Chapter XIX: Part 19

If to preserve health be to save medical expenses, without even
reckoning upon time and comfort, there is no part of the household
arrangement so important as cheap convenience for personal ablution.
For this purpose baths upon a large and expensive scale are by no
means necessary; but though temporary or tin baths may be extremely
useful upon pressing occasions, it will be found to be finally as
cheap, and much more readily convenient, to have a permanent bath
constructed, which may be done in any dwelling-house of moderate size,
without interfering with other general purposes. There is no necessity
to notice the salubrious effects resulting from the bath, beyond the
two points of its being so conducive to both health and cleanliness,
in keeping up a free circulation of the blood, without any violent
muscular exertion, thereby really affording a saving of strength, and
producing its effects without any expense either to the body or to the
purse.

1715. Fitting up a Bath.

Whoever fits up a bath in a house already built must be guided by
circumstances; but it will always be better to place it as near the
kitchen fireplace as possible, because from thence it may be heated,
or at least have its temperature preserved, by means of hot air
through tubes, or by steam prepared by the culinary fireplace without
interfering with its ordinary uses.

1716. A Small Boiler.

A small boiler may be erected at very little expense in the bath-room,
where circumstances do not permit these arrangements. Whenever a bath
is wanted at a short warning, to boil the water necessary will always
be the shortest mode; but where it is in general daily use, the
heating the water by steam will be found the cheapest and most
convenient method.

1717. Cleanliness.

The want of cleanliness is a fault which admits of no excuse. Where
water can be had for nothing, it is surely in the power of every
person to be clean.

1718. Perspiration.

The discharge from our bodies by perspiration renders frequent changes
of apparel necessary.

1719. Change of Apparel.

Change of apparel greatly promotes the secretion from the skin, so
necessary to health.

1720. Cause of Illness.

When that matter which ought to be carried off by perspiration is
either retained in the body, or reabsorbed in dirty clothes, it is apt
to occasion fevers and other diseases.

1721. Diseases of the Skin.

Most diseases of the skin proceedfrom want of cleanliness. These
indeed may be caught by infection, but they will seldom continue long
where cleanliness prevails.

1722. Vermin.

To the same cause must we impute the various kinds of vermin that
infest the human body, houses, &c. These may generally be banished by
cleanliness alone.

1723. Inducing Cleanliness.

Perhaps the intention of Nature, in permitting such vermin to annoy
mankind, is to induce them to the practice of this virtue.

1724. Cause of Fevers.

One common cause of putrid and malignant fevers is the want of
cleanliness.

1725. Incubation of Fevers.

These fevers commonly begin among the inhabitants of close dirty
houses, who breathe bad air, take little exercise, eat unwholesome
food, and wear dirty clothes. There the infection is generally
hatched, which spreads far and wide, to the destruction of many. Hence
cleanliness may be considered as an object of public attention. It is
not sufficient that I be clean myself, while the want of it in my
neighbour affects my health as well as his own.

1726. Avoid Dirt.

If dirty people cannot be removed as a common nuisance, they ought at
least to be avoided as infectious. All who regard their health should
keep at a distance, even from their habitations. In places where
great numbers of people are collected, cleanliness becomes of the
utmost importance.

1727. Tainted Air.

It is well known that infectious diseases are caused by tainted air.
Everything, therefore, which tends to pollute the air, or spread the
infection, ought with the utmost care to be avoided.

1728. Clean Streets Necessary.

For this reason, in great towns, no filth of any kind should be
permitted to lie upon the streets. We are sorry to say that the
importance of general cleanliness in this respect does by no means
seem to be sufficiently understood.

1729. Imitate the Dutch.

It were well if the lower classes of the inhabitants of Great Britain
would imitate their neighbours the Dutch in their assiduity in
cleansing their streets, houses, &c.

1730. No Excuse.

Water, indeed, is easily obtained in Holland; but the situation of
most towns in Great Britain is more favourable to cleanliness.

1731. Good Impression.

Nothing can be more agreeable to the senses, more to the honour of the
inhabitants, or conducive to their health, than a clean town; nor does
anything impress a stranger sooner with a disrespectful idea of any
people than its opposite.

1732. Cleanliness in Religion.

It is remarkable that, in most eastern countries, cleanliness makes a
great part of their religion. The Mahometan, as well as the Jewish
religion, enjoins various bathings, washings, and purifications. No
doubt these were designed to represent inward purity; but they are at
the same time calculated for the preservation of health.

1733. Not Only Ceremonial.

However whimsical these washings may appear to some, few things would
seem more to prevent diseases than a proper attention to many of them.

1734. Wash Your Hands.

Were every person, for example, after handling a dead body, visiting
the sick, &c., to wash before he went into company, or sat down to
meat, he would run less hazard either of catching the infection
himself, or communicating it to others.

1735. Frequent Washing.

Frequent washing not only removes the filth which adheres to the skin,
but likewise promotes the perspiration, braces the body, and enlivens
the spirits.

1736. Including the Feet.

Even washing the feet tends greatly to preserve health. The
perspiration and dirt with which these parts are frequently covered,
cannot fail to obstruct their pores. This piece of cleanliness would
often prevent colds and fevers.

1737. Warm Water After Exposure.

Were people to bathe their feet and hands in warm water at night,
after being exposed to cold or wet through the day, they would seldom
experience any of the effects from these causes which often prove
fatal.

1738. Especially Among the Sick.

In places where great numbers of sick people are kept, cleanliness
ought most religiously to be observed. The very smell in such places
is often sufficient to make one sick. It is easy to imagine what
effect that is likely to have upon the diseased.

