Exercise. — If the class is composed of sufficiently ad-
vanced pupils, the principles of this lesson can best be
impressed upon them by having them plan the upper
floor of a house, endeavoring to secure for each bedroom
a maximum of sunlight and air. Each pupil could be
required, also, to prepare a scheme for decorating and
furnishing a bedroom.
Lesson IV
Going to Bed, and leaving the Room in the Morning
Relation of Personal Habits to Healthfulness of the Bedroom.
— If we keep in mind the facts given in Lessons I. and II.,
we can easily realize that our personal habits may determine
the healthfulness or unheal thf illness of the bedroom. Re-
membering that outside wraps and overshoes have street
dust and bacteria upon them, we should leave such articles
in hall closets, and not bring them into the bedroom. All
clothing should as often as possible be shaken and brushed
in the open air. In preparing for bed, we should never put
into the closet articles of clothing which have been next to
274 HANDBOOK OF DOMESTIC SCIENCE
the skin during the day. These should be aired by an open
window. A small rack which can be folded and laid away
during the day is convenient for this purpose. It can be
used also for the airing of bedclothes in the morning. The
excretions of the skin should be removed at least once a day
.with water, and not be left to accumulate in the bedroom.
People differ as to the time of the daily bath ; but the hands,
face, and feet, which are most likely to have germ-laden dust
on them, should be washed at night, even when the time for
the whole bath is the morning. Although these matters come
more appropriately under the head of personal hygiene, they
are introduced here because of the close dependence of the
cleanliness of the bedroom upon the cleanliness of the per-
son.
Preparation for the Night. — In preparing the bed for the
night, the counterpane should be removed and carefully
folded. For the protection of the blanket, a sheet or other
light covering may be put over the bed. Be sure that the
sheets thoroughly protect the blankets from contact with
any part of the body. The windows should always be
opened at night. If one objects to dampness in the air,
a screen such as is described in Lesson VI. may be placed in
the window. The ventilation of the room will be fairly
satisfactory if the window is opened only from the bottom,
providing it is opened wide ; but, as the warm air from the
body rises, it is better to have the window open at both top
and bottom. If the shade is left part way down, this will
generally cause it to rattle and disturb the slumber. To
avoid this, roll the shade to the top, and have a large screen
to protect the person in bed from both light and draft.
Care of the Room on Rising. — On rising, we should at once
take measures for ridding the room of the excreta which
have been given off from the body during the night. The
bedclothes should be removed from the bed and hung on
THE BEDROOM 275
Page 132
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
Exercise. — If the class is composed of sufficiently advanced pupils, the principles of this lesson can best be impressed upon them by having them plan the upper floor of a house, endeavoring to secure for each bedroom a maximum of sunlight and air. Each pupil could be required, also, to prepare a scheme for decorating and furnishing a bedroom.
Lesson IV Going to Bed, and leaving the Room in the Morning
Relation of Personal Habits to Healthfulness of the Bedroom.
— If we keep in mind the facts given in Lessons I. and II., we can easily realize that our personal habits may determine the healthfulness or unhealthfulness of the bedroom. Remembering that outside wraps and overshoes have street dust and bacteria upon them, we should leave such articles in hall closets, and not bring them into the bedroom. All clothing should as often as possible be shaken and brushed in the open air. In preparing for bed, we should never put into the closet articles of clothing which have been next to
the skin during the day. These should be aired by an open window. A small rack which can be folded and laid away during the day is convenient for this purpose. It can be used also for the airing of bedclothes in the morning. The excretions of the skin should be removed at least once a day .with water, and not be left to accumulate in the bedroom. People differ as to the time of the daily bath ; but the hands, face, and feet, which are most likely to have germ-laden dust on them, should be washed at night, even when the time for the whole bath is the morning. Although these matters come more appropriately under the head of personal hygiene, they are introduced here because of the close dependence of the cleanliness of the bedroom upon the cleanliness of the person.
Preparation for the Night. — In preparing the bed for the night, the counterpane should be removed and carefully folded. For the protection of the blanket, a sheet or other light covering may be put over the bed. Be sure that the sheets thoroughly protect the blankets from contact with any part of the body. The windows should always be opened at night. If one objects to dampness in the air, a screen such as is described in Lesson VI. may be placed in the window. The ventilation of the room will be fairly satisfactory if the window is opened only from the bottom, providing it is opened wide ; but, as the warm air from the body rises, it is better to have the window open at both top and bottom. If the shade is left part way down, this will generally cause it to rattle and disturb the slumber. To avoid this, roll the shade to the top, and have a large screen to protect the person in bed from both light and draft.
Care of the Room on Rising. — On rising, we should at once take measures for ridding the room of the excreta which have been given off from the body during the night. The bedclothes should be removed from the bed and hung on