Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-12-06

nan Of family, you should make
time; You should jealousy guard your
little ones against the ravages OF dis.
ease as you would against the Jaws Of
some vicious animal. You might ask
then what shall l do?
F, A few words to the wise will be suf.
itcient. One of our modern French
writer's on disease says "a man who
is sick is rascal" OF course we TN
derstand the Frenchman's radical
view. He simply means that a sick
man has violated the laws of nature
and is paying the penalty. Well, but
what about the children? Simply this;
we are rascals too. If we don't do all
in our power to prevent disease in the
home-of course, there are some
things beyond our control.
We can all keep our homes clean
and wholesome and this we should
never lose sight Of; that dirt is con-
slant invitation to disease.
Two Kinds of Dirt.
In the first place there are two
kinds Of dirt, viz: there is a clean,
dirt and again there is dirty
dirt, which is filth. Now the boy or
girl whose hands and face become
dirty from playing in the sand and get
. ting in a bucket Of coal or from build
Ing his ship or from flying his kite,
has not done anything detrimental to
himself, nor anything that would Sc
verely wound views of lecturer on
hygiene.
This is kind of dirt that even
physician does not condemn. But filth
Is terrible! Filth is abominable! Filth
is the DEVILS automobile!. 1t is the
monster in which he rides about to
dose all who will let him. On the other
hand there is we'll established
maxim: THAT cleanliness is next to
goodness" If this be true then filth
and cleanliness are Numerically op-
posite and belong to their respective
regions. Filth is the greatest harbor
of disease we have; it is the greatest
culture medium of disease germs
known to medical science. Knowing
this to be the case then l shall make
some new resolutions.
First shall GUST that decomposing
cabbage, and vegetables in the alley.
Second shall not stop until my
cellar has been thoroughly cleaned and
.disinfected as the board Of health
may direct.
Third shall see that my home is
thoroughly ventilated
Now there is a difference in venti-
lation and draught. A good plan is to
throw the doors and windows wide
open every day for a sufficient time to
y.ay, oil oil c1n IN
room without lowering a window
from the top.
Fourth shall see that the children
are warmly clad, and especially the
feet. Better sacrifice little in an ov
ercoat and put it in warm shoes and
stockings for the little ones who are
forced to go to school through sudden
atmospheric changes.
Fifth - shall see that all the bed
clothing is carried out and aired in \
the sunshine at least once a week.
Sunshine is Destructive.
Sunshine, mothers, is powerfully de-
structive to all forms of germ life. No
disease microbe can live in it if ex-
posed long enough Think of it; the
blessed sunlight. the greatest disin-
fectant we nave!
SIXTH shall see that the children
are regularly bathed and have flannel
underwear to guard against sudden
chilling of the body surface. Children
often play hard and perspire, and in
cotton take cold easily. 1t is good
plan to battle them before going to
bed.
Attend to the Teeth.
Seventh - shall see that all de-
cayed teeth are removed or filled with
cement.
Eighth L shall buy nothing but
pure and wholesome food even if it
does cost a little more, it will prove
cheaper at the end of the year.
Ninth = l shall not allow table
scraps, potato or apple peelings to ac
cumulate in the yard or alley; they
must be burnt; or they may be fed to
hogs
NTenth = shall study the cares and
wants of the little ones in my home
and administer to them according to
NY best Judgment.
With the foregoing ten rules prop
erly carried out you should have little
sickness in your home unless it be of
a trivial nature.