The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1848-05-09
Written for the Galaxy.
THE PREVENTION OF SCROFULA.
No. v.

Nov.
Active exercise in the open air is Of the great
est consequence in establishing good constitu-
ton, and III preventing especially with the scrofu-
lous, the Development of disease. The debilta-
ting effect Of sedentary habits, whether on the
child or OH the adult is familiar to every one. 1t
Is common to see young man go from the farm
TO college, or some indoor pursuit, and in a few
years, or even a few months, fall victim to con-
sumption. And, on the other hand, how often do
we see the failing constitution Of young person
renewed, and his health rc-establiShed by leaving
the still lie he has been accustomed to and labor
ing upon the farm or at some other active employ
ment. Although scTolulous diseases are certainly
| not wanting i'll the rural districts, they are up
doubtedly less common there than i'll populous
towns; and were the other particulars of regimen
diet, exposure &C., better attended to- the diminu-
lion would undoubtedly be still greater. Among
females who live by the sedentary employments
| OF sewing, braiding sc, consumption Is more IA
| tai than IN any other class of the community
Bending over their tasks through the whole DAY
| and often through the greater part Of the night
and breathing al impure and confined mir, the
seeds OF death are too often quickly sown.
Ono can hardly be i'll the open air too much,
but exercise may easily be too severe and ia
tlSuing 1t should not 10 be beneficial, be carried
to the extent of exhaustion; that is facilitating,
| and therefore always bad.
Perhaps no kind of exercise is better than ri
ding horseback. Besides exercising gently all
tic muscles of the body it promotes an erect pos
ture and IS sure TO cXhilaratc the mind two par
ticuarS of no mean importance. Sydenham, the
! greatest of modern physicians, used to regard
| horseback exercise as almost i specific in CON
sumption: and JOINING two good things togcther)
| was accustomed 10 direct the patient to put jug
Of milk into his portmantcau, ride till the butter
came, and then drink the butter-milk. 1t is oil
| the utmost importance TO children that they be
much in the open air. For this they have a nat
ural inclination, and that inclination should not
| 10 thwarted. Let them roll and tumble in the
dnt if they like; it may dirty their hands and IA
ces, but it is better thing to cleanse their blood
than all the pills and poons that the doctors sad
dlc-bags contain. believe it is 10 vain fancy
that the smell Of the fresh earth is salutarv. Ii
an explanation of that is wanted, it is easy to be
found. Tile earth everywhere is more or less i'm
pregnatcd with salt pctre. Now the vapor of this
has long been known TO 10 beneficial in scrUfuI-
lous constitutions. 1t is 10 the eXhalaton Of that
article that residence in the Mammoth Cave Of
kentucky owes its efficacy i'll consumption.
The school hours of child under Twelve years
old should not be over four hours n day. II lac
be shut up SIX or eight hours he will learn less,
and his health will be sure to suffer- The con
sideration that child has inherited scrofua, should
influence the choice of profession or trade: and
instead Of giving him easy trade or prcpar-
ing him for one of the learned professions, as i
too much the custom, he should follow some ac-
tive pursuit, that Of The carpenter or farmer OF
blacksmith. The Medical is the only one Of the
professions that a person of that constitution
should be permitted to choose. The active, out
door life of that class of men is well calculated TO
promote yigor Of the physical system and to ward
off scrofulous disease. 1t is n common opinion,
and one. think, not without foundation, that
rftrIg ~.
possess lively imaeinatiOns and Vigorous under
standings, with unusual fondness for learning
This precocty should be repressed rather than en-
cOuraged, and instead Of shutting him up with his
book as the flattcrcd pride of parents too often
does, the child should be induced TO follow more
assiduously active amusements and business with |
out which physical and mental vigOr alike I'M
attainablc. In the choice Of an occupation the |
same thing should he had in view. Ills genius !
will find no less scope in agriculture or a meclan
ical pursuit than in theology or medicine Or law.
Another influence which | am persuaded has |
more power over human health than is commonly |
attributed 10 it, is.SpieligLt. y plant that grows
in the sllade is weak, feeble and subject to decay.
In like manner the children which arc born and |
nurturcd in crowded cities, and in the narrow /
streets Of these cities where the sunlight never
penetTates are pale, weak and powcrless TO resist
disease They die carly, and they die, four ttths |
of them of scTOfuOus disease. Chemical laws act /
in animal as in vegetable life; and as i'll the latter
sunlight is necessary TO give strength and finn
ness TO the tissues in the former, without sun
light stamina and sOundncss are wantlng,-thc /
tissues arc weak and imperfect. This then, is al
additional reason why children should be much in
the open air.
But although an active life in tic open air IL
the best adapted to the scrofuous constitution il
must not be supposed that all kinds OF hardshpS
and exposure can be borne with advantage, nor
even with impunity. The avoidance Of excessive
fatigue Of great vicissitudes of weather. oil exees-
scs q orivations Ofall kinds, is undoubtedly fora
bic 10 health and longevity. II the human sys-
tcm could be made to bear with advantage OF
safety, exposure and hardShips, sailors instead OF
beinI the shortest would be the longest lived Of
all classes of men, 1t is well established by sit-
,;sfics that those who from their pursuits and sta
ton in life are least exposed 10 privatlons and
har,ships and most carefully avoid them arc the
most certain to live 4 long life othcaih L he aY-
GRACE duration of life among the nobility OF Eng
and is more than twice as great it is among |
he laboring class in the same country, and steady
increase in the length of days is seen as you 90
rom that part of the community where INSULT I
.icnt clothing, imperfect protection from the VI
,i>situdes of the weather, great fatigue ana pre-
,arous dict are the habtual condition. TO that pant
Who from better circumstances or different Pur- ,
;uiis are able 10 tale good care Of their health
Tbcre has been going on for the last century a
,teadv improvement in the physical condition of {
men in civilized countries. They are better FED,
,etter clothed and better protected from injurious
Influences Of all sorts and this better sanitary
condition has been attended with a corresponding {
Increase in the average duration oflifc. We have .
he indisputablc authority Of statistics for this.
Bright cclors orly seen in the dim distance Of
-onth and old people often tell US that, when they
yero Young, people lived longer and were health
CIR than is the case now. The first part Of the 9
proposition is undoubtedly a mistake, the second
5 questionable, and if it be true that there was
ess sickness in the earlier days than there Is now,
is TO be accounted for as we explain the posses
ion by the Aborigines of this country of so much j
igor and health. Those among them who are I
,om with feeble constitutions, or who are attack
ID by disease, are pretty sure TO die; these only
Who are possessed of physical vigor and stamina
survive till adult age 10 represent their genera
ion In more favored communities, on the other
land, where civilization has brought with If the
Art of Medicine better habits OF life and a more
,areiul regimen, many cllildTen-tender plants