Excretion from the Kidneys. — Urine, one of the waste
products of the body, is often voided in the bedroom. This
contains a substance known as urea, which arises from the
decomposition of the nitrogenous tissues. The decom-
position begun inside the body continues outside, and the
urea changes into ammonia and carbon dioxide. These,
passing into the air, add to its impurity. The urine also
gives off small amounts of ill-smelling substances. These
make us uncomfortable, if they harm us in no other way,
and discomfort undermines the health, just as anxiety and
sorrow do.
The Dangers from Dust. — Having considered the dangers
from within, we must now give our attention to the dangers
from without. The former have been understood for many
years. The latter are only beginning to be understood.
These dangers are due to the presence everywhere of very
minute organisms known as bacteria. Bacteria are so small
that the inexperienced find difficulty in seeing them even
with the microscope. Like human beings, bacteria differ
very much one from another. Some are very useful; for
example, those which help plants to get food from the air.
Others destroy property; for example, those which cause
milk to sour. Still others are extremely harmful. Most of
THE BEDROOM 269
the diseases with which people are afflicted are now thought
to be caused by bacteria of the last class. The dust which
blows about the street and which we carry into the house on
our shoes and other clothing is full of bacteria, and these
are frequently harmful bacteria. The bacillus of tubercu-
losis is very commonly found in street dust, on account of
the frequency of the disease, and the failure of persons
afflicted with it to exercise proper care in the disposal
of the sputum. Surface dirt is very likely to contain the
germ of lockjaw. Besides these two germs, those of many
other dreaded diseases may be contained in the dust which
clings to our clothing. For this reason we should be very
careful not to bring overshoes and outside wraps into the
bedroom. We should also be careful not to sit upon the
bed or rub our clothing against it. It is well to remove
the counterpane from the bed at night and substitute a
sheet which has been put away from the dust. Woollen
carpets and draperies provide good hiding-places for dust
and germs. Such articles should never be used in a bed-
room. On the other hand sunshine is a foe to germs, and
should be allowed to stream into the bedroom all day if
possible. Better fade all the furniture in the room than to
give disease germs a chance to live and flourish. These
three rules should always be kept in mind in combating
the evils of dust : (1) Avoid, as far as possible, bringing
harmful substances into the room. (2) Provide no kirking-
places for such substances. (3) Remove frequently the
harmful substances which inevitably do collect.
Suggestions for Illustrative Experiments. — I. The amount
of matter excreted by the skin and lungs during the night
may be determined by weighing one's self the last thing at
night, and immediately on rising in the morning. If urine
has been voided in the meantime, its weight must be
subtracted from the total difference. If this could be done
270 HANDBOOK OF DOMESTIC SCIENCE
by even one or two pupils in the class, it would serve as a
valuable illustration.
Page 129
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
Excretion from the Kidneys. — Urine, one of the waste products of the body, is often voided in the bedroom. This contains a substance known as urea, which arises from the decomposition of the nitrogenous tissues. The decomposition begun inside the body continues outside, and the urea changes into ammonia and carbon dioxide. These, passing into the air, add to its impurity. The urine also gives off small amounts of ill-smelling substances. These make us uncomfortable, if they harm us in no other way, and discomfort undermines the health, just as anxiety and sorrow do.
The Dangers from Dust. — Having considered the dangers from within, we must now give our attention to the dangers from without. The former have been understood for many years. The latter are only beginning to be understood. These dangers are due to the presence everywhere of very minute organisms known as bacteria. Bacteria are so small that the inexperienced find difficulty in seeing them even with the microscope. Like human beings, bacteria differ very much one from another. Some are very useful; for example, those which help plants to get food from the air. Others destroy property; for example, those which cause milk to sour. Still others are extremely harmful. Most of
the diseases with which people are afflicted are now thought to be caused by bacteria of the last class. The dust which blows about the street and which we carry into the house on our shoes and other clothing is full of bacteria, and these are frequently harmful bacteria. The bacillus of tuberculosis is very commonly found in street dust, on account of the frequency of the disease, and the failure of persons afflicted with it to exercise proper care in the disposal of the sputum. Surface dirt is very likely to contain the germ of lockjaw. Besides these two germs, those of many other dreaded diseases may be contained in the dust which clings to our clothing. For this reason we should be very careful not to bring overshoes and outside wraps into the bedroom. We should also be careful not to sit upon the bed or rub our clothing against it. It is well to remove the counterpane from the bed at night and substitute a sheet which has been put away from the dust. Woollen carpets and draperies provide good hiding-places for dust and germs. Such articles should never be used in a bedroom. On the other hand sunshine is a foe to germs, and should be allowed to stream into the bedroom all day if possible. Better fade all the furniture in the room than to give disease germs a chance to live and flourish. These three rules should always be kept in mind in combating the evils of dust : (1) Avoid, as far as possible, bringing harmful substances into the room. (2) Provide no hiding-places for such substances. (3) Remove frequently the harmful substances which inevitably do collect.
Suggestions for Illustrative Experiments. — I. The amount of matter excreted by the skin and lungs during the night may be determined by weighing one's self the last thing at night, and immediately on rising in the morning. If urine has been voided in the meantime, its weight must be subtracted from the total difference. If this could be done
by even one or two pupils in the class, it would serve as a valuable illustration.