Year: 1875




We presume that even the most con-
firmed doubter In America will admit
without argument that dog-days are upon
us. The seasons are not always reliable
they have way of bringing untimely
rains, heavy winds, unexpected drouths,
and many other apparent ills, at the most
unexpected periods but they never fail
to bring most trying "spell of hot
weather in August, and of giving the
same heated term faculty of continuity
which even devout believers in the wis
dom of Providence would fain see trans
ferred to more desirable sort of wealth
en-. Even the people who know that the
fruits and the later grains need the Au-
gust sun to do his whole duty, do not
perspire any the less freely on that ac-
count. Those fortunate souls who can
flee TO the mountains or the sea coast for
the summer may not be particularly
troubled by the heat of the season ; but
that great body of humanity which has
no vacation but that of Sunday, knows
by experience that the heated term is to
be dreaded.


We have no new methods of allevia-
tion to suggest but there are but few of



into immediate practice all those precau-
tions which have always proved beneti-
cial. Among these is the attention to
personal cleanliness. In no other season
do soap and water and frequent changes
of clothing have so much influence upon
the health. The daily bath is within the
reach of every one, and is one of the
most effectual preventives of disease {;
and daily change of all clothing which
touches the skin, richly pays for the ex
ira labor it occasions. There is not
greater subject of wonder among physi-
clans than the fair average condition of
health among people who neglect these
duties.


Heated articles of food and drink
should be carefully avoided. Those
foods which contain considerable oily or
sweet material are necessary IN cold
weather to supply the requisite amount
of physical heat, but in summer they in
flame the physique and depress the
mind. Fruits, vegetables and farina-
ceous foods are not only equal to the
supplying of all bodily needs in hot
weather, but prevent that mental mac
tivity which is one of the peculiar tor
ments of the system in the heated term.


Too much ventilation III hot weather is
an impossibility, and current of air
should, if possible, be secured in all Gv-
ing and sleeping rooms.


All refuse matter should be quickly re-
moved from residences and the vicinity
thereof. In neighborhOods where there
is no public arrangement for the collec-
ton of garbage, each household should
see that it is buried, and covered with
dry earth when possible. Where neigh
bors neglect such precautions and pollute
the air which is breathed by more careful
people, no mistaken ideas of delicacy or
the requirements of friendship should
prevent earnest remonstrance, or, if nee
essary, legal proceedings for the removal
of nuisances.


Finally, nothing but matters of life
and death should be allowed to be the
cause for excitement. The rapid waste
and consequent prostration that are in
duced by excitement are more serious in
their effects than any one not physiol-
ogist even dreams OF. The horse who
trots mile is more exhausted than if he
had walked over twice as much ground
the parallel holds good in man, but the
results are more serious when the mind
partakes of the excitement of the body.
At best, human energy and force is Sc
verely taxed by existence in a tempera-
ture equalling that of blood, and as Vi
tai force is literally the body's only for
titication against disease, it cannot be too
carefully husbanded.


Doubtless our remarks will suggest
precautions which are well known, but
too frequently unheeded too many of
them cannot well be put into immediate
practice, and there are few of them
which will not, when applied, speedily
show beneficial results. - Christian
Union.