Home Health
Contributed by Dr. Thomas D. Wood
1. Dust (carries germs and bacteria)— a. Must be kept out of the house by 1. Being careful not to bring it in on shoes or clothing. 2. By really removing the dust when cleaning, not just brushing it from place to place with dry brushes and dust cloths. b. Tools needed— 1. Vacuum cleaner (if possible). 2. Brooms and brushes of different kinds. 3. Mops. 4. Dust cloths of cotton, outing flannel and wool. 5. Soft paper. c. Methods of cleaning— 1. Cleansing and putting away all small movable articles first. 2. Wiping walls, pictures, floor, furniture, woodwork, etc., using damp cloths and brushes, if possible, so that no dust can fly, and gathering all dust on a dustpan that has a damp paper on it to collect dust. 3. Airing and sunning each room while cleaning. 4. Wiping window shades at least once a week. 5. Cleaning hangings often and laundering table and cushion covers. 6. Keeping every corner, drawer, and closet aired, cleansed, sunned and in order at all times to prevent accumulation of dust, germs and household pests. 7. Keeping all bathroom furnishings spotless and sweet, always drying after cleansing. 8. Scalding all cleaning tools and drying in sunshine, if possible, before putting away. 2. Care of the Bedroom— Hygiene of the Bedroom— 1. Substances that tend to make the bedroom unhealthy are— a. Excretions from lungs, skin, kidneys. b. Street dust that has settled on clothing in day. 2. Relation of personal habits to healthfulness of the bedroom— a. Leave outside wraps outside bedroom, if at all possible, at least until they have been well dusted. b. Never put into the closet clothing that has been next to the skin during the day. Such articles should be aired by an open window during the night. c. A bath each day at some time and a thorough cleansing of face, hands and feet before going to bed will prevent much dust and body excretions from accumulating on bed clothing. 3. Preparation for the Night— a. Remove counterpane and fold carefully. b. Protect blanket by covering with a sheet or other light covering. c. Open windows from top and bottom. d. Hang used clothing to air. 4. Care of Room on Rising— a. Remove bed clothing and hang by open window in the sun. b. Air night clothing before hanging away. c. If a washstand is used, empty all bowls and jars, soap dishes, etc., wash and dry them before leaving the room for breakfast. d. When thoroughly aired, make the bed and put the room in order. 5. Making the Bed Properly— a. Mattress must have been turned. There should be a covering for the mattress under the first sheet. b. Put on the under sheet, tucking it securely under mattress at top, bottom and sides. c. Put on upper sheet and blankets, tucking in at bottom only. d. Turn upper sheet down over blankets. e. Cover with counterpane and place on well-beaten pillows. 6. Weekly Cleaning— a. Mattress, rugs, and unwashable hangings should be removed to some place in outdoor air and sunshine, beaten and dusted. b. Closets must be cleaned and dusted first, then used to store all small articles from room after they have been thoroughly cleaned. c. Clean walls, pictures, woodwork, floors, windows and shades. d. Put room in order. e. Such care of the rooms of a house make regular “housecleaning” spells unnecessary. 3. Kitchen Sanitation— a. Do not wash— 1. Iron (range). 2. Brass and copper. 3. Tin. 4. Zinc. 5. Aluminum, nickel, silver. To clean metals of grease, use kerosene, gasoline, benzine, naphtha, chloroform, soap suds. b. Care of Sink— 1. Pour dishwater through a sieve. 2. Greasy water must be changed into a soap or dissolved before being poured down to drain. 3. Flush sink drain three times a week with boiling sal soda solution, one pint sal soda to three gallons of water. Use at least two quarts. c. Kitchen needs same treatment for general cleanliness, removal of dust, etc., as other rooms and walls. Woodwork—floor should be often washed thoroughly in hot soapsuds, rinsed and dried to be sure no germs develop where food is being prepared. d. Care of Ice Chest— 1. Should be emptied and thoroughly washed and dried at least twice a week to make it a wholesome place for food. 4. Cellar— 1. Must be kept as free of dust and rubbish as the kitchen. 2. No decaying vegetables or fruit must be found in it. 5. Door-Yard and Out-Building— 1. Grass and growing things, especially if sprayed with water daily, will help keep dust out of houses. 2. Rubbish of any kind should be burned, for it is in such places that flies and mosquitoes breed. 3. Grass should be kept cut and lawns raked to keep mosquitoes from breeding. 