The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-12-28
The Health u the Far mer.

In many ways people living in the
country have advantages for preserving
health that are not enjoyed by their
city neighbors. In fact, the city has
been termed "the grave of the ply
sique of our race" In,tbe rurel dis
tricts the average number of deaths
year is ID 80 10 the thousand, while in
the cities it lie 1858 Much of the ad-
vantage possessed by the country in
this respect comes from pure food
(would it were often more wholesomely
cookedD better sanitary surroundings
and freedom from the facilitating hab-
its which overtake the dweller in the
city.
But there lie no room for doubt that
if the farmer took better care of him
self he would live much longer than
he does. Asa people we are very reck-
less in this respect. And this reckless
ness shows itself most plainly in the
way we expose ourselves to inclement
weather and in the matter of over
working ourselves. The farmer thinks
he may go on year after year working
out of doors, rain or shine, and be none
the worse for it, He laughs at the man
who suggests that he is running great
risks by thus exposing himself. He
wants you TO understand that he has
toughened himself to endure all kinds
of weather. With wet shoulders and
still wetter feet he plods through the
mud and wet grass, coming in at night
to "dry off, without thinking it worth
while to make any change OF clothing.
His wife is, if possible, even more
careless than himself. With no cover
ing upon her head, and only a thin
dress to protect her shoulders, she goes
out many times day to attend to the
various duties which have fallen to her
lot. Rarely does she think it worth
while to put on a pair of rubbers.
Through the wet grass with skirts be-
drsggled and ankles cold and uncom-
Portable she goes through the day.
But nature will not long endure such
outrages without retaliating, and soon
the farmer and his wife wake up to the
fact that they have rheumatism or
kidney troubles badly. Coughs and
colds are followed by asthma, bronchi
tbs or consumption of the lungs. Heart
disease is the sequence of rheumatism,
and 30 on, until the farmer finds him
self broken down prematurely.
The report of the State commission
in lunacy for New York presents some
startling statistics. Out of fourteen &C.
equations, admitted to the State hospi-
tails in the year ending September 30,
1897, only four classes were more large
ly represented than the farmers.
Those set down as having been engag-
ed in agricultural and pastoral pursuits
contributed per cent of all admitted
in that year. 1t might be thought that
the quiet of the country would serve as
panacea for all troubles of the mind.
This does not appear to be true. Over
work and worry are the causes of a
large percentage of the insanity among
farmers.
An important lesson ought to be de-
rived from such considerations as
these. 1t should be plain that every
farmer ought to protect himself from
the weather. On cold and stormy days
he should see to it that his body is
shielded from wind and storm when it
is necessary for him to go out. He
would not permit his stock to be out of
doors on such days. Why should he be
less considerate of his own health? He
should see to it that his wife and fam
| lily are provided with rubbers and other
garments for keeping off the wet, and
see to it that they are used when need
ed. He should be as moderate about
working as he can, remembering that
the extra dollar earned today may call
for a double expenditure tomorrow
If he happens to be caught out in a
storm and gets thoroughly drenched
he should lose no time in putting of
his wet clothing and replacing it with
dry.
Such care as this cannot but tend to
ward off disease and lengthen life
New York Tribune.