1739. Bad Chance.

A person in health has a greater chance to become sick, than a sick
person has to get well, in an hospital or infirmary where cleanliness
is neglected.

1740. Animal Example.

The brutes themselves set us an example of cleanliness. Most of them
seem uneasy, and thrive ill, if they be not kept clean. A horse that
is kept thoroughly clean will thrive better on a smaller quantity of
food, than with a greater where cleanliness is neglected.

1741. Our Feelings.

Even our own feelings are a sufficient proof of the necessity of
cleanliness. How refreshed, how cheerful and agreeable does one feel
on being washed and dressed; especially when these have been long
neglected.

[EVERY DAY OF YOUR LIFE IS A PAGE IN YOUR HISTORY.]

1742. Gains Esteem.

Superior cleanliness sooner attracts our regard than even finery
itself, and often gains esteem where the other fails.

1743. Notification of Infectious Diseases.

By a recent enactment (52 and 53 Vic. c. 72) it is made compulsory
that notice of infectious disease shall in all cases be given to the
local authority. By section 3 this duty is imposed on the head of the
family, or, failing him, the nearest relative of the patient. The
notice must be in writing or print, in an approved form, and must be
sent to the medical officer of health of the district. In addition to
this, the medical man attending the patient must send a certificate,
with all particulars, to the same official. Omitting to send either
the notice or the certificate, renders the legally responsible person
liable to a fine not exceeding £2. Each local authority must publish a
list of the diseases to which the Act applies in its district.

1744. Exercise.

Exercise in the open air is of the first importance to the human
frame, yet how many are in a manner deprived of it by their own want
of management of their time! Females with slender means are for the
most part destined to indoor occupations, and have but little time
allotted them for taking the air, and that little time is generally
sadly encroached upon by the ceremony of dressing to go out. It may
appear a simple suggestion, but experience only will show how much
time might be redeemed by habits of regularity: such as putting the
shawls, cloaks, gloves, shoes, clogs, &c., &c., or whatever is
intended to be worn, in readiness, instead of having to search one
drawer, then another, for possibly a glove or collar--wait for shoes
being cleaned, &c.--and this when (probably) the outgoing persons have
to return to their employment at a given time. Whereas, if all were in
readiness, the preparations might be accomplished in a few minutes,
the walk not being curtailed by unnecessary delays.

1745. Three Principal Points.

Three principal points in the manner of taking exercise should be
attended to:

i. The kind of exercise.

ii. The proper time for exercise,

iii. The duration of it.

With respect to the kinds of exercise, the various species of it may
be divided into active and passive. Among the first, which admit of
being considerably diversified, may be enumerated walking, running,
leaping, swimming, riding, fencing, different sorts of athletic games,
&c. Among the latter, or passive kinds of exercise may be comprised
riding in a carriage, sailing, friction, swinging &c.

1746. Active Exercises.

Active exercises are more beneficial to youth, to the middle-aged, to
the robust in general, and particularly to the corpulent and the
plethoric.

1747. Passive Exercises.

Passive kinds of exercise, on the contrary, are better calculated for
children; old, thin, and emaciated persons of a delicate and
debilitated constitution; and particularly for the asthmatic and
consumptive.

1748. Time.

The time at which exercise is most proper depends on such a variety of
concurrent circumstances, that it does not admit of being regulated by
any general rules, and must therefore be collected from the
observations made on the effects of air, food, drink, &c.

1749. Duration.

With respect to the duration of exercise, there are other particulars,
relative to a greater or less degree of fatigue attending the
different species, and utility of it in certain states of the mind and
body, which must determine this consideration as well as the preceding.

1750. Accustomed Exercise.

That exercise is to be preferred which, with a view to brace and
strengthen the body, we are most accustomed to. Any unusual one may be
attended with a contrary effect.

1751. Gradual Beginning and End.

Exercise should be begun and finished gradually, never abruptly.

1752. Open Air Preferable.

Exercise in the open air has many advantages over that used within
doors.

1753. Over-Indulgence.

To continue exercise until a profuse perspiration or a great degree of
weariness takes place, is far from being wholesome.

1754. Early Exercise.

In the forenoon, when the stomach is not too much distended, muscular
motion is both agreeable and healthful; it strengthens digestion, and
heats the body less than with a full stomach; and a good appetite
after it is a proof that it has not been carried to excess.

1755. Care Before Eating.

But at the same time it should be understood, that it is not advisable
to take violent exercise immediately before a meal, as digestion might
thereby be retarded.

1756. Time Before Eating.

Neither should we sit down to a substantial dinner or supper
immediately on returning from a fatiguing walk, at the time when the
blood is heated, and the body in a state of perspiration from previous
exertion, as the worst consequences may arise, especially when the
meal is commenced with cooling dishes, salad, or a glass of cold drink.

1757. Not After Meals.

Exercise is always hurtful after meals, from its impeding digestion,
by propelling those fluids too much towards the surface of the body
which are designed for the solution of the food in the stomach.

1758. Walking.

To walk gracefully, the body must be erect, but not stiff, and the
head held up in such a posture that the eyes are directed forward. The
tendency of untaught walkers is to look towards the ground near the
feet; and some persons appear always as if admiring their shoe-ties.
The eyes should not thus be cast downward, neither should the chest
bend forward to throw out the back, making what are termed round
shoulders; on the contrary, the body should be held erect, as if the
person to whom it belongs were not afraid to look the world in the
face, and the chest by all means be allowed to expand. At the same
time, everything like strutting or pomposity must be carefully
avoided. An easy, firm, and erect posture is alone desirable. In
walking, it is necessary to bear in mind that the locomotion is to be
performed entirely by the legs. Awkward persons rock from side to
side, helping forward each leg alternately by advancing the haunches.
This is not only ungraceful but fatiguing. Let the legs alone advance,
bearing up the body.

