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JANUARY 3, 1913
In the light of knowledge. Neither have senti
ment and ignorance a place in the conservation
of health. The criminality of using drinking
cups in common is established. Not a few, how
ever, some farmers included, believe these
things to be faddish, thus in a small way retard
ing progress in Health development. It is now
very generally agreed that ail public drinking
places should be so installed as not to permit
the slobbers of one person to enter the body of
another.- The use of drinking fountains and in
vidividual cups is therefore a sane, sanitary
measure, and should be encouraged. This is
not so necessary in the home because all mem
bers of the family may have good health. It is
the part of good judgment, however, to dis
courage the old practice wherever there is apt
to be any danger, as in schools and churches.
Individual cups and towels should be used by
each sick member of the family. Unsanitary
water should not be used until sterilized by boil
ing or by the use of calcium chloride.
Drinking from streams in thickly settled com
munities is to be discouraged, because such
water may bo polluted from the carcases of dead
animals, excreta of farm animals, and the bowel
discharge of people. Many examples of sick
ness and death are known to result from the
careless use of such unprotected water. Further
more, persons accustomed to a given water sup
ply should be on their guard when traveling
through tho country and drinking from unsani
tary wells. tIt is the part of wisdom to refrain
from drinking such water. . In some localities,
practically every well is safe, in others most are
unsafe. Many examples of typhoid are trace
able to unsanitary wells; the same is true of
local epidemics. Many intestinal diseases as
dysentery, diarrhea, typhoid, etc., are trans
mitted by water. It is good economy for the
country to guard against the spread of water
borne disease because of their bad effects on
society- Let it be known that pure water is
,, absolutely indispensable to health, and that the
supply should be guarded both as to source and
-.method- of -use;' . .
VENTILATION AND PURE AIR. ,
... Much has bbn said and written regarding the
value and importance of good air and ventila--tipn.
Tfiis.'has resulted in considerable improve- '
.mento, Today the theory is known, but much of
practical value remains to be emphasized'. Our
investigations show that certain things should
be done to' improve tho quality of airiin sleeping
rooms, especially. The air conditions in tho
farm homes are unsanitary, as a rule. Many
. places are found in which little attention is given
to ventilation. The only system of ventilation,
with few exceptions, is by windows and doors,
.which really is not a system at all. Several
homes were visited in which three, four, or mote
.jRersons sleep, in a room with one window for
ventilation, and that usually closed. Such a
condition is harmful to health, for close con
finement during the night, and breathing again
the vitiated 'air' tends to destroy rest, weaken
'tlie vitality, aud, increase the possibility of con
tagion. It is not- difficult to understand, why
rural people house themselves so closely, Dur
ing the day they are in thef open air, and com
ing to the bouse, the close quarters and quiet
5air seem an agreeable contrast to tho cold and
wind. So the tendency is to overdo the matter.
This should not be, for all people need an abun
dance of good air at all times. It is ' recoin--mended
that the windows be opened to let in
fresh air, which is necessary for life. The night
air is not harmful, aB so many believe. There
is more of superstition and fear "in this belief
than there Is of common sense. Each sleeping
room should have two or more windows. It is
easy to- provide against drafts by use of window
boards. Drafts of pure air do little damage to
health.
The average temperature in farm homes is too
high in winter. Except in the presence of a
very young child the ideal temperature during
this season Is about 69 degrees. Too high tem
, .perature, with low relative humidity, is directly
responsible for some of the catarrhal and other
i troubles atfeciiflg the nasal .and throat cavities.
In giving health air to the farm home, and
for that matter "to all buildings in which people
-lire gathered, four things should be kept in
tmind: ; '
, 1. Ventilation in which an adequate supply
of fresh air is supplied for every occupant. This
means four. or five times as much as most people
pr&.now gettlngV1 " ,
i U 2; Temperature" at about the right degree,
not. being toploty, nor too .high, especially. It
Ms to be reduced" in summer and not. made too
siiigh in. winters ' . .
