The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-08-02
TOPEKA STATE JOURNAL.
Information Bureau
FREDERIC j. HAsHIN. Director.
Washington, d. O..
HINTS FOR THE VACATION.

care free. happy, and healthy while |
on q vacation is largely a matter of
observing a few rules. some of them
very old ones. The vacationist is an
adyenturer in the sense that he leaves
his native element for entirely differ
tent surroundings. The danger is that
home he often gets into trouble. /
Therefore the rules are needed for
reference.
The first rule for vacationists is to
travel light. Many an able-bodied
optimistic member Of society has con-
traeted cramns. a Crouch and perma-
nent one-sidedness from being tied
down to a collection of luggage that
would make a doughboy loaded for
marching look untrammeled by COM
parison. A several months stay at
the beach may require more baggage
than a toothbrush and an extra neck
tie, but for persons who expect to be-
hopping on and off trains or boats
every unnecessary ounce is a bother.
The person who travels by rail is
| advised to equip himself with a dozen
flax seeds. So long as trains are run
by coal, and cinderS are produced in
sizes small enough to sift thru window
screens, riding on a train will be at
/
are the recognized. infallible remedy
for einders. One or two seeds are in
serted into the eye and the seed soft
ems and becomes glutinous. AS it
floats about in the eye-in this state,
/ it takes UP all foreign matter, and it
/ can be removed in a couple of min
utes. II you travel alone. a pocket
| looking glass should be a part of the
cinder equipment.
Look Out for Snakes.
OF the live things that make vaca-
tons hazardous the most universally
feared is the snake. In the United
/ States people seldom run across any
venoHnous kinds except an occasional
= copperhead, rattler, water moccasin or
| coral snake. The black snake, which
is sometimes regarded as dangerous,
/ is known to be harmless.
Another mistaken idea is that
| whisky is good for snake bite. In
| SONG places a real snake bite is still
good for a prescription" But the
| Smithsonian snake, expert holds that
whisky is not remedy. The old re-
liable first aid treatment for snake
| bite is to have some one suck the
venom and spit it out. AS the poison
/; is not transferable in this way there is
no danger unless the person sucking
the poison has an open sore in his
mouth.
The best general advice about
snakes is to watch out for them when
| walking in underbrush or tall grass,
| and not to make friends with any
snake unless you are sure you under
stand his disposition.
A more common pest than the snake
is the mosquito, This ubiquitous and
Vofacious insect Succumbs most readily
to the scent of pennyroyal. He also
{flees from the fumes of citronella,
punk and to some extent, from tobac-
| CO smoke. If a luSty bloodhunter gets
past one of these fume. barrages and
a1TfC euafss int ra1I a
scratching spell can be averted by
quick trsa tTnent with ammonia water
to take out the sting. Vacation in a
mosquito summer resort can be rem
dered more reposeful if you keep with
4 You a tiny bottle of regular household
ammonia with a rubber cork.
| According to tradition, bees and
hornets are unlike mosquitoes in that
they do not make the first ADVANCES
if you get stung it is your own fault.
This theory is incorrect. We have seen
a man who was peacefully sleeping i'll
| a hammock suddenly assaulted by a
,bee for no reason at all. And we re-
member lunch party IN the woods
that broke UP hastily because one
guest took a small bee into her mouth
! along with a bite of salad. Such in
cidents are unusual but it is well to be
prepared for them.
A bee sting responds quickly to bak-
ing soda slightly moistened with water
to make it stick. Or. lacking this,
a plaster of mud, mixed from a little
earth and water will reduce the swell
ing and pain. If the sting is left in
the skin it should be removed first OF
. an.
Besides the creatures mentioned
the vacationist may have to cope with
ehiggers. bulls, sand flees, taranturas
} OF man-eating sharks. In dealing
with any of these enemies we can only
, say that it is well to depend on in;
spiration and a speedy retreat.
Beware of Sunburn.
Il So much for live enemies. After
{ mosquitoes, sunburn is the most fire.
, quent worry which spells the comfort
necessary 10 a real rest. In the coun-
/ try the best way to avoid the agonies
during the hot part of the day. Al
the beach you have to 60 a steI
farther and look out for the water
/ when the sun is under a cloud. To
I go swimming when the atmosphere /:
in this hazy condition is to Invite tbs
/ most uncomfortab BILE attack of sunburr
\ possible-unless your skin is hardened
: to the sun. Even when riding in g
: small covered boat on such a day
you must watch out for the glare re.
Elected from the bottom of the boat
E Sunburn is relieved by cold cream, OIL
2 il that fails, by a very weak salt solu
ton. Not more than a teaspoonful o.
;. | salt should be used to a pint of water
n Closely akin to sunburn in unsightli
r ness and the misery of the victim Il
. poison ivy. The poisonous oak anC
| ivy leaves are not difficult to recog
E nize, and any one not familiar will
4 them should have them pointed out
!. | The leaves of both are arranged il
: clusters of three on a stem. Som,
Z / persons are less vulnerable to the poi
( son than others, but it is always a SAT,
: step to wash the hands ard fac
. thoroly with soap after handlin.
: plants in a wood or meadow.
The poison takes the form of rasl
with blisters. There are numerou
treatments. one of the best known be
ing to battle the exposed parts in sal
7 water. Washing the hands or othe
s affected surface in gasoline two o
. three times a day is also known Il
lessen the irritation.
e The r,.ltlIc. kaaltl sar.-iea sa,-s IL. =