The Bedroom : Magazine of Art, vol. 9, p. 81. Manners and Cus-
toms of Other Nations and Times : Antiquarian, neyt, series, vol. 2,
p. 185; Cosmopolitan, vol. 2,* p. 75; Leisure Hour, vol. 2, p. 227 ; All
the Year Round, vol. 17, p. 41, vol. 33, p. 274; Chambers's Journal,
Year 1861, p. 260; Every Saturday, vol. 13, p. 249 ; Private Life of
the Romans, Preston and Dodge. Physiology : American Textbook
of Physiology, Howell ; The Human Body, Martin. Chemistry : In-
organic Chemistry, Remsen's Advanced Course. Furnishing and
Cleaning : Home Economics, Maria Parloa. Cooking for the Sick :
Practical Dietetics, Thompson; Boston Cooking-School Cook Book,
Farmer ; Handbook of Invalid Cooking, Boland.
Introduction"
The "Word Bedroom. — It is unfortunate that the bedroom
is not what its name implies — a place for a bed only. It
too often contains not only conveniences for sleeping, but
also for making the toilet. Not infrequently, especially in
boarding-houses, one room must serve the purposes of bed-
room, toilet room and living room. This condition of affairs
is much to be deprecated, and we should always hold before
ourselves the ideal of a bright and airy room, used only for
a sleeping room. Into such a room none of the clothing
worn during the day would be taken, and no toilets made.
Bedrooms of this sort would make us a healthier people.
They are not practicable for most of us, however, and the
263
264 HANDBOOK OF DOMESTIC SCIENCE
statements made in this chapter mnst be nnderstood as
referring to a room used for both sleeping and toilet pur-
poses.
Lesson I
Hygiene of the Bedroom
Necessity for Healthful Bedrooms. — In the bedroom one-
third of life is spent. The other two-thirds is so divided
that in most cases we may say there is no other one
place in which so much of our time is passed. It follows
that there is no other place which can be in so large a
measure responsible for our health or for our sickness.
The time spent in the bedroom, moreover, should be a time
of refreshment and recuperation. If conditions are not
favorable for these things, we are likely to be incapacitated
for our daily work.
Substances which tend to make the Bedroom Unhealthful.
— Much of the waste material of the body is cast off in the
bedroom. This is in the form of excretions from the lungs,
the skin, and the kidneys. These waste materials bear much
the same relation to the body that the ash bears to the fur-
nace. Most of them are not harmful in themselves, but
they are useless, and they crowd out other substances which
are distinctly useful. Another source of danger is the
street dust which settles upon our clothing during the day.
This is more likely to be left in the bedroom than in other
rooms of the house because it is here that the clothing is
put on and taken off, being thus moved about and shaken.
This dust is dangerous, partly because it irritates the air
passages, and partly because it is almost sure to contain the
germs of disease.
Excretions from the Lungs. — Ordinary air is a mixture of
two invisible gases, oxygen and nitrogen. About one-fifth
THE BEDROOM 265
Page 126
Presented as published in 1900. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
The Bedroom : Magazine of Art, vol. 9, p. 81. Manners and Customs of Other Nations and Times : Antiquarian, new, series, vol. 2, p. 185; Cosmopolitan, vol. 2,* p. 75; Leisure Hour, vol. 2, p. 227 ; All the Year Round, vol. 17, p. 41, vol. 33, p. 274; Chambers's Journal, Year 1861, p. 260; Every Saturday, vol. 13, p. 249 ; Private Life of the Romans, Preston and Dodge. Physiology : American Textbook of Physiology, Howell ; The Human Body, Martin. Chemistry : Inorganic Chemistry, Remsen's Advanced Course. Furnishing and Cleaning : Home Economics, Maria Parloa. Cooking for the Sick : Practical Dietetics, Thompson; Boston Cooking-School Cook Book, Farmer ; Handbook of Invalid Cooking, Boland.
Introduction"
The "Word Bedroom. — It is unfortunate that the bedroom is not what its name implies — a place for a bed only. It too often contains not only conveniences for sleeping, but also for making the toilet. Not infrequently, especially in boarding-houses, one room must serve the purposes of bedroom, toilet room and living room. This condition of affairs is much to be deprecated, and we should always hold before ourselves the ideal of a bright and airy room, used only for a sleeping room. Into such a room none of the clothing worn during the day would be taken, and no toilets made. Bedrooms of this sort would make us a healthier people. They are not practicable for most of us, however, and the
statements made in this chapter must be nnderstood as referring to a room used for both sleeping and toilet purposes.
Lesson I Hygiene of the Bedroom
Necessity for Healthful Bedrooms. — In the bedroom onethird of life is spent. The other two-thirds is so divided that in most cases we may say there is no other one place in which so much of our time is passed. It follows that there is no other place which can be in so large a measure responsible for our health or for our sickness. The time spent in the bedroom, moreover, should be a time of refreshment and recuperation. If conditions are not favorable for these things, we are likely to be incapacitated for our daily work.
Substances which tend to make the Bedroom Unhealthful. — Much of the waste material of the body is cast off in the bedroom. This is in the form of excretions from the lungs, the skin, and the kidneys. These waste materials bear much the same relation to the body that the ash bears to the furnace. Most of them are not harmful in themselves, but they are useless, and they crowd out other substances which are distinctly useful. Another source of danger is the street dust which settles upon our clothing during the day. This is more likely to be left in the bedroom than in other rooms of the house because it is here that the clothing is put on and taken off, being thus moved about and shaken. This dust is dangerous, partly because it irritates the air passages, and partly because it is almost sure to contain the germs of disease.
Excretions from the Lungs. — Ordinary air is a mixture of two invisible gases, oxygen and nitrogen. About one-fifth