Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1901-04-29
FAMILY WEIGHING MACHINE.
Almost n Universal and Essential Piece
of Domestic Furniture.

of Domestic Furniture.
In every household to-day there are
babies or banting women or dgspeptic
members, and the modern scientific
physician draws his sage conclusions
as much from his patients pounds as
from their temperature. In conse-
guence the most wonderful machines
have been developed to meet this need
of determining human weight to the
smallest fraction of an ounce.
Among the wedding presents of a
summer bride was a remarkable look
ing object that puzzled considerably
those who were asked in to view the
gifts until the bride herself explained
that it was new and improved fam
lily weighing machine. The frame of
the affair was made of highly polished
mahogany, and the top of the plat
form, supported by four graceful legs,
was cushioned and covered with royal
red leather. II one side of the cush-
ion were notched and numbered bars
of silver, and with this went leather
bound book and a series of little mum.
bered weights made also of silver.
The whole thing was a puzzle till
some intelligent person recognized the
apparatus as an elegant family weigh
ing machine, so exquisite in its ad-
justment that every fraction of
pound could be estimated, and in the
book were printed, frsr, explanations
as to the use of the appliance, and
then carefully ruled blank pages were
arranged for the registry OF the aYor-
dupois.
Assuredly the arrangement was lux
urlous, for to ascertain ones weight
it was only necessary to SIT on the
fine leather cushion, adjust the bal
ance and slip into place the silver
ounce and pound disks. In few mo-
ments the dial would register 1873
pounds 3-16 ounces. 1t would then
be necessary to register this, the date
and style of clothing in the book of
weights, and in from three to five
days another experience on the royal
red cushion would show to a nicety
whether q sixteenth Of an ounce had
been lost or gained
The fore word in the book tells how
to experiment to ascertain normal
weight, how the weight of a healthy
person huctuates within the limits Of
the normal and when loss of flesh is a
danger signal, at what rate abnormal
flesh should be lost and what rate in
fants and growing children should
gain 1t.
As a rule the weighing machine is
kept in the bathroom, and mothers
are instructed to put their children on
the scales every morning. keep a close
record of the fll.v,Lations and once in
three weeks turn the tables of weights
over to the family doctor, who will
draw precious differences therefrom.
This is all in line with a new theory
that 1t is flesh that tells whether one
is well or i'll more truthfully even than
color or appetite or i'll feelings, and the
makers of scales have appreciated the
bearing of this new gospel on their
trade.
Some of the machines they make
are in the form Of graceful chairs, up
holstered in blue or white leather, to
snatch the bathroom decorations, and
some are artistic studies in walnut
and tapestry for the ornamentation
OF the hallway, the machinery being
concealed as far as possible or made
so highly ornamental that the ugly
iron scales of yore have been trans
formed into a valuable and effective
piecesof household furniture.-Fanny
Enders, in the Chicago Record.