Virginia free press & farmers' repository. [volume] (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1827-1832, 1830-08-04
ON HEALTH,
From the Journal Of Health.

CLE.sLISEss. one OF what Aristotle
calls the half virtues, is recommcn ded
IN the Spectator, for the three follow.
ing considerations: first, a. q mark Of
pel'tencss; secondly, as Il produces
love; and, thirdly, a. il bears anAior,
to purity Of mind. Ia eastern climates.
It IS enforced in both the Jewish and
Mahometan law, As part Of their reli.
gious obscrvances. The regulation.
prescribed IN Leviticus and Deuterono-
my are very explicit on this point a nd
we learn. that Mahomet used 10 en-.
JOIN bis followers to wash the face,
neck, hands, add arms, before each
prayer. Now. as their prayers are re.
Peated live times daily, they are bound
TO perform their ablutions as often.-
BESIDES these. there are others, adsnt.
cd to particular states and exigencies.
which are eminently conducive To indi.
vidual comfort and health. When the
pilgrims to Mecca cannot well procure
water, IN the deserts Of Arabia. they
st''i hold IN mind the prccepts Of their
Koran, and rub the parts above men.
toned with sand.
The Importance Of preserving the
skin perfectly clean. will be better an.
preciated by a knowledge Of the func
tons ct this organ, and it's intimate
connexions and relations with other
parts. A reference to the article on
the skin. in the eighth number Of the
Journal, will satisfy our readers on this
head, and dispense with the necessity
otrepetition at the present time. The
great extent of surface Of this men,
branc. its continuation with. and gene
raj similarity to, that which lines the
AIR and digestive passages, md its con-
sequent close sympathy. and, in mea-
sure, community OF oaEoe with these
latter, must cot. for a moment, be lost
sight OF. Let naked arm be put into
a long glass jar, and the space between
the two at the mouth. so filed up as to
exclude the external air; and We shall
soon see the inside Of the glass bedew-
ed with vapour, which becoming
denser, is finally converted into drops
like water. This vapour is constantly
given OUT or secreted from capillary
tubes in the skin Of a healthy indivi-
dual. and is then called insensible per-
spi'ation but when abundant, and
condensed into a watery-like fluid. il
constitutes sweat. In addition 10 this.
there 10 also discharge or secretion,
as il is technically called. Of an oily
huId; and also Of gases, viz: carbonic
acid gas, or fixed air, and nitrogen or
azote, being that gas which, 10 union
With Oxygen or vital air. constitutes
common Atmospherical air. But the
skin has another Get Of capillary YES.
sells, by which IL imbibes or absorbs
wa'ery and other fluids presented TO
Its surface, and also oxygen and nitro.
gen gases. Now the above gases and
vapour are precisely those which are
gwen out and absorbed by the LUNGS :
Of course impedcd functions Of the one
uill affect the regular discharge Of
those Of the o.hcr. Connect this with
the facts Of m external surface. in
some of the lower animals. serving boil,
Tor the sense Of touch and for the ab.
so5p,IOn Of nutritiVc matter, in place
OF stomach; and Of the continuity and
general sameness of the outer or cuta.
neous, and the inner or digestive mem
branes, and We have. "a priori. mos,
ample reasons Why the healthy state oI
The skin should exert such a powerful
influence over the organs Of breathing
and digestion.
II personal cleanliness. and preserv.
ng the yieour Of the skin. be neglect.
ed, this part loses i,s delicaey a. ihs
seat Of touch, and its pores being oh
wFueted, . cannot longer perform il,
destined Offices IN she animal eeono
ny. Catansous eruptiOas, sluggish