ination is poor; within limits, the
amount of light needed depends on the nature of the work. Light should
come from the left side of right handed people; never from the front.
Light reflected from snow, sand, glazed white paper of books, or other
bright surfaces is fatiguing from its intensity, and from the unusual
angle at which it enters the eyes. Too much light is harmful, and
probably causes some of the effects, such as nausea and headache,
commonly attributed to poor ventilation.

Almost all blindness is preventable, and blindness due to industrial
accidents and processes is no exception to this rule. Surely no
individual precautions or legal measures are too great in order to guard
against this saddest of all physical defects.

CLEANLINESS OF HOUSES.--A clean, well-cared for house is desirable from
every point of view, but certain kinds of cleanliness affect health more
than others.

The most scrupulous care should be exercised wherever food is stored or
prepared. The kitchen is in reality a laboratory; in it either
intelligently or ignorantly are formed chemical compounds which have a
far-reaching effect upon family health. From the standpoint of health no
other room in the house is so important. It should be bright, airy, and
easy to clean. In cleaning kitchen tables and woodwork water should not
be allowed to soak into cracks and dark corners, carrying with it
particles of food for the nourishment of bacteria and insects. Linoleum,
if used to cover the floor, should be well fitted at the edges to
prevent water from running underneath. There should be neither cracks
nor crevices in wall or floor, and no dark corners or out-of-the-way
cupboards in which dust, food particles, and moisture can accumulate.
Such conditions not only attract mice and roaches, but furnish favorable
soil for the development of moulds and fungi which by their growth
affect food deleteriously. Waging a constant warfare against the
development of bacteria constitutes a large part of good housekeeping.

All cooking utensils should be thoroughly washed, scalded, and dried
before they are put away; the use of carelessly washed dishes is bad.
Enameled or agate ware which has begun to chip should be discarded.
Dish-cloths and towels should be washed and boiled after using, and if
possible dried in the sun.

Every place in which food is kept should have constant care. The
refrigerator is particularly important. Its linings should be
water-