1759. Utility of Singing.

It has been asserted, and we believe with some truth, that singing is
a corrective of the too common tendency to pulmonic complaints. Dr.
Rush, an eminent physician, observes on this subject:

"The Germans are seldom afflicted with consumption; and this, I
believe, is in part occasioned by the strength which their lungs
acquire by exercising them in vocal music, for this constitutes an
essential branch of their education. The music master of an academy
has furnished me with a remark still more in favour of this opinion.
He informed me that he had known several instances of persons who
were strongly disposed to consumption, who were restored to health
by the exercise of their lungs in singing."

1760. The Weather and the Blood.

In dry, sultry weather the heat ought to be counteracted by means of a
cooling diet. To this purpose cucumbers, melons, and juicy fruits are
subservient. We ought to give the preference to such alimentary
substances as lead to contract the juices which are too much expanded
by the heat, and this property is possessed by all acid food and
drink. To this class belong all sorts of salad, lemons, oranges,
pomegranates sliced and sprinkled with sugar, for the acid of this
fruit is not so apt to derange the stomach as that of lemons; also
cherries and strawberries, curds turned with lemon acid or cream of
tartar; cream of tartar dissolved in water; lemonade, and Rhenish or
Moselle wine mixed with water.

1761. How to get Sleep.

How to get sleep is to many persons a matter of high importance.
Nervous persons who are troubled with wakefulness and excitability,
usually have a strong tendency of blood on the brain, with cold
extremities. The pressure of the blood on the brain keeps it in a
stimulated or wakeful state, and the pulsations in the head are often
painful. Let such rise and chafe the body and extremities with a brush
or towel, or rub smartly with the hands, to promote circulation, and
withdraw the excessive amount of blood from the brain, and they will
fall asleep in a few moments. A cold bath, or a sponge bath and
rubbing, or a good run, or a rapid walk in the open air, or going up
and down stairs a few times just before retiring, will aid in
equalizing circulation and promoting sleep. These rules are simple,
and easy of application in all cases.

1762. Early Rising.

Dr. Wilson Philip, in his "Treatise on Indigestion," says:

"Although it is of consequence to the debilitated to go early to
bed, there are few things more hurtful to them than remaining in it
too long. Getting up an hour or two earlier often gives a degree of
vigour which nothing else can procure. For those who are not much
debilitated, and sleep well, the best rule is to get out of bed soon
after waking in the morning. This at first may appear too early, for
the debilitated require more sleep than the healthy; but rising
early will gradually prolong the sleep on the succeeding night, till
the quantity the patient enjoys is equal to his demand for it. Lying
late is not only hurtful, by the relaxation it occasions, but also
by occupying that part of the day at which exercise is most
beneficial."

1763. Appetite.

Appetite is frequently lost through excessive use of stimulants, food
taken too hot, sedentary occupation, costiveness, liver disorder and
want of change of air. The first endeavour should be to ascertain and
remove the cause. Change of diet, and change of air will frequently be
found more beneficial than medicines.

1764. Temperance.

"If," observes a writer, "men lived uniformly in a healthy climate,
were possessed of strong and vigorous frames, were descended from
healthy parents, were educated in a hardy and active manner, were
possessed of excellent natural dispositions, were placed in
comfortable situations in life, were engaged only in healthy
occupations, were happily connected in marriage, and kept their
passions in due subjection, there would be little occasion for
medical rules."

All this is very excellent and desirable; but, unfortunately for
mankind, unattainable.

1765. More than Man.

Man must be something more than Man to be able to connect the
different links of this harmonious chain--to consolidate this _summum
bonum_ of earthly felicity into one uninterrupted whole; for,
independent of all regularity or irregularity of diet, passions, and
other sublunary circumstances, contingencies, and connections,
relative or absolute, thousands are visited by diseases and
precipitated into the grave, independent of accident, to whom no
particular vice could attach, and with whom the appetite never
overstepped the boundaries of temperance. Do we not hear almost daily
of instances of men living near to and even upwards of a century? We
cannot account for this either; because of such men we know but few
who have lived otherwise than the world around them; and we have known
many who have lived in habitual intemperance for forty or fifty years,
without interruption and with little apparent inconvenience.

1766. No Link to Background.

The assertion has been made by those who have attained a great age
(Parr, and Henry Jenkins, for instance), that they adopted no
particular arts for the preservation of their health; consequently, it
might be inferred that the duration of life has no dependence on
manners or customs, or the qualities of particular food. This,
however, is an error of no common magnitude.

1767. Moderation.

Peasants, labourers, and other hard-working people, more especially
those whose occupations require them to be much in the open air, may
be considered as following a regulated system of moderation; and hence
the higher degree of health which prevails among them and their
families. They also observe rules; and those which it is said were
recommended by Old Parr are remarkable for good sense; namely,

"Keep your head cool by temperance, your feet warm by exercise; rise
early, and go soon to bed; and if you are inclined to get fat, keep
your eyes open and your mouth shut,"

in other words, sleep moderately, and be abstemious in
diet;--excellent admonitions, more especially to these inclined to
corpulency.

1768. Corpulence.

The late Mr. William Banting, author of a "Letter on Corpulence,"
gives the following excellent advice, with a dietary for use in cases
of obesity (corpulence):

i. _Medicine._--None, save a morning cordial, as a corrective.

ii. Dietary.

