed, quick-wftted foreigner.
One of the late criticisms is the Ameri-
aan habit of overheating our houses.
It is an undisputed fact that in the
northern sections of the country, at
least, we habitually keep our living
rooms and halls OF public assembly
as we'll at too high temperature. The
habit is a bad one and is not only cost
ly but unhealthy.
A thoughtful physician who has com
bated this pernicious custom all his life
attributes one-half the colds and throat
disorders that prevail to this cause
alone. Rooms having a temperature
of much above 20 degrees are necessari-
ly enervating TO the system and aweak-
ened body is much more apt 10 succumb
70 disease than strong, healthy one.
| Il is no wonder that so many of our
women are sickly and low-spirited, con-
fined as they are day after day and
week after week in such houses, going
out of doors only when it is absolutely
necessary.
We constantly find "tcnder" people
who keep their living rooms at a tenn
perature OF so degrees during the win
ter, who will assert that the air is chill
" if it is cooler. The cause of thif
foolish habit is not far 20 seek. Most
American women, even those of more
than average means, are accustomed
20 pass a part of their time I'm the
kitchen, where culinary necessities put
wholesome temperature quite out Of
the question. When they have finished
their tasks in this department our tired
and overheated housewives turn TO the
other rooms to find them cold" They
are cold only by comparison, but IL
would be difficult TO make one believe
It. The consequence is the register IS
opened or the fire stirred up until the
sitting-room is as warm as the kitchen,
and the habit of oyerheating. coming
down from the days of huge woodpiles
and roaring chinney-places, projects
itself into the age Of double windows,
steam-heating apparatus and red-hot
coal stoves.
1t is astonishing to what degree we
p are creatures of habit in this respect
t and how readily we become habituated
to a much higher temperature than rs
necessary or beneficial 10 us. was re
Gently in house where the housewife
constantly wore n light shawl over hel
n shoulders, at the same time keeping
the temperature of her living room M
e 20 nearly so, and yet she declared tha
e she suffered from cold. She was thin
y ! and pale and dyspeptic and was Away
doctoring for n cold. What she neede'
was a cold shower bath every day ant
daily exercise in the open air. Sh
could then have dispensed with he
N wraps and could have been comfortabl
h in a lower temperature.
,r 1t is well TO remember that colds
It are as often caught by going sudden
l. " from a cold TO an overheated atmos
~ phere-as from the street on cold win
y ter day into a room at 80 Degrees
"a ! from ucultu loplh 1ht' hh1 NeANs a.
n less perceptible the change, the Create
l. the security.
A little thought and experimental
ID will work reform in many household
er to the increased comfort and health o
its inmates and to the advantage of tn
coal bin and woodpile. In these day
of dear fuel and cheap thermometer
~ the latter should be INDUCED in unit
10 we have reduced the temperature Of on
= overheated apartments, public and pr
in yate, to point favorable TO econom
A and health.
ed A Thermometer should be in ever
" sitting-room, and it should not be pc.
mitted to indicate n temperature {
ne more than 10 degrees. This is war;
ne enough for health and perhaps a lowe
temperature would be still better. ID
Kane, during his arctic exploration
said that his men were more comfor
,e. able when the cabin was at 81 or &c d
nd grees than when it was warmer, an
nd that is the temperature recommends
n for hospital wards. - Philadelph
w 1nt...,~