Some conscientious women try to remedy this state of things by treating the girls they take into their homes as “one of the family.”  This may answer well sometimes, but it has its drawbacks, both for the girl and the “family.”  Husband and wife, brother and sister, inevitably find the constant presence of a stranger with whom they have little in common very irksome.  While the girl herself is equally conscious of restraint when forced to spend her leisure time with her employers.  She would usually infinitely prefer the solitude of the kitchen, if combined with a good fire, a comfortable chair and a story book.

Among the girls I have spoken to on the subject I have not found “socialist” households popular.  One girl I met refused to stay in such a place for longer than three days, because she “never had the kitchen to herself.”  Another told me that she found it intensely boring to take meals with the family, because she was not interested in the things they talked about.

I think that the ultimate solution of the “servant problem” will not be that every woman will do all her own housework, but that domestic work will become, on the one hand, very much simplified and, on the other, will be put on the same footing as teaching, nursing or secretarial work.  That we are beginning to move in this direction is evidenced by the coming into existence of schools of domestic economy, to which “ladies” do not disdain to resort for training.  This will undoubtedly result in domestic labour becoming a much higher-priced commodity than it is now, the housewife will have to pay at least as much for three hours help per day as she now does for nine hours, but the fact that the help will be skilled, combined with the greater simplicity of housework, will surely more than compensate for this.

 But what is the homemaker of limited means, who must have some help,
 to do under present conditions?  This we must consider next month.

 FLORENCE DANIEL.

 HEALTH QUERIES.

 Under this heading Dr Knaggs deals briefly month by month, and
 according as space permits, with questions of general interest.

Correspondents are earnestly requested to write on one side only of the paper, giving full name and address, not for publication, but as a guarantee of good faith.  When an answer is required by post a stamped addressed envelope must be enclosed.—­[EDS.]

 BOILS:  THEIR CAUSE AND CURE.

Miss L.C. writes:—­I should be deeply indebted to you if you would advise me in the following matter.  I have been suffering from a recurrence of boils on different parts of my body during the last six months.  I have consulted a local doctor, but he can find no reason for their appearance, but suggested I should try a mixed diet, to include some animal food, rather than adhere to vegetarianism as I have done for some two years past.

     My diet is about as follows:—­