_Breakfast._--Four or five ounces of beef, mutton, kidneys,
broiled fish, bacon, or any kind of cold meat except pork, a large
cup (or two) of tea without milk or sugar, a little biscuit or dry
toast.

_Dinner._--Five or six ounces of any fish except salmon, any meat
except pork, any vegetables except potatoes; one ounce of dry
toast; fruit out of a pudding; any kind of poultry or game, and
two or three glasses of claret or sherry. Port, champagne, and
beer forbidden.

_Tea._--Two or three ounces of fruit; a rusk or two, and a cup or
two of tea, without milk or sugar.

_Supper._--Three or four ounces of meat or fish as at dinner, with
a glass or two of claret.

_Nightcap_ (if required).--A glass or two of grog,--whisky, gin,
or brandy,--without sugar; or a glass or two of sherry.

Mr. Banting adds,

"Dietary is the principal point in the treatment of corpulence (also
in rheumatic diseases, and even in incipient paralysis). If properly
regulated, it becomes in a certain sense a medicine. It purifies the
blood, strengthens the muscles and viscera, and sweetens life if it
does not prolong it."

1769. Advantages of a Regular Life.

The advantages to be derived from a regular mode of living, with a
view to the preservation of health and life, are nowhere better
exemplified than in the precepts and practice of Plutarch, whose rules
for this purpose are excellent; and by observing them himself, he
maintained his bodily strength and mental faculties unimpaired to a
very advanced age. Galen is a still stronger proof of the advantages
of a regular plan, by means of which he is said to have reached the
great age of 140 years, without having ever experienced disease. His
advice to the readers of his "Treatise on Health" is as follows:

"I beseech all persons who shall read this work not to degrade
themselves to a level with the brutes, or the rabble, by gratifying
their sloth, or by eating and drinking promiscuously whatever
pleases their palates, or by indulging their appetites of every
kind. But whether they understand physic or not, let them consult
their reason, and observe what agrees, and what does not agree with
them, that, like wise men, they may adhere to the use of such things
as conduce to their health, and forbear everything which, by their
own experience, they find to do them hurt; and let them be assured
that, by a diligent observation and practice of this rule, they may
enjoy a good share of health, and seldom stand in need of physic or
physicians."

1770. Health in Youth.

Late hours, irregular habits, and want of attention to diet, are
common errors with most young men, and these gradually, but at first
imperceptibly, undermine the health, and lay the foundation for
various forms of disease in after life. It is a very difficult thing
to make young persons comprehend this. They frequently sit up as late
as twelve, one, or two o'clock, without experiencing any ill effects;
they go without a meal to day, and to-morrow eat to repletion, with
only temporary inconvenience. One night they will sleep three or four
hours, and the next nine or ten; or one night, in their eagerness to
get away into some agreeable company, they will take no food at all,
and the next, perhaps, will eat a hearty supper, and go to bed upon
it. These, with various other irregularities, are common to the
majority of young men, and are, as just stated, the cause of much bad
health in mature life. Indeed, nearly all the shattered constitutions
with which too many are cursed, are the result of a disregard to the
plainest precepts of health in early life.

1771. Disinfecting Liquid.

In a wine bottle of cold water, dissolve two ounces acetate of lead
(sugar of lead), and then add two (fluid) ounces of strong nitric acid
(aquafortis). Shake the mixture, and it will be ready for use.

A very small quantity of the liquid, in its strongest form, should be
used for cleansing all kinds of chamber utensils. For removing
offensive odours, clean cloths thoroughly moistened with the liquid,
diluted with eight or ten parts of water, should be suspended at
various parts of the room.--In this case the offensive and deleterious
gases are neutralized by chemical action.

Fumigation in the usual way is only the substitution of one odour for
another. In using the above, or any other disinfectant, let it never
be forgotten that _fresh air_, and plenty of it, is cheaper and more
effective than any other material.

1772. Disinfecting Fumigation.

Common salt, three ounces; black manganese, oil of vitriol, of each
one ounce; water two ounces; carried in a cup through the apartments
of the sick; or the apartments intended to be fumigated, where
sickness has been, may be shut up for an hour or two, and then opened.

1773. Coffee a Disinfectant.

Numerous experiments with roasted coffee prove that it is the most
powerful means, not only of rendering animal and vegetable effluvia
innocuous, but of actually destroying them. A room in which meat in an
advanced degree of decomposition had been kept for some time, was
instantly deprived of all smell on an open coffee-roaster being
carried through it, containing a pound of coffee newly roasted. In
another room, exposed to the effluvium occasioned by the clearing out
of the dung-pit, so that sulphuretted hydrogen and ammonia in great
quantities could be chemically detected, the stench was completely
removed in half a minute, on the employment of three ounces of
fresh-roasted coffee, whilst the other parts of the house were
permanently cleared of the same smell by being simply traversed with
the coffee-roaster, although the cleansing of the dung-pit continued
for several hours after.

The best mode of using the coffee as a disinfectant is to dry the raw
bean, pound it in a mortar, and then roast the powder on a moderately
heated iron plate, until it assumes a dark brown tint, when it is fit
for use. Then sprinkle it in sinks or cess-pools, or lay it on a plate
in the room which you wish to have purified. Coffee acid or coffee oil
acts more readily in minute quantities.

1774. Charcoal as a Disinfectant.

The great efficacy of wood and animal charcoal in absorbing effluvia,
and the greater number of gases and vapours, has long been known.
Charcoal powder has also, during many centuries, been advantageously
employed as a filter for putrid water, the object in view being to
deprive the water of numerous organic impurities diffused through it,
which exert injurious effects on the animal economy. Charcoal not only
absorbs effluvia and gaseous bodies, but especially, when in contact
with atmospheric air, oxidize, and destroys many of the easily
alterable ones, by resolving them into the simplest combinations they
are capable of forming, which are chiefly water and carbonic acid. It
is on this oxidizing property of charcoal, as well as on its absorbent
power, that its efficacy as a deodorizing and disinfecting agent
chiefly depends.

