The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1832-01-18
CAUSES OF DISEASE.


iy all the muscles into play must inevitably
su11er from diminution of bodily strength
defect OF appetite, and imperfect digestion
and become sooner or later tie subject Of
! disease.
Late rising and late resting. There arc
few thiie, s which contribute more to short.
en- LIE than the habit of keeping late hours
and consequently rising from the bed late
IN the morning. The advances of weak.
ness and disease from this cause, are, it is
true, by very gradual steps, but not the les:
certain to be ultimately felt.
Breathing impure air. A constant SIM.
ply OF pure air is even more important thar
of food or drink. Life will most certainly
be destroyed, if pure air be withheld from
Inc lungs for very short period.
The use Of Intoxicating drink n, anu q,tnr,
THY. The only wholesome drink-tHe enl,
one adapted TO the wants of the system. i
pure water. Every drop Of alcohol which
is taken iTto the stomach, whether in the
form OF ardent spirits or fermented liquors
produces an injury; when its use is habitu
ally INDUCED IN, even though absolute drunk
enness be not occasioned, the powers oflife
are gradually undermined, and the system
laid open to the inroads of serious, and even
fatal diseases.
Prefecture and improper Clothing. Injury
to health by the clothes being inadequate
to defend the wearer from the cold, or from
sudden changes in the weather by their I'M
pedlng the free motions of the limbs, or hy
their COMPRISING or binding too firmly some
part of the body
The Influence Of Cold. n'the more opu-
lent ranks of society, disease is produced
occasionally by the unequal and imperfect
diffusion OF warmth throughout an apartme nj
by the exposure to the night air or in
clement weather, after being heated in
crowded apartments, or by exercise, as dane
ing, &c. In the poorer and unprovident
classes, cold during the winter, is a contin-
ued and fruitful source OF suffering and dis
ease.
Intense and protrdcted application of the
mand. Alternate rest and activity, as well
of the mind as the bodyiare essential to the
support OF health. Long continued mental
application, whether in the study or cares of
business, wears out the system, and exhausts
the powers of life even more rapidly thun
protracted manual labor.
G'Utng ioay to the passions. Experience
fully proves, that nothing contributes more
eitectual!y to quart the system from disease
and TO pIolong life, than calm contented
state OF mind. individuals who give way on
every occasion to the influence of passion
not only Injuries materially their health but
are promptly destroyed. Fear has produce
ed the speedy death of thousands. In cul-
tlvating an amiable, peaceful, and vrtueus
disposition, therefore, man not only in
sures his happiness, bnt promotes his health.
Ihe n1nPcp ee11,.1J mr. s,nor,,Ja,,f ., "a or. i
icine. Domestic quackery has ruined many
constitution. A dose of medicine taken
with view of preventing an attack of dis
ease, not unfrequenty invites one which
otherwise would not have occurred. The
absurd practice of losing blood, or taking
purgatives and other remedies inthe Spring
and Autumn, under the erroneous idea that
by so doing the blood is rendered more pure,
should be carefully avoided.
Porter's Health Almanac.
SINGULAR MANUFACTURES. In Persia
they have the art of carving spoons
out OF pear wood, which are so delicate
and so thin, that the bowl of the spoen
can be folded up like paper and opened
again. The handles are so slender that it
is particular accomplishment to carry
them, when full, to the mouth in such dex-
ferrous manner as 10 prevent their breaking.
These delicate utensils are one of the ac-
compartments of men of rank, being used
only by princes and mobiles when slipping
their sherbet.
In the province of Wiatkr, il Siberia,
bowls and cups are made of the knobs
which grow on the birch trees. They are
yellow, marbled with brown veins, and
when vanished are very pretty. Some of
them are turned so very thin as to be semi
transparent; and when put into hot water
they become so plant that they NAV be
spread out quite flat without injury, as they
return to the original shape in drying.
A kind of rose beads are made in Con-
stantinople, which are so much priced by
the Sultans wives, that they are usually
called Beads of the Harem. These poor
ladies have so little employment, thai they
sit for hours, passing these beads when
strung, through their fingers. They are
composed of the petals Of the rose careful
ly picked, and pounded into smooth paste
in an iron vessel, which turns them quite
black, owing TO a small quantity of gallo
Gcid contained in the rose leaves. When
the paste is quite smooth, it is made up into
little balls, which are perforated for string
ing and then slowly dried in the shade.
When hard, they are rubbed between the
hands, with otto Of rose, till quite smooth,
They always preserve their fragrance.
In Norway there is species of ants that
build their habtations four or five feet high,
composed of decayed wood, bark, &C., filled
up with earth. A bottle half full of water
is thrust into these ant hills, into which the
insects creep and are drowned the con-
tents of the bottle nre then hoiled, and a
strong acid is produced, which the inhabit
ants use fol- vinegar.
SHUT THE Door. What can be easier.
1t is cold weather now, and if my door is
left open, am apt to get angry. Every one
says it is perfectly easy to shut the door,
and wonders why people will be so careless
us to leave it open. But every one does not
sbutit-and why? Because he never earn
ed this important part of his duty. Many
children, when they open door, seldom or
never think to close it. Who is to blame
The child? No, certainly. 1t is easy
enough to teach child SO simple matter
as this. Where, then, does the blame lie
Tie answer is obvious; at the parents door
A man is a nuisance who will not shut the
door after him. Am in my well warmed
counting room and man pops in without
sh utting the door, am almost tempted tc
kick him out. In private rooms, however
The difficulty is not SO great as in churches
There, people think so much about getting
to their pews, about being stared at, OF
something Else, that they are utterly regard
n L. Il