4. No manure from domestic animals should be allowed to be exposed on the premises, for in such material the typhoid fly lays its eggs. 5. Barns and out-houses should be screened. 6. To Clean Fruits and Vegetables— 1. Garden soil is the home of a multitude of small forms of life, many quite harmless, but some organisms causing disease. For instance, germs of tetanus are found in dust and soil. 2. Top-dressing or fertilizer used to enrich the soil may contain such disease germs. 3. If fruits or vegetables come from the market instead of the garden they are quite as likely to have dust and bacteria clinging to them. 4. It is necessary, therefore, to wash all vegetables and fruits thoroughly before using. 7. How to Wash Fruit and Vegetables— 1. Put berries and small fruits in a colander, a few at a time, and dip lightly down and up in a basin of water, being careful not to crush the fruit. 2. Wash strawberries with hulls on. 3. Firm fruits, as grapes, cherries, etc., can be washed by standing the colander under the cold water faucet for some time. 4. Lettuce is best washed under the cold water faucet and celery needs scrubbing with a brush. 5. Apples from exposed fruit stands should be soaked for some time and carefully dried. 8. Fresh Foods Are Best— 1. Celery, cabbage, apples, pumpkins, beets, squash, white and sweet potatoes, etc., can be kept fresh for out of season use if carefully cleansed and stored away in a dry, cool, dark place. 9. Methods of Preserving Foods— 1. Salting. 2. Pickling. 3. Refrigeration. 4. Canning. 5. Preserving. 6. Drying or evaporation. 10. Method of Preserving Eggs— 1. Packing in coarse salt. 2. Cover with water-glass in large stone jars, set in cool place. 11. Care of Milk— 1. Use certified milk or inspected milk. 2. Wash bottle top before removing cover. 3. Pour milk in pans that have been scalded and drained dry in the sun or, in damp weather, by the stove. 4. As soon as cool enough put in refrigerator or in coolest place possible, as milk spoils very quickly unless kept cold. 12. Care of Meat— 1. Wash thoroughly as soon as it arrives. 2. Place on clean pan of aluminum, porcelain or some such ware. 3. Place in refrigerator until ready to cook. 13. General Rules For Care of Food— 1. Keep food clean—(personal cleanliness, washing food). 2. Keep food dry. 3. Keep food cool. 4. Care for food left from each meal. If carefully put away it can be used and not wasted. Inspected Milk— 1. Comes from sanitary farms where cows, cases and bottles are reasonably clean; the rules are much less strict than for certified milk. 2. Cannot by law contain more than 500,000 germs in each teaspoonful, while certified milk contains not more than 50,000 germs. Pasteurized Milk— 1. Method recommended by Department of Health of Chicago. In a small tin pail place a saucer. On the saucer stand the bottle of milk (leaving the cap on the bottle). Now put sufficient hot water (not so hot as to break the bottle) into the pail to fill same to within three or four inches of the top of the bottle, and then stand the pail and its contents on the top of the stove. The instant the water begins to boil remove the bottle of milk from the pail and cool it as rapidly as possible. Keep the bottle of milk in the ice box and keep the cap on the bottle when not in use. When you remove the cap do so with a clean prong, and be careful that the milk side of the cap does not come in contact with anything dirty. None but inspected or certified milk should be used. Milk should be kept covered with clean cheese cloth to prevent dust getting in. Water— 1. Water will carry germs of typhoid fever, cholera, etc. 2. Boiling and cooling all water that might be suspected. Unprotected and Exposed Food— a. Prevention— 1. Be sure of a pure water supply (inspection of Board of Health). 2. Cleanse all foods properly before eating. House Fly— a. Why it is a Disease Carrier— 1. Breeds in filth where disease germs are found. 2. Construction of feet, legs, body, wings, etc., favorable for catching and holding great numbers of filth and disease germs. b. How to Fight the Fly— 1. Catch all flies that get in the house. 2. Keep food covered. 3. Trap flies out of doors. 4. Screen all windows of houses, barns or out-buildings. Mosquito— 1. Carries germs of malaria and yellow fever. 2. Turn over every pail or tub that may hold water. 3. Pick up old tin cans and bottles and put them where rain cannot fill them. 4. Screen rain barrels and cisterns so mosquitoes cannot get to the water and lay eggs. 5. Screen the wash water if it is left standing over night. 6. Change water every day in drinking pans for birds and animals. Rats— Prevention— Get rid of them by trapping and killing.