;$. Humldftya3, near the normal for a given
The Commoner.
temperature as possible. Keep a liberal quan
tity of water evaporating on the stove in winter.
4. The introduction of an abundance of sun
shine, tho great natural disinfectant. It dries
out the room. It may fade a rug, but it will
assist in giving the right color to tho cheek.
Lift the shades, open tho shutters, pull back tho
curtains and let the sunshine in. It is the sym
bol of life, as darkness is of death.
It is observed that not only do too many per
sons occupy a bedroom according to its size and
ventilation, but that in some cases there is ex
treme carelessness as to the cleanness of bed
clothing. Its odor should indicate tho need for
washing. Agitation in the state for hotel sheets
of a given size and free from dirt, as brought
about by the traveling public, is a sane safe
guard against the transmission of venereal and
other diseases, and should meet with the com
mendation of rural people. Yet a more impor
tant movement for country and city alike would
be a campaign of education for tho specific pur
pose of improving the cleanness of tho other bed
clothing as well, some of which does not go to
the laundry for weeks, or to tho c'othesline for
air and sunshine, for months.
There is no good excuse for bad air In rural
homes of our broad country. In the crowded
city, however, where one or more families may
bo forced to occupy a single room, it is less
possible to devise the necessary safeguards. The
country, through neglect, is decreasing Its vi
tality and leading the city only by a slight mar
gin in its freedom from tuberculosis, which is
traceable in considerable part to tho quality of
air breathed in the homo, factory, and public
uuildings. The death rate from thiB cause In
the country is about 126.6 per 100,000 persons
annually; in the city it is about 198.3 per 100,
000 annually.
An organized campaign, for good air in tho
rural homes, schools, and churches of Nebraska
and for sanltarjr water supplies would soon
resultiin lengthening human life and increasing
its efficiency.
SANITARY FOOD
Much sickness in Nebraska Is traceable to a
poor quality of food. The state, has a food and
drug department which .guards the quality,
weight, and correct naming of foods. TJils de
partment spends most of its time with inspection
at places of manufacture and sale, requiring all
unsanitary bakeries, dairies, stores, etc, to clean
up or quit business. There is federal inspection
of animals and meats at tho large stock-yards
and packing houses. It would seem that all
would be in full sympathy with state and federal
Inspection of foods and drugs, but such is not
the case; for frequent complaints and criticisms
are heard, usually from persons representing
selfish -interests. It would further seem that
no one would seek private gain at the expense
of public health. Perhaps the worst situation of
this kind at present is in the sale of habit-producing
drugs. It is worth while for rural people
to be diligently on their guard against the use
of unsanitary foods, whether bought from the
town or produced at home. Fruits and vege
tables of the farm are usually fresh and clean.
The meats may come from local slaughter houses
or farm production without Inspection, giving
more danger than is usually supposed. On this
account, beef and pork should be well cooked to
kill tubercular germs in tho first named and
parasites in the second named.
How to keep fresh meat in the country is a
problem because Ice is not available at many
places. As a result, cured and preserved meats
aTe largely used. Eggs, usually fresh, and
chickens make up for most of the drawback. In
some respects the food supply of the country is
more healthful than that of the city. Substan
tial articles of diet are used and not so many
nick-nacks. Cooking Is quite well done, but too
little thought la given to food values, such as
might properly be Included in each meal. In
this respect the men, by their knowledge of
balanced feed, show more practical knowledge In
stock feeding than the women do for the family.
Not enough care ia given to the milk supply
In the country. The milk is fresh, but too often
not clean. Sanitation In this line will de
velop as:
1 Milk is used from healthy cows only.
2. Cows are given good water, good food,
and' sanitary stables.
3 The milking is made clean ln every re
mipct Through carelessness it may become pol
luted with manure and dirt from the cow'a
xidder, the unclean hands of milkers, and dirty
Pal4lfl' The milk is given sanitary care. This
means clean, covered vessels, made so by wash
ing and scalding; handling with clean hands;
J
and cooling In tho wator tank, cave, or rofrlgo
rator free from the odor of decaying foods.
