The Washington times., 1917-01-15
MEDICINE
. BY DR.. HIRSHBERG
Intelligent Observation of Rules
of Hygiene Will De-
crease Illness.
By DIR. LEONARD X. HIRsHBERG.

By DIR. LEONARD X. HIRsHBERG.
Picture to yourself a fragrant
growing flower placed under a box
sides to admit fresh air and sunlight
and you will have a fairly good idea
of what you are in a house with the
windows closed.
Our remote ancestors were cave
dwellers, doubtless from necessity.
The cave afforded the best protection
available from the weather and from
the attacks of animals and hostile
men. However, they must have spent
great part of the waking hours in
the fresh air and the sunlight, occu-
pying their caves at night or In times
Of special danger.
You, on the other hand, do not have
to dwell in a cave. To live in a
house is bad enough, and to remain
In one during the hours of sleep,
housework and other essential duties
with the windows closed Is q crime
against your health, committed under
the false name of 'necessity.I
Virtues OF Frexh Air.
Large windows, unhidden by blinds
and heavy curtains, will give light
and sunshine free access. Large, low
French windows are preferable, as
they open in the center and are wider
than others.
The virtues OF fresh air and sun,
shine are many. Sunlight is essential
to health, and neither animal nor vege-
table life can flourish without it.
All life comes to the earth from the
sun, whose wonderful alchemy acts
upon the simplest elements of nature.
Even the florist recognizes the i'm
portance of light when he takes care
to turn his plants by day so that all
sides will be equally exposed to the
sun.
Fresh air oxidizes the waste mat
ter of the blood and so removes the
dangerou- poion from the body. 1t
| acts as a heart stimulant, clears the
cobwebs out OF the brain, promotes
the appetite, induces normal diges-
tton, increases muscular tone and
overcomes "that tired feeling" There
Is no condition of health which may
/ hON VIC NldoC ptIl6I DY the n0eTal en-
joyment Of fresh air"
A Guard Against Pneumonia.
DR.. Charles F. Bolduan, director of
the bureau Of public health education
in New York, says: at is better to
get up in the morning and shovel the
snow drifts out Of your room than It
is to sleep with your windows closed.
1t Is better to have the tonic of a
brisk walk on a cold morning than 1t
is to run the risk OF infection from a
germ-laden trolley car"
According to DIR. Bolduan, one of
the most convincing arguments In ia
vor of open windows is the striking
demonstration made by Prof. William
p. Northrop OF the successful treat
ment of pneumonia with fresh air.
By courageously placing his patients
directly into the open air on the roof
OF the Presbyterian Hospital, New
York, DR.. Northrop cut down the NOR
tality of his cases to a point far below
what 1t was with the other methods
Of treatment then in vogue. If fresh
air can help the sick man to overcome
pneumonia, how much more rational
to have healthy man fortify his body
so as to resist invasion by the
disease.
Up with Your Windows.
In view of the fact that, according
to Health Commissioner Emerson of
the department of health of New
York city. there are about three times
as many deaths from respiratory dis
eases during the closed-window
season: A chart has been prepared
which shows that in 1915 deaths from
respiratory diseases reached their
maximum in March, when 1851
persons died of throat and lung az
fections.
No matter how badly you feel or
how much you want to accomplish in
doors, learn to love fresh air and be
out in it as much as possible, or do the
next best thing, keep the windows
open.
When you come in from out of
doors and find the air in your rooms
stale, stuffy, and fouI-smelling, open
the windows wide and let in plenty
of fresh air. Open the door, too, so
that the fresh air can drive all dis:
ease-laden air from the room.
Become a fresh-air crank, even at
the risk of being disliked. Better n
live fresh-air crank than an almost
lifeless hothouse invalid. Insist on
fresh air in your workshop and of.
fee,
Enroll your child in the open.win-
dow class at. school and ask your
neighbor to do the same
Avoid large crowds in closed or
poorly ventilated rooms Not only
does the bad air lower your resist
ance, but you are in danger of catch
ing disease from others.
Don't ride in a crowded street car
when going only a short distance:
walk instead
Walk a mile in the open air twice |
day. 1t will add ten years to your
life.
Keep the windows of your bed
rooms wide open day and night, even
in the middle of winter. You can't
overdose yourself with fresh air, and |
disease germs can't endure IL.
Up with your windows.
(copyr't. 1917. by Newspaper Feature Service !