18 



To the dweller in a remote farm-house the idea of acquiring such 

 information may appear ludicrous ; to the thoughtful observer of what makes 

 for family health and happiness, the necessity for some study of the conditions 

 upon which these depend and of the causes which wreck them appears urgent. 



It is true that a house, whether it be a log-hut, a frame-house, or a marble 

 palace, is but a box: but upon the structure of that box depends the welfare 

 of its occupants. 



FAMILY NEEDS. 



At least eight needs must be taken into account when the making of a 

 home is under consideration: 



(1.) There must be ample provision for a constant supply of fresh air. 

 To breathe stale, impure air means a process of slow poisoning for the family, 

 if not the loss of some of its members from consumption or pneumonia. 



Cliff Dwellings. 



Anciont Saxon House. 



People do not usually die dramatically as the result of this slow poison- 

 ing: but they constantly "catch cold." or suffer from headaches or indigestion, 

 or o'lier quite unnecessary minor miseries of life. Windows, therefore, must 

 be numerous and made to open top and bottom. Windows which open only 

 at the bottom are not worth, from the health point of view, one-third of 

 those opening both top and bottom. A result of the crusade against consump- 

 tion, waged under the direction of Lady Aberdeen in Ireland, is that it is 

 now proudly described as "the land of open windows." 



< 1'. > There must be abundance of liyht in every room. and. if possible, 

 in large cupboards and storerooms, too by means of skylights, if windows 

 are unfeasible. Sunlight purifies and strengthens; also, it is our cheapest 

 disinfectant. Human beings fade in the dark, just as vegetables bleach when 

 trenched. Especially must light be admitted freely to bedrooms. Light is 

 life-giving and is indispensable to the next home need. 



(.'. Clcanlincxx. Whatever the amount of labour expended, there can 

 lie no absolute cleanliness without bright light to show up the dirt, together 

 with careful training in orderly habits. 



"Cleanliness is next to godliness." said John Wesley. Sometimes, I 

 confess, it seems to me harder work to be clean than godly! Domestic 

 cleanliness is one of the most difficult things in the world to practise con- 



