The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1829-09-30

with this title has been commenced at Philadel-
phia by an association of physicians, to be pub
lishcd twice month, at 81 ,25 per Gmnum, pay
able in advance. Judging from the contents
of the first number, it will be such work as
has long been wanted in the community, to
correct the many popular errors which prevail
on the subject Of health and disease, and will
prove an interesting and valuable companion in
every family where it may find its way. The
low price at which it is afforded brings it within
the reach of the means of almost every ind-
vidual. The publishers declare their intention
to oppose empiricism in every shape The OBJ
jects Of the publication are thus set forth in the
prospectus:-
Deeply impressed with belief that man.
kind might be saved large amount of suf-
fering and disease, by suitable knowledge
of the natural laws to which the human
frame is subjected, they propose laying down
plain precepts, in easy style and familiar
= language, for the regulation of all the phys
ical agents necessary to health, and to
point out under what circumstances of ex-
cess or misapplication they become injuri-
Gus and fatal
The properties of the air, in its several
states Of heat, GOODNESS, dryness, moisture,
and electricity; the relative effects of the
different articles of solid and liquid aliment
the manner in which the locomotive organs,
senses, and brain, are most beneficially ex-
ercised, and how, and under what circum-
stances, morbidly impressed; clothing, for
protection against atmospherical vicissi-
tudes, and cause of disease, when under
~ &c ~ urJ 60 hot
and frictions, and the use of mineral wa
ters,-shall be prominent topics for inquiry
and investigation in this Journal.
Divested of professional language and
details, and varied in its contents, the Jour-
nal of Health will, it is hoped, engage the
attention and favor of the female reader,
whose amusement and instruction shall con-
stantly be kept in view during the prosecu-
ton of the work.
From the first number of this work we ex-
tract the following article.
ANIMAL AND VEGETABLE FOOD.
1t is amusing to hear a nervous female,
whose daily exercise consists in going up
and down stairs two or three times day
and shopping once a week, complain that
she cannot preserve her strength unless she
eats freely of some kind of meat and takes
her twice daily rotations of strong coffee,
to say nothing of porter, or wine sangaree.
The same opinion prevails among all classes
of our community. A child lin the arms
cannot, it is thought, thrive unless it have
leg of chicken, or piece of bacon in its
fist to suck: boy or girl going to school
must be gorged with the most substantial
aliment at dinner and perhaps little less at
breakfast and supper. The child is crying
and screaming every hour in the day-has,
after a while, convulsions,-or obstinate
diseases of the skin, or dropsy of the brain.
The little parsonage going to school COM
plains of headach, is fretful and unhappy
and becomes pale and feeble. The poor
books are now blamed for the fault of the
dishes, and school is given up. The doctor
10 next consulted on the best means of re-
storing strength to the dear creature, that
has lost its appetite, and can eat nothing
but a little cake, or custard, or at most
some fat broth. Should he tell the fond
mother the unpalatable truth and desire
her to suspend the system of stufing, and
allow her child, for sole food, little bread
and milk diluted with water, and daily ex-
ercise in the open air, she will be heard ex-
claiming In tone of mingled establishment
and reproach, why doctor, would you starve
my child
For the information of all such misguided
persons, we would beg leave to state, that
the large majority of mankind do not eat
any animal food, or so sparingly, and at
such long intervals that it cannot be said to
form their nourishment. Millions in Asia
are sustained by rice alone, with perhaps a
little vegetable oil, for seasoning. In Italy,
and southern Europe generally, bread made
of the flour Of wheat or Indian corn, with
lettuce and the like mixed with oil, consti-
tutes the food Of the most robust part of its
population. The Lazzaroni Of Naples, with
forms so active and finely proportioned can
not even calculate on this much coarse
bread and potatoes, is their chief reliance
their drink of luxury is a glass Of iced
water slightly calculated. Hundreds OF
thousands, we might say millions, of Irish
do not see flesh meat or fish from one weeks
end to the other. Potatoes and oat meal
are their articles of food-if milk can be
added it is thought luxury: yet where
shall we find a more healthy and robust
population, or one more enduring of bodily
fatigue, and exhibiting more mental vivaci-
ty? What a contrast between these people
and the inhabitants of the extreme north,
the timid Laplanders, Esquimaux, Samol-
deans, whose food is almost entirely ami
NAL
Haudouin, the Partisan bookseller announc.
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sHys ono Of the papers, I" you wish to know the
name of the navy i'm slato- ~ un..ao :. =