The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1934-12-28

sanitary water systems, to inspection
Of cattle and to pasteurization of milk,
to better understanding of quarantine,
and to our greater knowledge of diet and
proper care of foods, we do not have
so many summer illnesses. We still
have much work to do to correct the
summer diarrheas among infants. but
on the whole we have made great
Roadway in the prevention Of food and
water borne diseases.
In the matter of such winter ILL
nesses as colds, influenza, bronchitis,
and pneumonia, however, we are still
pretty much at bay. These now have
higher death rates than the strictly
summer diseases
So that, so far as health is concerned,
the winter months are now our dis
abling months. 1t is at this time, rath-
er than in summer, that we should
have our yearly periods of quest OF sum
shine and recreation and rest.
Our industrial life is so spaced,
though, that not many of us can leave
our jobs in February and March. And
If we can, then what about the chill
dren? They need hours of sunshine,
too, and there are no school vacation
weeks in winter except at the festive
Christmas time, when all life centers in
the home.
But is it necessary that our indus
trial activities run at full speed during
the dark cold winter months, and have
curtailed output during the summer
months when the worker can get all
the sunshine he requires before and
after office and factory hours and on
Saturdays and Sundays? Force of
habit has made it SO, but need it con-
tinue? Might it not be possible also
to revise our school schedules so that
there could be vacation periods in the
winter monthse Modern air-condi-
tioning wAlld make it possible to have
both factories and schools run in the
hottest days without discomfort.
The questions may seem far-fetched,
but 1t is not outside the realm of proba-
bility that we may change our habits
Of thought so that we will make our
/
needs.
1t is true that November and Deem
/ her are usually dark months, but 1t is
also true that the peak of colds, sore
4 threats, bronchitis and pneumonia
comes in the late winter months. This
means that the stored up sunshine
which we managed to accumulate dur
ing the summer and fall months has
| been sufficient to carry us through the
early winter. But by January our re-
sistance to disease starts getting real
knocks, and the weak easily succumb.
Economically it need not cost any
more to take winter vacation than
summer vacation. If one wants to go
South, trains offer vacation rates.
Fashionable hotels are high, but fash
ionable hotels are always high, and
why be fashionable? It does not cost
any more to run the family automobile
ON a winter trip through the South
than ON a summer trip through the
North, and tourist camps are good and
cheap everywhere.
For those who do not want southern
sunshine there are many resorts in the
North now that offer winter sports and
roaring fireplaces to gather around.
The point is that in the late winter,
when we have used up our stock of
stored summer sunshine, and storms
and cold spells take toll of our vitality,
and we have had the strain of months
of fun productive work. beginning be-
fore daylight and extending until after
dark in the short winter days, our
bodies have their period of greatest
physiological exhaustion. That is the
time we should give them rest.
Also It is the time when human be-
ings, instead of being herded together.
should spread apart. Cold germs are
contracted by getting our noses too
close together.
In a packed factory or Office or school
room, or In church or movie or social
| gathering, our. noses seem to collect
droplets from other peoples noses. And
II we were riding out on an open high
way. or diving in the Gulf of Mexico,
or skiing down long snow slope, we
should have chance to get away from
such of our fellow citizens as are In
fected with colds.
But meantime while we are waiting
for this happy day when our industrial
and school habits will have changed to
accord with our present day health
needs. get out into as much winter sun
shine as you can. A research worker
In the University of Illinois, Dr. Irwin
spokesman, who has made a thorough
study of colds, says that every one, ex-
cept house-bound invalids, should be
out in the open air at least an hour
every day, regardless of what the
weather is. That changing from in.
door temperature helps build resist
ance against colds. It tones up the
system and it's tonic within the reach
Of every one.
O. Western Newspaper Union.