Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1899-06-15
DANGERS OF THE DUST BRUSH.
q Menace to Health and DestroyeT


to Life.
1t is a perfectly understood thing
among people who work as that bust
ness. that the making of powder is at
tended with constant and ever-present
danger. The most trifiing accident, the
most unforeseen incident may fire the
mass and blow every living creature in
the vicinity into eternity without an in
stant's warning. And yet there is very
little trouble in getting all the help one
wants to make this and kindred eX-
plosives, and, as a rule, the men are as
cIear-headed and light-hearted as those
who follow any other occupation.
Pasteur once made the remark that
the dust-brush ard broom were a thou
sand fold more dangerous than gun
powder and cost the world thousands OF
lives to one of the latter. 1t seems like
an exaggerated statement that, while
gunpowder and explosives have caused
the death of thousands, the broom and
dust-brush have slain millions, but this
is fact past question. Constant STIR
ring up of dirt in the house is a menace
to health and a direct destroyer of life.
The time will come when such thing
as carpet will not be permitted in civ
ilized household, and when the floor
brush and broom will have disappeared
forever. Few people realize that they
may bring in from the street on their
shoes or skirts every form of disease
that flesh is heir to. This is ground off
into the carpet, the warmth. of the
apartment helps on the process of devel-
opment, then the housemaid deliberate
II sets the germs in motion with her
broom and the air is filled with them.
They settle on the furniture and orna-
ments, and with the dust-brush she
whisks them off again on the carpet
where they remain possibly to propo-
gate, certainly to live until by the next
stirring up they may float into some
body's lungs or throat.
This is precisely what they have been
waiting for and is the object of their eN-
istence. Once settled in their congenial
quarters they begin their deadly work,
and the system is soon overrun with
their progeny, then there may be at
tacks of coughing, eXpectorating and
floating germs on the breath to scatter
this same deadly enemy not only
through this dwelling but all others
from which visitors come and go.
There was at one time an epidemic
of throat trouble in community. and
greatly were the doctors puzzled 20
know how the infection spread, as the
only original case had been confined
to the house for a long time, and never
mingled with his nsighbors. Atlast some
one recalled the fact that this man had
been 10 the post office, then, some one
remembered that as he stood talking
with some friends, he eXpectorated into
the register of the heater. Down in
the pipe Il quantity of dust and lint had
lodged, and here, in this agreeably warm
bed, millions of germs were liberated,
and. rising on the hot air current,
hoated out into the open space in the
post Office lobby.
Ii is high time that the deadly nature
of germs of this sort were proclaimed
aloud through the land. Bacteriology
in some simple way should be taught in
every public school, and hand in hand
with these instructions should go warn
ings against the broom and dust-brush.
Bare floors or mating which can be
wiped clean with damp cloths, are the
only suitable, safe and sanitary floor
coverings. Next in order come the bet
ter grades of oilcloth. Well-fitted.
matched flooring, thoroughly oiled and
kept reasonably clean. makes a floor
that meets all the conditions of health.
Happy will the human family be when
floors of this and similar kinds are the
rule and not the exception.-N. Y,
Ledger.