The Washington herald., 1908-01-15
FROM WOMAN'S
POINT OF VIE W

Apparently We are Just discovering the
remarkable curative properties of fresh
air. for the medical profession is using
1t IN new ways. know OF a Wee girl
who left the hospital the day before
Christmas after a siege of pneumonia
that made the chances OF recovery rather
remote. The family physician was up to
date, and believing that no home care
could equal that Of a thoroughly equipped
hospital, he succeeded in convincing the
child's father that the hospital offered
her a better chance Of recovery.
Convincing the mother was quite an
other matter but finally she yielded TO
the argument that an infant and the lin
itations OF a modern apartment house
were matters to be reckoned with in seri-
Gus illness. So TO a children's hospital
went the child. where the fresh-air cure
could be administered without restraint
Pneumonia and open windows is COM
bination new to me, but it worked well In
this case, and has probably cured others.
Night and day the windows OF TIE room
in which the child was lying were kept
wide open. and it was SO cold that she
had to wear mittens. But her body was
well protected although her head was
uncovered, and the proof OF the virtue OF
the treatment lies in the fact that sh= is
back home, in good health.
I believe that there would be fewer
sanatoriums if human beings lived ac-
cordlng to the dictates OF common sense.
At those high-prlced places for sick
nerves and diseased brains patients are
forced to remain outdoors for a certain
number OF hours each day. They are
given a diversion that claims close atten-
ton and makes the time pass swiftly and
pleasantly. They are not allowed 10
brood on unhealthy thoughts for the day
is so carefully planned that there is no
time to kill none TO hang heavily upon
persons hands. Men and women pay
fancy prices TO be compelled TO do the
things they might do at home without
cost
We keep our rooms too warm and too
close in winter. Men VINO sleep with open
windows and who begin the day with
bath and a course of physical exercises
go down town 20 offices that have not
been properly aired, steam-heated rooms
with tightly closed windows. where they
work till noon. After a b41ef respite they
return 10 finish the day matter Of four
or five hours, with precisely the same bad
conditions of the forenoon Then they
wonder why they feel tired and exhaust
ed after a moderate days work. while
the feminine members Of the family are
puzzlIng over the same question.
The women have aired the bedrooms
and probably overlooked the ventilation
Of the living-rooms. They have passed
the entire day in an overheated house
without fresh air and probably without a
Thermometer 20 warn them Of the risks
they run. They will not open windows
/ because they do not want the heat TO
| escape but they will cheerfully pay out
for doctors and medicine more than
enough money 20 pay for more heat than
could possibly escape in securing fresh
air. Sleeping outdoors in cold weather is
q harsh remedy for any disease. but Il is
better than dying by inches and leaving
a world which, with all its faults Is pret-
ty nice II We look upon il in the right
spirit There Is nothing better FOR frayed
nerves than a walk or a ride in the coun-
try, away from the brick pavements and
smoke and noise Riding and driving are
pastimes Of the rich. but walking is with
IN the reach of the masses.
BETTY BRADEEN.