Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1837-04-26
HEALTH DEPARTMENT.


, = Aherisan Psychological Society.
SUMMARY ExPLANArIox or1rs OBJECTS.
The present is an era of associated &C
ton. Men are no longer willing to labor
always, in solitude; they have acquired
the art Of combining their strength
Voluntary associations for the accom-
plIshment Of moral, Intellectual and social
purposes, have become quito the order of
the day. Probably, none OF US shall, how
ever, regret that it is so. Our greatest
anxiety on the subject should be to have
their efforts wisely directed, and to wise
ends
In presenting their claims to the public,
every association OF. individuals should
make a faithful exposition Of their views
and objects. This the American PhySi-
illogical Society now propose to do. 1t is
due. not only to the public, but TO them
selves.
Physiology, or the Science of Life, has,
by the mass OF mankind, been hitherto
but little studied. Even a knowledge oil
Human Physiology-the Science Of Hu-
man Liie-has been principally confined
to the members of a single profession.-
And if we cannot justly say that medical
men have intentionally monopolized this
species Of knowledge, is it not most true
that they have taken very little pains to
diffuse it2 When, and where, and BY
whom, during the last three thousand
years, Tor, at least, until within a very
shor time past has knowledge even OIL
the theory Of Physiology been insisted on
as important, out Of the pale ofthe medical
profession
We mean no reproach by these remarks
we suppose that it has been thought
that physiological knowledge could be Of
little service to the people at large. Il
n has, probably, been regarded as beyond
their means and opportunities. The max,
i'm that "a little knowledge is danger
Gus Ting" has been deemed peculiarly
applicable here. And, in so far as par
tial or merely theoretical knowledge is
concerned, this is, undoubtedly, true.
But it isnot such knowledge as this,
that the American Physiological Society
propose to acquire, or diffuse They have
in view. rather, the acquisition and dif1u
sion Of such plain and practical informa-
. ton, respecting the constitutional laws,
relations, uses and abuses of the "house"
the soul lives in,'' and Of the various
Offices or functions of all the parts which
go to make up this fearful and wonderful
whole, as may tend to promote, not only
their own health and longevity, but the
health and longevity of the " hole human
family. They would, indeed, do more
than this. Assured that honorable, useful,
and happy age does not always consist in
multitude OF years. they would not only
be a means, by their efforts, Of increasing
the average duration ofhuman life, but OF
securing its highest cor,fort and happi-
ness, in each ofits several stages, between
the cradle and the grave
A knowledge Of human Physiology,
which shall tend TO such a result, they
believe to be accessible, in a community
like our own, to every citizen. They do
not believe that the Great Creator has
united the human soul, for term OF fifty
or a hundred years, TO habitation which
is acknowledged on all hands to be fear
fully and wonderfully wrought, and yet
shrouded It in mystery, or hid its struc-
. ture and laws wholly from common OBJ
,servation. They believe it to be not only
the privilege, but the duty of every person,
Of good common sense, to make it a sub
ject of daily study.
Il is quite obvious-at least to us-;hat
every person should know the constitution
OF the atmosphere In which he moves and
breathes, as we'll as the structure and laws
of the lungs and skin-the organs more
Immediately affected by it, According to
the best estimates, number Of the inhab-
itants Of our globe, about equal to the
population of the city Of Boston, dies every
day; or number equal to the population
ofithe commonwealth of Massachusetts
every week or q number equal to half
the population of the whole United States,
every month; and when we consider how
large portion of the diseases Of every
climate and season-but especially Of our
own climate. and the present season--are
caused or aggravated by taking cold, is It
unreasonable to suppose that about half of
this mighty congregation are hurried to
the tomb prematprely, in consequence Of
ignorance or dis6bedience to the organic
laws Of those portions of the human sys-
fem7
Inseparable from this, and Of almost
equal importance. in the same point of
view, i knowledge Of the ffeart arteries |
and seins---tbe cireuiaiion Of tie blood
the change which tliStleod unde-gocs in |