Evening journal., 1897-08-30
oUR HOUSES ARE TOO WARM.
Too Many Housewives Overheat
Their Liking Roomn

Their Living Rooms.
The proper temperature of our living
rooms is a disputed question at this sea-
son and one that every housewife must
consider. The Americans as a people
nre probably no worse or more un-
healthy than other nations, but we are
by no means free from blemishes and
how and then we have our attention
rallied to some OF, our national faults
by sharp-eyed, quiclS-wftted foreigner.
One of the late criticisms is the Ameri-
can habit of overbe ating our houses
1t is an undisputed fact that in the
porthern sections of the country, at
least we habitually keep our living
rooms and halls OF public assembly
as well at too high a temperature. The
habit is a bad one 9nd 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 a weak
to disease than a strong. healthy one.
il is no wonder that so many of our
women are siclily 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 tender" 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
ly if it is cooler. The cause of thif
foolish habit is not far to seek. Most
American women, even those of more
than average means, are accustomed
to pass a part of their time in the
kitchen, where culinary necessities put
a 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 it
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 chimney-places, projects
itself into the age Of double windows,
! steam-heating apparatus and red-hot
coal stoves.
1t is astonishing to what degree we
are creatures of habit in this respect
and how readily we become habituated
to a much higher temperature than Is
necessary or beneficial to US. l was re
Gently in a house where the housewife
constantly wore a light shawl over heI
shoulders, at the same time keeping
the temperature of her living room VI
TO nearly so, and yet she declared that
she suffered from cold. She was thin
and pale and dyspeptic and was always
doctoring for q cold. What she needed
was cold shower bath every day anc
daily exercise in the open air. She
could then have dispensed with hei
wraps and could have been comfortable
in a lower temperature.
1t is well to remember that colds
are as often caught by going sudden
ly from a cold to an overheated Otmos
phere-as from the street on q cold win
ter day into room at so degrees,
from q heated room into the cold. Th'
less perceptible the change, the greater
the security.
A little thought and experimenting
will work a reform in many households
to tho increased comfort and health o
J its inmates and to the advantage of th'
l coal bin and woodpile. In these day
Of dear fuel and cheap thermometer
the latter should be INDUCED in unit
we have reduced the temperature Of ou
overheated apartments, public and pri
vate, to a point favorable to econom.
and health.
A Thermometer should be in ever.
sitting-room, and it should not be per
mitted to indicate a temperature o
more than 20 degrees. This is warn
enough for health and perhaps lowe
temperature would be still better. d.
Kane, during his arctic explorations
said that his men were more comfort
= able when the cabin was at 61 or 62 de
grees than when it was warmer, an
that is the temperature recommends
D for hospital wards. - Philadelphi
Times.