Milk Is an Ideal culture medium for the germs
of typhoid, scarlet fover, diphtheria, and
diarrhea.
Dish washing is carelessly done In many
homes. Not enough suitable soap and soda are
used to dissolvo greaso and other matter. Too
often tho d lubes and sllverwaro are not scaldod
to sterilize thorn, and tht- wiping Is not always
dono with clean towels, also sterilized. In some
homes the dishes and silverware used by one sick
with a contagious dlsoaso are allowed to bo used
by somo other person at tho next meal without
thorough cleaning. Such carelessness 1b nearly
criminal. Food for an Infant should ifevor bo
chewed by tho mother or other person before
giving to tho child.
DRUDGERY AND OVERWORK
Tho tendency among farmers Is to decrease
rather than lncroaso hard work. This has ad
vantages as well as disadvantages. Thoro aro
few cases of overwork among men. Overwork
Is moro common among boys and girls during
tho period of ndolescencc. A little moro con
cern and thought by parents for this stage of
development would give stronger and healthier
men and women, for persons forced to work too
hard during adolescence are apt to bo weakonod
thereby and made more susceptlblo to dlsoase.
Rural women sometimes fare badly. In fact,
quite a few of them are overworked much of tho
time, even to tho point of drudgery. This does
not add to the strength of rural llfo, for over
worked women arc not capable of being tho
best possible mothers. In many cases tho mother
receives bad care at the tlmo or a child-birth. It
would be of great value to tho health of our
state If It wero generally understood that tho
rural mother should bo allowed to rest two, and
preferably three weeks at such tlmo before again
taking up the regular routlno of housework.
Furthermore, neighbor women should not bo
allowed to bother her with useless gossip.
REST, WORK AND PLAY
These aro necessary every day in the life of
rural people. In fact, tho normal person rightly
divides his tlmo hetween rest, work, and play.
This is truo of both young and old.
Farmors bcllovo in work, and rightly so, for
by it they obtain tho necessities and luxuries of
life. Let It be understood, also, that work is a
necessary process In the education and health of,
every Individual. It is largely by his own work
that the education of an Individual is made
possible. Tho opposite of work is leisure, which
impoverishes the individual and to that extent
decreases the resources of tho community. A
leisure class is not productive, neither is it as
healthful as a working class. Tho farmer baa
full opportunity to work, and therein lies a part
of tho secret of his success.
Play Is necessary for rural people as well
as work. It calls them away from the more
arduous duties and makes them to be glad each
with tho other. It offers real .fun and recrea
tion, tho lubricants of life. It makes people Hvo
longer, happier, and healthier. Too much play,
on tho contrary, at tho expense of work and rest,
makes people of little force and not capable of
rendering much service to society. The one who
plays when It Is in order will live longer and do
more Work than others in the long run. There
should be family play and recreation in tho
home.
Systematic rest, especially by tho young, gives
time for rejuvenation. The necessary sleeps, an
average of about eight hours a day, should bo
tho lot of most people. Irregular periods of rest,
as for example, that caused by too late hours,
develops bad health and inefficiency, if carried
to extremes.
The three groat functions above named have
about equal importance in the life of an in
dividual, and aro either directly or Indirectly
of value In the conservation of personal and
public health. Too often the individual fails
in his ability to rightly and sanely divide his
time between rest, work, and play. His habits
may lead too much towards development in one
line. If so, one who goes to tho extreme Is re
garded as being either lazy, a grind, or a sport.
CLOTHING AND EXPOSURE
This topic baa less Importance In rural sanita
tion In Nebraska than most others. An increas
ing tendency is being manifested for the use of
sanitary clothing, such as will not Impair health.
Examples of this kind are too numerous for dis
cussion in this place. The underclothing should
bo kept scrupulously clean because it Is close to
tho body. A rule of considerable importance
might bo observed by school children and othox
(Continued on Page 10.)
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