1775. Charcoal as an Antiseptic.

Charcoal is an antiseptic, that is to say, a substance which arrests
the decay and decomposition of animal substances. Meat, poultry, game
or fish, &c., may be preserved for a longer period in hot weather by
sprinkling it with powdered charcoal, which should be washed off in
clean cold water before the article is cooked.

1776. Charcoal Respirators.

It has been proposed to employ charcoal ventilators, consisting of a
thin layer of charcoal enclosed between two thin sheets of wire gauze,
to purify the foul air which is apt to accumulate in water-closets, in
the close wards of hospitals, and in the impure atmospheres of many of
the back courts and mews-lanes of large cities, all the impurities
being absorbed and retained by the charcoal, while a current of pure
air alone is admitted into the neighbouring apartments. In this way
pure air may be obtained from exceedingly impure sources. The proper
amount of air required by houses in such situations might be admitted
through sheets of wire gauze or coarse canvas, containing a thin layer
of coarse charcoal powder.

A tolerably thick charcoal ventilator, as described above, could be
very advantageously applied to the gully-holes of common sewers, and
to the sinks in private dwellings, the foul water in both cases being
carried into the drain by means of tolerably wide syphon pipes,
retaining always about a couple of inches of water. Such an
arrangement would effectually prevent the escape of any effluvia,
would be easy of construction, and not likely to get soon out of
order.

In respirators for the mouth the air is made to pass through a quarter
of an inch of coarsely powdered charcoal, retained in its place by two
sheets of silvered wire gauze, covered over with thin woollen cloth,
by which means its temperature is greatly increased. The charcoal
respirator possesses a decided advantage over respirators of the
ordinary construction, in that all disagreeable effluvia are absorbed
by the charcoal, so that comparatively pure air is alone inhaled.
Adaptations may be made to cover the nostrils as well as the mouth,
for protecting the wearer against fevers and other infectious
diseases, and chiefly for use in chemical works, common sewers, &c.,
to protect the workmen from the noxious effects of the deleterious
gases to which they are frequently exposed.

1777. Charcoal applied to Sores, &c.

Charcoal powder has been most successfully employed at hospitals, to
arrest the progress of gangrene and other putrid sores. The charcoal
does not require to be put immediately in contact with the sores, but
is placed above the dressings, not unfrequently quilted loosely in a
little cotton wool. In many cases patients who were rapidly sinking
have been restored to health.

1778. Disinfection of Rooms.

Any room, however offensive it may be, can be perfectively deodorized
by means of a few trays filled with a thin layer of freshly-heated
wood charcoal. From these and other considerations it is evident that
charcoal is one of the cheapest and best disinfectants. Unlike many
other disinfectants, it evolves no disagreeable vapours, and if heated
in close vessels will always act, however long it has been in use,
quite as effectively as at first. The efficiency of the charcoal may
be greatly increased by making it red-hot before using it. This can
easily be done by heating it in an iron saucepan covered with an iron
lid. When the charcoal is to be applied to inflammable substances,
such as wooden floors, &c., of course it must be allowed to cool in
close vessels before being used.

1779. Sir William Burnett's Disinfecting Fluid.

Of late years new disinfectants for the removal of disagreeable and
offensive odours, and the preservation of meat, &c., have been brought
into use. Sir William Burnett's disinfecting fluid is too well known
to require description. It is invaluable in a sick room, and is sold
by all chemists and druggists.

1780. Glacialine.

This is a new disinfectant and antiseptic, which is highly recommended
and largely used for the preservation of meats, liquids, and all goods
of a perishable character from acidity, as in the case of beer, or
decomposition. It is sold by most chemists, druggists, and oilmen.

1781. Chloride of Lime.

This substance, which is well known for its bleaching properties is a
useful disinfectant. It will neutralise the foul smell arising from
drains, closets, &c., when mixed with water and thrown down the pipes
whence the smell proceeds. A little dissolved in a bucket of water,
when used in scrubbing rooms and passages, will purify them and render
them wholesome, and also whiten the boards. It is sold by oilmen &c.,
at 3d. or 4d. per lb.--a much lower rate than that at which it is sold
by chemists.

1782. Carbolic Powder and Fluid.

Carbolic acid in a fluid state is a highly concentrated disinfectant,
and a strong irritant poison. Care should be taken in its use and
storage, as many lives have been lost through taking carbolic acid
under the impression that it was some medicine or beverage. It is far
safer when in the form of powder which has been impregnated with the
acid. The powder has a pink colour, is recommended by the Government,
and is sold at the rate of 2d. per pound by oilmen, &c.

1783. Domestic Hints (Sheep Near Sea).

_Why is the flesh of sheep that are fed near the sea more nutritious
than that of others?_

Because the saline particles (sea salt) which they find with their
green food give purity to their blood and flesh.

1784. Domestic Hints (Marbled Fat in Meat).

_Why does the marbled appearance of fat in meat indicate that it is
young and tender?_

Because in young animals fat is dispersed through the muscles, but
in old animals it is laid in masses on the outside of the flesh.

1785. Domestic Hints (White and Red Meat).

_Why is some flesh white and other flesh red?_

White flesh contains a larger proportion of albumen, (similar to the
white of egg) than that which is red. The amount of blood retained
in the flesh also influences its colour.

