Omaha daily bee., 1919-06-22

'"S Aa"S uuu llcdith.
Our recent experience with tropi-
cal heat in connection with the
! ordinance forbidding the sale OF ice
on Sunday brings to the fore> once
more and emphasizes how sadly oar
lawmaking bodies functionate.
AT any time of the year the stor-
age of perishable food in the home
is a subject of much concern to
every housekeeper. She knows that
when food spQils and is mad
vertently eaten tand this may hap
pen because an odor and bad taste
may be absent. very serious results
IN the way of sickness may follow,
ana even death in a short time. For
the preservation of perishable foods
refrigeration is necessary, and for
TINS we use ice in households gener-
ally. In winter nature is our great
est aid in preventing food stuffs from
spolllnS; but in summer we need
lce' and lots of it, the warmer the
weather the more ice we need. 1t
is well known fact that few house
holds have ice chests with sufficient
Ice capacity to last more than As
hours IN moderately warm weather,
the same being capacity for only -
hours when the weather is as warm
as we have been experiencing the
last week or more. Such weather is
not the exception in Omaha at this
time of the year, and it is a safe pre-
dlctlon that we will have this high
degree of heat from six to eight
weeks each year.
At such times every housewife
knows that will oh, do
of ice such articles as milk, SOUP,
raw meats, cts, are kept fresh with
difficulty and only through eternal
vigilance. Not only is ice a neces-
sity for the preservation of food, but
it is also most valuable adjunct in
sickness, and in preventing sickness
through the lowering of the body
temperatures by taking cooling
draughs and palatable cool foods.
The appetite is notably in allegiance
in hot weather, warm food too often
offering no inducement to partake:
so there is danger of undernourish-
ment from lack of appropriate food.
This lis particularly the case with
children. To those so affected by the
heat, cool nourishing drinks, and
cooled foods are prone to be at
tractive and even appetiZing, to pro-
duce which we of course need ice.
In spite of all these cogent rea-
sons for AN ample supply of ice.
without fOrethought as to the inval-
liable assistance of ice as pre-
VentatiVe of sickness, and its use in
sickness, our commissioners pass a |
law making the sale of ice on Sun
day a misdemeanOr. And no move |
has been made to modify or repeal |
the law, although the emergency is |
great. This being the case, it is |
high time to inquire whether there |
is not some way by which this stupid |
law cannot be nullified, at least dur |
ing the hot weather.
Fortunately we have most excel |
lent laws defining the powers of |
our health commissioner, the official |
whose duty it is to prevent disease |
through such measures as he deems |
best. These laws give him the wild |
est discretionary powers in emer- |
gencies, permitting him to act indie |
pendently of the council, and his |
orders under such circumstances are |
subject to court Interpretation only. |
If our health commissioner so wills, |
he can declare the sale and delivery |
of ice on Sundays during summer |
an essential for the prevention of
disease and for the promotion of
health of the people, and it is a safe
prediction that no court in the land
will overrule this exercise of benign
and wise authority. If the commits
sion do not act on their own initia-
tive it is up to our health commits
action by the latter
official, citizens generally should
protect their health even if they
ignore the ordinance, for the courts
would interpret the law on the ques-
ton as to whether a justifiable emer-
gency exists, and physicians with
out number would testify in favor
Of such an Interpretation.
How to Increase Weight.
Will you please tell me what | can
do to increase my weight? l am five
feet, five and one-half inches tall and
weigh 11S pounds. Hoping to see
same in your paper soon.
RUTH H.
At that outset I must remind you
that some people are constitutional
~ stout, and some are lean, and that
where this is the case much diff
Guilty may be experienced in pro-
1ucing desired results. However.
there are few persons who will not
respond in a degree to appropriate
dieting and living. The indications
FOR you are to eat an abundance of
starchy food, such as potatoes. car
rots, cream of wheat, oatmeal, etc.
Also drink a regular amount of milk /
laily, say quart. Then sweets are
not interdicted, in fact, ice cream.
candy. and desserts, all promote the
laying on of fat Get an abundance
of sleep. That is very essential
Resting one-half to an hour after
meals. if you can do so, will also
promote the laying on of fat Dis
position is also very important, a
phlegmatic attitude making for a
gain in weight; nervousness, irrta-
bility, restlessness, etc, working the
contrary. | take it for granted you
take a moderate amount of eXer
else. and indulge in congenial di-
versions. If you do not, then get