236 THE BUSINESS OF FABMING 



swept upon this platform. The platform could 

 not possibly be cleaned without a great portion of 

 this filth being swept or washed into the cracks of 

 the boards. There being no shed over the plat- 

 form, the rains fell upon it. The kitchen floor was 

 scrubbed and the dirty water swept out upon the 

 platform. The water from the scrubbing and the 

 rains carried the filth and dirt down into the well. 

 The season being dry, the water became low, ty- 

 phoid germs developed in the drinking water. 

 The woman's body was not in condition to resist 

 disease and she was stricken, and it was easy to see 

 from whence she contracted the awful malady. 



If a farmer has a well with even the suspicion of 

 contamination, all other work on the farm should 

 be suspended until this evil is corrected. If he 

 has not the money to pay for its correction, he had 

 better borrow it, and if he can not borrow it, he 

 had better sell the best horse or cow on the farm 

 to secure the necessary money. 



Health and human life can be greatly conserved 

 on the farm by properly constructed dwellings 

 providing for the disposal of sewerage and wastes, 

 but more of this in another chapter. 



It is useless to attempt to conserve health and 

 life upon the farm unless they who reside on the 

 farm are supplied with plenty of wholesome, well, 

 and properly cooked food. To some this may 

 seem a strange statement, considering that the 

 average farm produces so much and so varied a 

 supply of human food. Many of our farm wives 

 and daughters are good cooks and put upon their 

 tables meals fit for a king, and as health giving as 