1786. Domestic Hints (Raw and Cooked Oysters).

_Why are raw oysters more wholesome than those that are cooked?_

When cooked they are partly deprived of salt water, which promotes
their digestion; their albumen also becomes hard (like hard boiled
eggs).

1787. Domestic Hints (Green Oysters).

_Why have some oysters a green tinge?_

This has been erroneously attributed to the effects of copper; but
it arises from the oyster feeding upon small green sea-weeds, which
grow where such oysters are found.

1788. Domestic Hints (Twice-Boiled Cabbage).

_Why is cabbage rendered more wholesome by being boiled in two
waters?_

Because cabbages contain an oil, which is apt to produce bad
effects, and prevents some persons from eating "green" vegetables.
When boiled in two waters, the first boiling carries off the greater
part of this oil.

1789. Domestic Hints (Just-Scraped Horseradish).

_Why should horseradish be scraped for the table only just before it
is required?_

Because the peculiar oil of horseradish is very volatile; it quickly
evaporates, and leaves the vegetable substance dry and insipid.

1790. Domestic Hints (Mint with Pea Soup).

_Why is mint eaten with pea soup?_

The properties of mint are stomachic and antispasmodic. It is
therefore useful to prevent the flatulence that might arise,
especially from soups made of green or dried peas.

1791. Domestic Hints (Apple Sauce with Pork and Goose).

_Why is apple sauce eaten with pork and goose?_

Because it is slightly laxative, and therefore tends to counteract
the effects of rich and stimulating meats. The acid of the apples
also neutralizes the oily nature of the fat, and prevents
biliousness.

1792. Domestic Hints (Thunderstorms Souring Milk).

_Why does milk turn sour during thunderstorms?_

Because, in an electric condition of the atmosphere, ozone is
generated. Ozone is oxygen in a state of great intensity; and oxygen
is a general acidifier of many organic substances. Milk may be
prevented from becoming sour by boiling it, or bringing it nearly to
boiling point, for, as the old proverb says, "Milk boiled is milk
spoiled." Heating the milk expels the oxygen.

1793. Domestic Hints (Butter from Churning).

_Why does the churning of cream or milk produce butter?_

Because the action of stirring, together with a moderate degree of
warmth, causes the cells in which the butter is confined to burst;
the disengaged fat collects in flakes, and ultimately coheres in
large masses.

1794. Domestic Hints (Blue Mould on Cheese).

_What is the blue mould which appears sometimes upon cheese?_

It is a species of fungus, or minute vegetable, which may be
distinctly seen when examined by a magnifying glass.

1795. Domestic Hints (Tenderness in Birds).

_Why are some of the limbs of birds more tender than others?_

The tenderness or toughness of flesh is determined by the amount of
exercise the muscles have undergone. Hence the wing of a bird that
chiefly walks, and the leg of a bird that chiefly flies, are the
most tender.

1796. Domestic Hints (Tea Curing Headache).

_Why does tea frequently cure headache?_

Because, by its stimulant action on the general circulation, in
which the brain participates, the nervous congestions are overcome.

1797. Domestic Hints (Clothes for Hot Weather).

_Why are clothes of smooth and shining surfaces best adapted for hot
weather?_

Because they reflect or turn back the rays of the sun, which are
thus prevented from penetrating them.

1798. Domestic Hints (Loose Clothing Warmer).

_Why is loose clothing warmer than tight articles of dress?_

Because the loose dress encloses a stratum of warm air which the
tight dress shuts out; for the same reason, woollen articles, though
not warmer in themselves, appear so, by keeping warm air near to the
body.

1799. Domestic Hints (Tea Made Best with Boiling Water).

_Why should the water poured upon tea be at the boiling point?_

Because it requires the temperature of boiling water to extract the
peculiar oil of tea.

1800. Domestic Hints (First Infusion Best).

_Why does the first infusion of tea possess more aroma than the
second?_

Because the first infusion, if the water used is at the boiling
temperature, takes up the essential oil of the tea, while the second
water receives only the bitter extract supplied by the tannic acid
of tea.

1801. Domestic Hints (Sky-Blue for Fair People).

_Why does a head-dress of sky-blue become a fair person?_

Because light blue is the complementary colour of pale orange, which
is the foundation of the blonde complexion and hair.

1802. Domestic Hints (Brighter Colours for Dark People).

_Why are yellow, orange, or red colours suitable to a person of dark
hair and complexion?_

Because those colours, by contrast with the dark skin and hair, show
to the greater advantage themselves, while they enrich the hue of
black.

1803. Domestic Hints (Light Green for Fair Complexions).

_Why is a delicate green favourable to pale blonde complexions?_

Because it imparts a rosiness to such complexions--red, its
complementary colour, being reflected upon green.

1804. Domestic Hints (Light Green Unfavourable for Ruddy Complexions).

_Why is light green unfavourable to ruddy complexions?_

Because it increases the redness, and has the effect of producing an
overheated appearance.

1805. Domestic Hints (Violet Unfavourable for All).

_Why are violet draperies unfavourable to every kind of complexion?_

Because, reflecting yellow, they augment that tint when it is
present in the skin or hair, change blue into green, and give to an
olive complexion a jaundiced look.

1806. Domestic Hints (Blue Unsuitable for Brunettes).

_Why is blue unsuitable to brunettes?_

Because it reflects orange, and adds to the darkness of the
complexion.

