Scrupulous Sanitation
[
First published in How to Live, Part 4, pp. 54-61; reproduced in
The
Review and Herald, December 12, 1899
.]
When severe sickness enters a family, there is great need of each
member’s giving strict attention to personal cleanliness and diet, to pre-
serve himself in a healthful condition, thus fortifying himself against
disease. It is also of the greatest importance that the sickroom, from
the first, be properly ventilated. This is beneficial to the afflicted, and
highly necessary to keep those well who are compelled to remain a
length of time in the sickroom....
A great amount of suffering might be saved if all would labor to
prevent disease, by strictly obeying the laws of health. Strict habits
of cleanliness should be observed. Many, while well, will not take
the trouble to keep in a healthy condition. They neglect personal
cleanliness, and are not careful to keep their clothing pure. Impurities
are constantly and imperceptibly passing from the body, through the
pores, and if the surface of the skin is not kept in a healthy condition,
the system is burdened with impure matter. If the clothing worn is not
often washed and frequently aired, it becomes filthy with impurities
which are thrown off from the body by sensible and insensible per-
spiration. And if the garments worn are not frequently cleansed from
these impurities, the pores of the skin absorb again the waste matter
thrown off. The impurities of the body, if not allowed to escape, are
taken back into the blood and forced upon the internal organs. Nature,
to relieve herself of poisonous impurities, makes an effort to free the
system. This effort produces fevers and what is termed disease. But
[62]
even then, if those who are afflicted would assist nature in her efforts
by the use of pure, soft water, much suffering would be prevented.
But many, instead of doing this, and seeking to remove the poisonous
matter from the system, take a more deadly poison into the system, to
remove a poison already there.
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