Tuesday, July 7, 1936: How to keep cool
Posted on July 30th, 2006 – 11:28 PMBy Ben Welter
July 1936 was among the hottest months of the 20th century in the Upper Midwest. The mercury topped 100 degrees on seven of 10 days in Minneapolis in early July, and a reading of 108 on July 14 is the record high for the Twin Cities. The heat wave was blamed for nearly 800 deaths in Minnesota. The news dominated the front page of the Minneapolis Star, which offered readers these hot-weather tips:
Short Cuts to
Keeping Cool
Do you want to keep cool and avoid illness during this hot weather? Then, says Dr. F.E. Harrington, city health commissioner, do this:
Wear clothing that permits free movement. The outside clothing should be white or light. Underclothing should be of cotton or linen rather than silk.
Drink plentifully of liquids to replace the moisture lost through perspiration. Lemonade – rather weak – is best.
Eat food easily digested. Four small meals are better than three big ones.
Make use of fresh fruits.
Don’t go around half naked and get sunstroke.
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| At the St. Paul Daily News, staffers beat the record heat with 400 pounds of ice and electric fans. Watch out for those fan blades, ladies! (Photo courtesy of mnhs.org) |
2 Responses to "Tuesday, July 7, 1936: How to keep cool"
THANK YOU FOR THIS STORY!
I WILL ADD TO IT THAT TO KEEP COOL
PLACE A FROZEN CAN OF POP IN YOUR
BACK POCKET AND DRINK IT AFTER IT
HAS THAWED.
ALSO, A SIMPLE ICEPACK IS MADE FROM
FILLING A ZIPLOCK BAG WITH WATER AND
FREEZING IT THE NIGHT BEFORE YOU GO
OUT, YOU MAY CARRY THIS WITH YOU
AND RUB THE ICE ON YOUR FACE, EACH ARM
AND EACH LEG TO KEEP COOL.
GO TO A SWIMMING POOL, LAKE OR
RIVER BUT DO NOT OVER EXERCISE, ENJOY
THAT COOL FLOW OF THE WATER OVER YOUR
BODY. ALSO, IF YOU HAVE A BASEMENT
MOVE EVERYBODY TO THE BASEMENT TIL
YOUR HEATWAVE HAS LIFTED, IT USUALLY
WILL ONLY LAST TWO OR THREE DAY.ENJOY
IT! REMEMBER THE COLD WEATHER!
GO INTO A DEPARTMENT STORE AND
SHOP ON THE GROUND FLOOR AS IT IS
COOLER THERE. KEEP EXTRA ICE IN A
BOWL IN THE FREEZER FOR A DRINK.
PLACE MANY ICE CUBES IN THE DOG
AND CAT WATER DISH OR BIRD BATH SO
THE BIRD CAN COOL OFF AS WELL!
EAT COLD SANDWICHES RATHER THAN A
COOKED ITEM, EAT SLAW AND POTATOE
SALAD, ICECREAM ETC ANYTHING YOU
DONT HAVE TO COOK OR IS FROZEN.
FREEZER POPS (PUSH UP POPS) ARE GREAT
FOR A KID AND ADULT! RELAX!
IT WILL PASS! HELP SOMEONE WITHOUT
A FAN FIND ONE TO HELP THEM KEEP
COOL ALSO. YOU MAY WANT TO WRITE
DOWN AT LEAST TEN ITEMS THAT YOU
THINK WOULD HELP YOU KEEP COOL TOO!
GOOD LUCK! SINCERELY, JOHN NELSON
POLITICAL ACTIVIST FOR PEACE
Makes you wonder just what it was like 70 years ago with all those half naked folks running around getting sunstroke, drinking lemonade and wearing light clothing while getting their power from coal fired powe plants further polluting the air… wait, that’s still happening today!