1807. Domestic Hints (Blue Veils for Complexion).

_Why do blue veils preserve the complexion?_

Because they diminish the effect of the scorching rays of light,
just as the blue glass over photographic studios diminishes the
effect of certain rays that would injure the delicate processes of
photography. [1]

[Footnote 1: "Housewife's Reason Why," containing upwards of 1,500
Reasons upon every kind of Domestic Subject. London: Houlston and
Sons. 2s. 6d.]

1808. Fancy Needlework.

Although there is a continual change in designs and materials for
fancy needlework of every description, the fundamental principles on
which this kind of work in all its various branches is executed remain
the same. These are carefully, though briefly set forth in the
following series of instructions on this subject.

1809. Instructions in Crochet.

1810. Popularity of Crochet.

Perhaps no kind of work has ever attained such popularity as
_Crochet_. Whether as a simple trimming, as an elaborate quilt, or as
a fabric, almost rivalling Point Lace, it is popular with every woman
who has any time at all for fancy work, since it is only needful to
understand the stitches, and the terms and contractions used in
writing the descriptions of the different designs, to be enabled to
work with ease the most beautiful pattern that ever appeared in
crochet.

1811. Stitches used in Crochet.

These, with their abbreviations, are:

Ch., chain stitch;
S., single crochet;
Dc., double crochet;
L., long stitch;
Double and treble long.

1812. Chain Stitch, ch.

Hook the cotton into a loop, and keep on looping the cotton through a
previous stitch till a succession of chains are made to form a
foundation.

1813. Single Crochet, S.

This occurs only in working designs; the hook is inserted in a stitch,
and the cotton is pulled through that and the cotton which is on the
hook at the same time; it thus makes a close tie.

1814. Double Crochet, or Dc.

With cotton on the hook insert the latter into a stitch, draw the
cotton through; there are now two loops on the hook, take up the
cotton on the hook, and with cotton again upon the hook draw it
through the two loops.

1815. Long Stitch, or L.

With the loop of last stitch on the hook, twist the cotton over the
hook, place the latter through a stitch, draw the cotton through, then
put the cotton over the hook, draw the cotton through two loops, and
again through two loops.

1816. Double and Treble Long.

With the hook in a loop, twist the cotton twice or three times over
the hook, and draw the hook successively through either two or three
loops.

1817. Square Crochet.

Square crochet is also sometimes used. The squares are either open or
close. An open square consists of one L, two Ch, missing two on the
line beneath, before making the next stitch. A close square has three
successive L's. Thus, any given number of close squares, followed by
an open, will have so many times three L's; consequently any
foundation for square crochet must have a number that can be divided
by three.

1818. To Contract an Edge.

This may be done in Dc, or long stitch. Twist the thread round the
hook as often as required, insert it in the work, and half do a
stitch. Instead of finishing it, twist the thread round again, until
the same number of loops are on, and work a stitch entirely; so that,
for two stitches, there is only one head.

1819. To Join on a Thread.

Joins should be avoided as much as possible in open work. In joining,
finish the stitch by drawing the new thread through, leaving two
inches for both ends, which must be held in.

1820. To Use several Colours.

This is done in single crochet. Hold the threads not in use on the
edge of the work, and work them in. Change the colour by beginning the
stitch in the old colour, and finishing it with the new, continuing
the work with the latter holding in the old. If only one stitch is
wanted in the new colour, finish one stitch, and begin the next with
it; then change.

1821. To Join Leaves, &c.

When one part of a leaf or flower is required to be joined to another,
drop the loop from the hook, which insert in the place to be joined;
draw the loop through and continue.

1822. To Work over Cord.

Hold the cord in the left hand with the work, and work round it, as
you would over an end of thread, working closely. When beads are used
they must be first threaded on silk or thread, and then dropped,
according to the pattern, on the _wrong_ side of the work. This side
looks more even than the other: therefore, when bead purses are worked
from an engraving, they are worked the reverse of the usual way, viz.,
from right to left.

1823. Oriental Crochet erroneously termed Tricotee.

This is worked by just making a chain the length required. Then put
the hook through a loop of the chain, pull the wool through without
twisting it, and so continue to the end, keeping all the stitches on
the hook. _In returning_, twist the wool over the hook, pull it
through the first loop, twist the wool again over the hook, pull it
through the next, and so continue to the end. There will now be a row
of flat loops, but not on the edge. Work exactly as at the first row
which was worked with the chain row, but in this there is no chain row.

1824. Instructions in Netting.

1825. Regularity in Netting.

The beauty of netting consists in its firmness and regularity. All
joins in the thread must be made in a very strong knot; and, if
possible, at an edge, so that it may not be perceived.

1826. Implements used in Netting.

These are a netting needle and mesh. In filling a netting needle with
the material, be careful not to make it so full that there will be a
difficulty in passing it through the stitches. The size of the needle
must depend on the material to be employed, and the fineness of the
work. Steel needles are employed for every kind of netting except the
very coarsest. They are marked from 12 to 24, the latter being
extremely fine. The fine meshes are usually also of steel; but, as
this material is heavy, it is better to employ bone or wooden meshes
when large ones are required. Many meshes are flat; and in using them
the _width_ is given.

1827. Diamond Netting.

The first stitch in this work is termed _diamond_ netting, the holes
being in the form of diamonds. To do the first row, a stout thread,
knotted to form a round, is fastened to the knee with a pin, or passed
over the foot, or on the hook sometimes attached to a work cushion for
the purpose. The end of the thread on the needle is knotted to this,
the mesh being held in the left hand on a line with it. Take the
needle in the right hand; let the thread come over the mesh and the
third finger, bring it back under the mesh, and hold it between the
thumb and first finger. Slip the needle through the loop over the
third finger, under the mesh and the foundation thread. In doing this
a loop will be formed, which must be passed over the fourth finger.
Withdraw the third finger from the loop, and draw up the loop over the
fourth, gradually, until it is quite tight on the mesh. The thumb
should be kept firmly over the mesh while the stitch is being
completed. When the necessary number of stitches is made on this
foundation, the future rows are to be worked backwards and forwards.
To form a _round_, the first stitch is to be worked into immediately
after the last, which closes the netting into a circle.

