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.

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)

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