The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1911-03-02
PROPER WINDOW VENTILATION.

fNOfGH lCOOW t6N1lAAx1ON.
Have plenty OF window space and 80
arrange your rooms that they are thor
oughly ventilated and we'll lighted.l
Of course and variously ascribed to
''acts of God" or 1.-The evil one." &C
cording to the point Of view.
We do not read in the sprightly ro-
mances Of Dumas and others who
have thrown glamour over history
that Itch" was a common. not to say
general. atfiiction at the court of
France and that the great Napoleon
suffered from this trouble because no
one knew it's cause or simple treat
ment. 1t seems difficult to realize that
in the old days a person who was not
pockmarked from smallpox was con-
spicuous in the streets of London.
The custom of sleeping in hunks In
the wall, of using rushes or straw for
floor covering, in the meshes of which
refuse scraps from the table and other
filth were allowed to accumulate, was
regarded in the old days as natural
and healthful mode Of existence. The
custom Of dipping germ infected fin
gers into large dishes of food contain
ing the general supply for the family
was followed by the Four Hundred
during the middle ages, when the
black death and other scourges
spread desolation Of which it is diff
cult to form any conception in these
days Of comparative sweetness and
light"
But we must not lay too much fiat
tering JUNCTION to our souls. Taking
into account the advances in science
and knowledge of the causation of dis
ease. we are today relatively just as
neglectful as our forefathers. Reck-
less and careless habits in defiance OF
disease risks are still common enough
and are responsible for a tremendous
waste Of life.
The Fall In the Death Rate.
In the registration area of the Unit
ed States the death rate has fallen
from 1876 per 1000 in 1890 to 1874 In
1908. In Massachusetts the death rate
has fallen from 1914 in 1890 to 17.5 in
1907. In England and Wales it has
| fallen from 1915 in 1890 to hi IN
| 1908: in Sweden from Ill in 1880 tt
149 in 1908, and in France from 22.s
in 1890 to 149 in 1908.
| This is splendid showing. but whel
we analyze the material from which
these figures are derived we find tina
the death rate among young people
has fallen more than 80 per cent. while
the death rate among the middle aget
and elderly has either been slightly at
fected or markedly increased. accord
ing to the locality investigated.
In Massachusetts the increase in tn
death rate at advanced ages is reall.
startling and doubtless reflects con
dition general throughout the country
We know that the degenerative dis
eases affecting middle life and old ag
-apopexy, heart disease, Bright's dis
ease. arterial diseases, etc.-have in
creased 1O5 per cent during the pas
thirty years in the registration area
and an increase in the mortality at tn
ages affected would naturally follow
such as is exhibited in the Massachu
setts statistics.
| But the limit of prevention and in
provement among the infectious dis
eases that affect young lives has no
yet been reached. These diseases. sue
as typhoid, cholera infantum. tuberc'
Iosis. etc, should be absolutely Grad
Gated.
Proper sanitation. especially in til
rural districts. is greatly needed sad
more thorough observance OF the pr