1828. Round Netting.

Round Netting is very nearly the same stitch. The difference is merely
in the way of putting the needle through the loop and foundation, or
other stitch. After passing the needle through the loop, it must be
brought out, and put _downwards_ through the stitch. This stitch is
particularly suitable for purses.

1829. Square Netting.

Square Netting is exactly the same stitch as diamond netting, only it
is begun at a corner, on one stitch, and increased (by doing two in
one) in the last stitch of every row, until the greatest width
required is attained. Then, by netting two stitches together at the
end of every row, the piece is decreased to a point again. When
stretched out, all the holes in this netting are squares.

[ONE KIND WORD MAY TURN ASIDE A TORRENT OF ANGER.]

1830. Darning on Netting.

Square and diamond netting are the most frequently used, and are
ornamented with patterns darned on them, in simple darning or in
various point stitches. In the latter case it forms a variety of the
sort of work termed _guipure d'Art_.

1831. Grecian Netting.

i. Do one plain row. First pattern row. Insert the needle in the
first stitch, and, without working it, draw through it the second
stitch, through the loop of which draw the first, and work it in the
ordinary way. This forms a twisted stitch, and the next is a very
small loop formed of a part of the second stitch. Repeat this
throughout the row.

ii. The second row is done plain.

iii. The third like the first; but the first and last stitches are
to be done in the usual manner, but begin the twisting with the
second and third loops.

iv. The fourth is plain. Repeat these four rows as often as
required.

v. Use No. 20 mesh for the fancy rows, and No. 14 for the plain.

1832. Counting Stitches.

Stitches in Netting are always counted by knots.

1833. Instructions in Tatting, or Frivolite.

1834. Implements for Tatting.

The only necessary implements for tatting are a thin shuttle or short
netting-needle, and a gilt pin and ring, united by a chain. The cotton
used should be strong and soft. There are three available sizes, Nos.
1, 2, and 3. Attention should be paid to the manner of holding the
hands, as on this depends the grace or awkwardness of the movement.
Fill the shuttle with the cotton (or silk) required, in the same
manner as a netting needle. Hold the shuttle between the thumb and
first and second fingers of the right hand, leaving about half a yard
of cotton unwound. Take up the cotton, about three inches from the
end, between the thumb and first finger of the left hand, and let the
end fall in the palm of the hand; pass the cotton round the other
fingers of the left hand (keeping them parted a little), and bring it
again between the thumb and forefinger, thus making a circle round the
extended fingers. There are only two stitches in tatting, and they are
usually done alternately; this is therefore termed a _double stitch_.

1835. English Stitch.

The first stitch is called the _English stitch_, and made thus:--Let
the thread between the right and left hands fall towards you; slip the
shuttle under the thread between the first and second fingers; draw it
out rather quickly, keeping it in a horizontal line with the left
hand. You will find a slipping loop is formed on this cotton with that
which went round the fingers. Hold the shuttle steadily, with the
cotton stretched tightly out, and with the second finger of the left
hand slip the loop thus made under the thumb.

1836. French Stitch.

The other stitch is termed _French stitch_; the only difference being,
that instead of allowing the cotton to fall _towards_ you, and passing
the shuttle _downwards_, the cotton is thrown in a loop over the left
hand, and the shuttle passed under the thread between the first and
second fingers _upwards_. The knot must be invariably formed by the
thread which passes round the fingers of the _left_ hand. If the
operation is reversed, and the knot formed by the cotton connected
with the shuttle, the loop will not draw up. This is occasioned by
letting the cotton from the shuttle hang loosely instead of drawing it
out and holding it tightly stretched. When any given number of these
double stitches are done, and drawn closely together, the stitches are
held between the first finger and thumb, and the other fingers are
withdrawn from the circle of cotton, which is gradually diminished by
drawing out the shuttle until the loop of tatting is nearly or
entirely closed. The tatted loops should be quite close to each other,
unless directions to the contrary are given.

1837. Ornamental Edging.

The pin is used in making an ornamental edge, something like purl
edging, thus:--Slip the ring on the left-hand thumb, that the pin
attached may be ready for use. After making the required number of
double stitches, twist the pin in the circle of cotton, and hold it
between the forefinger and thumb, whilst making more double stitches;
repeat. The little loops thus formed are termed _picots._

1838. Trefoil Tatting.

This is done by drawing three loops up tightly, made close together,
and then leaving a short space before making more. The trefoil is
sewed into shape afterwards with a needle.

1839. To Join Loops.

When two loops are to be connected, a _picot_ is made in the _first_,
wherever the join is required. When you come to the corresponding
part of the _second_ loop, draw the thread which goes round the
fingers of the left hand through the _picot_ with a needle, pulling
through a loop large enough to admit the shuttle. Slip this through,
then draw the thread tight again over the fingers, and continue the
work. In many patterns a needle is used to work over, in buttonhole
stitch, the thread which passes from one loop to another. A long
needleful of the same cotton or silk used for the tatting is left at
the beginning of the work, and a common needle used to buttonhole over
bars wherever they occur.

1840. Alternative Picots.

Picots are also sometimes made with the needle and cotton in working
over these bars.

1841. Instructions in Knitting.

1842. Improvements in Process.