The evening times., 1899-06-10
Hot Weather Accidents.

The season of the gasoline stove is at
the papers accounts of horrible accidents
due to carelessness in the manipulation OF
this and other hot weather contrivances.
1t is only fair to the stove to say that it
Is not to blame for most OF the tragedies
in which 1t figures. When parents allow
little girls of ten or twelve to have the care
Of these stoves, or when grown people de-
liberately disregard the instructions Of the
manufacturers and dealers, Of course, there
is trouble. just as there is when the
bucolic citizen blows out the gas in the
hotel. When people make use of these
short cuts to leisure they should do so with
proper care and precaution. and pay atten-
tion to the directions which are plainly
printed on cards by the manufacturers.
and sold with the stoves. This is a case In
which 1t Is not wise to display too much
originality. 1t is much better to take
little trouble and be safe. than to expert
ment at the risk of being burned to death.
But there are people who seem to enjoy
taking risks for no particular purpose.
For the benefit of these 1t may be re-
marked that. in case of fire from the use
Of gasoline, 1t is worse than useless to
pour water on the flames. but that they
may be put out with flour or smothered
with rug or carpet. Those who cause these
blazes will probably go right on dousing
the confiagration with water. but now and
then a sensible neighbor comes to the res
cue. and 1t will be good thing for this
neighbor to know just what will put out
the fire quickest.
Another thing to which 1t Is worth while
to give attention is the importance of
keeping refrigerators, food closets, back
y.rds. and other out-of-the-way places
clean. Most ice men can testify to the
peculiar condition of some places into
which they put ice. There Is choice COL
lection Of germs to be found In these re-
positories after month or SO Of hot
weather. especially IL the ice does not
always hold out: and then people wonder
why they have hot weather diseases.
Here. again. they disregard instructions
plainly given. for nearly all refrigeratOrs
are provided with a little card pasted in
side the lid, In which housekeepers are en-
Joined to be careful in this matter OF clean
illness.
Other things might be said about the
need of observing the regulations Of the
city board of health, of refraining from
over-exertion and over-feeding. and of
taking particular care that the fruit and
other food eaten by the family Is whole
some. OF course all these things take
time and thought. and sometimes more or
less hard work, but 1t is better to spend
a little time and money in keeping things
clean than to bear the burden of sickness
in the house and heavy doctors bills. when
the heat really begins to get in its work.
1t is merciful arrangement of Providence
that there is usually one careful and
thoughtful person in a careless family,
and If this person happens to be the
and to have the care of all
these multitudinous details. she may feel
like drudge now and then, but she is doing
work as important as that of anyone else
in the house, for she is making 1t possible
for the breadwinners to do their work
we'll and with the least tax on health and
strength.