farmers' houses. 335 



veloping the head with it by means of a cushion or other contrivance is the 

 most reliable remedy for that dangerous malady, inflammation of the brain, 

 which so often sends its victim to the grave in a few days, or to that living 

 death, the mad-house. 



In all inflammations, Avhether internal or external, ice diminishes rapidly the 

 size of the blood-vessels, and thus relieves the pain they give when thus swol- 

 len by their pressing against the nerves, which are always in the neighborhood 

 of the arteries of the system. 



Diptheria and some of the worst of other forms of sore throat have been ar- 

 rested in a very short time by pounding a piece of ice in a bag, then laying the 

 head back, take the lumps of ice and swallowing them continuously until re- 

 lieved, allowing them to be detained in the throat as long as possible, there to 

 melt. 



In all forms of diarrhoea and dysentery, where there is great thirst, the 

 gratification of which by drinking any liquid increases the malady, they are 

 promptly controlled, and in many cases perfectly cured, by simply swallowing 

 as large lumps of ice as possible. 



Epilepsy itself, one of the most uncontrollable of human maladies, is said to 

 be treated successfully in Loudon by the application of ice to the spinal por- 

 tion of the system. 



A piece of ice laid on the wrist will often arrest profuse and dangerous 

 bleeding of the nose. 



In croup, water as cold as ice can make it, if applied freely and persistently 

 to the throat, neck, and upper part of the chest with a sponge or cloth, often 

 affords an almost miraculous relief, especially if followed by drinking copiously 

 of ice water, wiping the wetted parts perfectly dry, then wrapping the child 

 closely up in dry flannels, allowing it to fall into a delightful and life-giving 

 slumber. 



These statements may induce the farmer to be at pains, if he does conclude 

 to build an ice-house, to have it done in the most thorough manner, and after 

 the most approved pattern. 



SHADE TREES. 



It looks well in the midst of summer to see a tidy farm-house almost hidden 

 from view by trees and bushes ; but the influence they have in keeping a 

 dwelling damp in summer, and in producing a raw and chilly atmosphere in 

 winter, thus engendei'ing disease the year round, are suflicient reasons for ex- 

 ercising a wise discretion in this direction. Persons who have visited England 

 have often admired the country-places of the gentry, one very uniform attendant 

 being a beautiful green lawn in front of the buildings, not a single bush or tree, 

 unlcb's it may be in a diagonal direction from the front corners of the buildings, 

 forward and away. It would subserve the purposes of health, especially in 

 level, or low, or damp localities, to have neither tree nor bush within twenty or 

 thirty feet of the front of the farm-house, unless it be a flowering plant here 

 and there, or some stately and ancient denizen of the forest, to give an air of 

 antiquity and substantialness to the surroundings ; but even these should not 

 be so near as to keep the roof of the building always more or less damp, nor 

 to darken the best and most frequented rooms of the house; for the first, the 

 most indispensable requisite in building or remodelling a farm-house should 

 be to arrange for its healthfuluess. 



BARNS. 



These should be erected in as dry a locality as possible, where the sun can 

 shine upon them the whole day, and where the ground descends in every 

 direction. Special attention should be paid to the roofing, so that the rain 



