Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1841-03-03
H E A L T Fl !.

From the Library of Health.
NINE TENNIS OF US INTEMPERATE.
The following paragraphs are from the
pen of DR. James Johnson, an individual
who, as we have already said, stands as
high in the medical profession as any 9TH.
er. -
"ln every class of society down to the
very lowest, the quality or quantity of
food and drink is perpetually offending
more or less, the nerves of the stomach
and bowels A man in perfect health and
with an excellent appetite, is allured by
variety of dishes, agreeable company,
provocative liquors, and pressing invita-
tons, to take food more in accordance
with the relish of appetite than the power
of digestion. If we do not find among the
lowest classes the same amount of hypo-
lchondrical and nervous affections, we OBJ
serve still greater proportion of purely
corporal maladies, such as organic dis
eases of the stomach, lungs, heart, liver
and other parts. f..
"Nine tenths of man, in civilized socie-
lty, commit more or less of this intemper.
ance every day. This overdistention and
inordinate daily stimulation, weakens the
powers of the stomach in the end, accord
| ing to law universally acknowledged in
physiology. Any organ that is ocer. er.
erted in its functions, is sooner or later
weaken ed-nay, the remark applies to
the whole machine Nothing is more
common than to see originally good con
lstitutions broken up, prematureIy, by in
ordinate labor, whether of body or mind"
| Is this SANDER on cur species? DR..
J. is but a man, and is amenable to the
Tribunal of public opinion; let him not be
1 permitted to charge Us with being-nine
tenlhs of us-inlemperate, if it is not So
| But if the charge is just, then let US see
to what it amounts. The United States
contain about seventeen millions of civil
lied mentor we suppose the colored
people will be regarded as civilized-of
whom, at the above rate, fifteen millions
and three hundred thousand are intemper-
late.
4 Not that the degree of this repletion or
intemperance from eating too much. IS the
same in every individual there are as
many varieties of it, almost, as there are
individuals. The following. according to
/, DIR. J., is the description of a fit of it, as ii
| is experienced bv many in the daily walks
} lof life-by thousands, in fact, who would
llscorn the imputation of intemperance OF
ill2health.
!" Instead of sound sleep, the gourmand
t experiences much restlessness, and wha
is called fidgets, through the night-or i
he sleeps, alarms his neighbors with tn,
> stifed groans Of the nightmare. In tht
morning, we perceive some of those sym
: pathetic effects on other parts of the sys
TEN. which at later period of the cafee
Of intemperance, play a more importan
: part in the drama. The head aches-th,
. intellect is not clear or energetic-the eye
E lare muddy-the nerves are unstrung-
i the tongue is furred-lhere is more incli
nation for drink than food.-the urinar,
! secretion is turbnl or high colored
$ 1.-THE bowels very frequently disordered ii
{ consequence of the irritating material
: which have passed into the intestinal ca
nal partially digesled.'
Now there are thousands of compari
! lively healthy farmers in New England
el whose daily experience answers to th
4 above description nearly as well as fac
. answers to face in the glass, But if 5
= with our farmers. with whom is it not SO
o This however is usually the mere begin
st ming Of sorrow. The state of things her
/, described, or a state not unlike it, is sue
ceeded. in most, BY symptoms more an
: more distressing, till, upon the accessio
1. OF some prevailing epidemic, or perhaF
is without one, the individual is seized wit
4la disease highly dangerous and often ia
tai.
y Yet you cannot convince one in hur
" dred Of these farmers, who are on the hig
r road to severe disease of the stomach
y, heart brain. liver or lungs, that any thin
ails them. They have worked TOO hart
= or oversight, or their usual rest has bee
&c interrupted, or they have taken cold;