ADVICE  UPON  EPIDEMIC  CHOLERA.  313 
Appended  to  this  paper,  but  by  no  means  secondary  to  it  in 
importance,  is  the  excellent  address  to  the  public,  published  by 
the  Metropolitan  Board  of  Health,  of  New  York.  It  is  reprint- 
ed here,  to  increase,  if  possible,  its  dissemination. 
Metropolitan  Board  of  Health — Address  to  the  Public. 
The  Board  of  Health  publish  this  simple  statement,  and  beg 
the  public  to  give  to  it  their  earnest  attention. 
Cholera  is  generally  a  preventable  disease,  and  in  its  early 
stages  can  be  arrested  if  the  habits  be  good.  Study  therefore 
temperance  in  eating  and  drinking.  Do  not  believe  that  alco- 
holic stimulants  are  useful  in  guarding  you  against  an  attack. 
Let  the  food  be  nutritious,  and  keep  the  digestive  organs  in  a 
healthful  condition.  Use  no  stale  or  uncooked  vegetables.  Let 
your  meat  be  fresh  and  your  vegetables  be  well  cooked,  and  all 
fruits  be  fresh  and  ripe. 
Cleanliness  of  the  body  is  of  the  first  consideration.  Keep  the 
skin  in  a  healthy  state  by  bathing  the  whole  body,  with  a  free 
use  of  soap.  Cold  bathing  is  best  used  in  the  morning — never 
just  before  going  to  bed.  Dry  frictions  or  the  warm  bath  may 
be  more  safely  used  just  befure  going  to  bed. 
Cleanliness  in  your  homes  is  of  equal  importance.  Let  your 
apartments  be  dry — never  damp.  Suffer  no  decayed  vegetables 
or  stagnant  water  to  remain  in  your  cellars  or  yards.  Any  dis- 
agreeable smell  from  privies,  cesspools  or  sinks,  is  a  proof  of 
their  unhealthfulness.  Remove  them  by  necessary  repairs,  lime, 
chloride  of  lime,  or  whitewashing.  Ventilate  well  your  houses 
and  apartments.  Expose  your  bedding  to  the  air  and  sun. 
Avoid  excessive  fatigue.  Keep  regular  hours  in  eating  and 
sleeping.  Wear  flannel  next  to  the  skin.  A  good  plan  is,  if 
the  bowels  are  at  all  disordered,  to  wear  a  broad  band  of  flannel 
(a  flannel  belly-band)  around  the  body,  reaching  from  the  hips  to 
the  ribs.  Maintain  the  natural  temperature  of  the  body  by 
sufficient  clothing  ;  especially  keep  the  feet  warm.  Never  when 
heated  sit  on  the  grass  or  stone  seats,  or  sleep  under  an  open 
window.  If  exposed  to  wet,  change  your  boots  and  clothes  as 
soon  as  possible. 
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