Original White House Cookbook

When your body is over-heated and you are perspiring, be very careful about sitting down to ‘ cool off,’ as the custom of some is, by removing a part of the clothing and sitting in a cool place, and perhaps HEALTH-SUGGESTIONS. where there is a draught of air passing over your body. The proper way to ‘cool off’ when over-heated is to put on more clothing, especially if you are in a cool place ; but never remove a part of the clothing you have already on. If possible, get near a fire where there is no wind blowing, and dry off gradually, instead of cooling off suddenly, which is always dangerous.” Many colds are taken from the feet being damp or wet. To keep these extremities warm and dry is a great preventative against the almost endless list of disorders which come from a “ slight cold.” Many imagine if their feet are not thoroughly wet, there will be no harm arising from mere dampness, not knowing that the least dampness is absorbed into the sole, and is attracted nearer the foot itself by its heat, and thus perspiration is dangerously checked. WATER. All beings need drink as much as they need food, and it is just as necessary to health as pure air ; therefore the water should be boiled or filtered before being drank. Rain-water filtered is probably the best attainable. Boiling the water destroys the vegetable and animal matter, and leaves the mineral matter deposited on the bottom of the vessel containing it; therefore it leaves it clear from poisonous substances. REGULATION IN DIET. The food we eat is a very important item, and one which it would be difficult to arrange any rule for which would apply to all persons under different circumstances. In health, it is safer to eat by instinct rather than to follow any definite rules. While there are many who have a scanty living, with a small variety of food, there is a large number who have an abundance and a large variety. The former class, in many cases, live miserable lives, either to hoard up for miserly purposes the money which might make them happy, or in some cases through poverty ; while the latter class, as a rule, have better health and have much more enjoyment in this life, unless it be some who are gluttonous, and make themselves miserable by abusing the blessings they should enjoy. Avoid extremes in living too free or scanty ; have a good nourishing diet and a sufficient quantity, and it should always be properly cooked; for if the cooking is poorly done, it affects not only the nutritious qualities, but is not so easily digested, thus making food, which is originally the best kind, of very little value to us, and with very poor cooking it is sometimes a positive injury. HEALTH-SUGGESTIONS. It is very important that the food be taken with regularity at the accustomed time. Be careful not to take too much drink during any meal, but, if thirsty, drink water before meal time so that you will not care for it until some time after eating, as it is a bad plan to drink much either during or for a little time after the meal is taken. It is a very bad .plan to hurry in eating, because by so doing the food is not properly masticated; it is better to be a long time in eating and chew the food well. Dr. B. I. Kendall, Enoshurg Falls, Vt. HOW TO USE HOT WATER.