146 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Jan., 



them, study them well, and you will agree with me that she is the 

 best physician. 



I have made but brief mention of the various causes for illness 

 that are recognized as pertaining to our subject. The planning of 

 grounds and buildings, ventilation of rooms, the selection of food 

 considered from a scientific standpoint, the art of cooking it, the 

 physiological effects of labor, growth, and development, the pre- 

 vention of disease, etc., etc. ; are each subjects for volumes, rather 

 than a short dissertation of this character, which can only be con- 

 sidered as an incentive to practical self-examination and reflection, 

 and not as a finished treatise. From earlv associations which have 

 become dearer with mature years, I have learned to appreciate the 

 blessings of farm life. I would gladly see them increased, as I 

 believe they can be, till the farm will be looked upon as a complete 

 sanitarium, and the farmer and his family as examples of that 

 physical perfection which alone can baffle disease. 



Question. Is there a cellar under the bouse in which you 

 live? 



Dr. BowEN. Yes, sir ; built there more than a hundred 

 years ago. I would gladly fill it up if I could. 



Mr. ScoviLLE. Will you tell us of the advantages of open 

 fire places? 



Dr. BowEN. They are excellent methods of heating a 

 room early in the fall, or in the spring ; they are excellent 

 for ventilation ; but I do not regard them as giving complete 

 heat, nor uniform heat. They are very pleasant to look at. 

 I keep three open in my own house yet, but as for heating, 

 they certainly do not meet the requirements of the case. I 

 think there are other forms of heating apparatus that, upon 

 the whole, are better. 



Mr. . I do not want to advertise any stove dealer, but I 



would like to know what description of stove will give a sum- 

 mer heat and not dry the atmosphere in the room. I would like 

 to buy such a stove, if I can find one. I use a common gas 

 burner, and always put a tea-kettle upon the back of it dur- 

 ing the evening, and night, and that furnishes considerable 



