The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1849-10-20

noe vfHnr r. ainit Why, then, doss no
ma1 ~ 6lnSolf q thess mesns Of life. am
eeseo, nm1' q bic children, the hIehes
s = I'd 1oo1gol fgnonsce Of the laws o
- Do not understand the connec
- heir conduct and vital force: an,
~ little sesponsibility for the main.
- hsslth. They lay their plans AM
1| - <hslr operations, without much reeart
= - csndftions Of their existence. Life snd
- Interests srs net always paramount consider
auons; bat they ere made subordinate TO mat
4 tcfs OF inferior fmportanee. They are sacrif;ced
4 ~ made 10 yield TO common eonyeujences and
concerns; man postpones his regular meal,
Or perhaps gees without 1t, for want of time
70 attend to IT, or, he eats too much, In order
70 Crafty his appetite, or perhaps TO please his
Hiendss ne exposes himself to Indictment wealth.
er-coid, storms, and hests-in pursuit of ne.
cuniary proht; he fashions aud wears his clio.
thing, net according TO the necessities Of his
temperature, but according 10 the varying taste
OF the woridi he works late at night, or early
In the morning, and expends in the day NOR.
vital force than the night brings back to him:
Or he desotes some Of the hours needed for
sleep TO pleasure, or 10 the calls of charity,
In the management of the organs and powers.
the question, generally, is not-What does life
require for the development and maintenap of
Its fullest power2 but-What will Il bear with
out extinctionf Doubtful questions are deter.
mined against life, which must bear the risk Of
the loss AS an imprudent merchant looks
only 10 the possible chance Of escape from bank |
ripley when he considers his expenses and |
burdens, and expends or assumes whatever h,
thinks will not break him, although TO its ex.
tent, Il Is a tax upon his capital; SO unwary
men look upon life a sort Of integer, which \
whether complete or impaired, seems to be ali
tns same-and, in considering burdens and ex-
Denditnres, they ask-not, whether thew will
expand life, but-whether life can bear them
without utterly failing.
Ihe safety OF using aleshOlie drink Is yet an
unsettled question. Few suppose that il is ever
beneficial 20 men IN complete health: the onl,
question Is, whether IL is njurious or not But
notwithstanding there 10 no doubt that It is not
brnsheial, aud there 10 doubt As 10 its harm
iesspess, the world is waiting for this last doubt
20 be removed. and for the positive proof that
Ia all cases, IL produces injury, before they are
willing to Danish IL utterly from use
I0eaero comes under the same category. II
does no good 10 men in health. Life is neither
energized nor exalted, nor prolonged by it, Its
effects are, at best. but negative; and to some,
Is, IN greater or lees degree, Injurious. Ger
tainly 1t Is reasonable TO suppose that the mix
ture OF so strong narcotic tobacco Juice with
The gastric fluid must change its character, and
probably weaken lie solvent powers; and the U
mingling the smoke Of tobacco with the pure airl
must interfere with the ehemico-yital pro ,esses
IN the lungs. by which the venous is changed
into srteEial blood. In either case, the nervous
system is unnaturally affected by il; and yet,
oocLnse this Is not demonstrated, the doubt Is Il
usually settled in favor Of the use of tobocco.
Even more than this, the tobacco smoker not ie
only continues &c experiment on his own vita n
orces, bat he eomPels Others, however unwil- Al
ing or however unable they may be, or how d
'ver much they may suffer by it, TO try the same
experiment. on theirs. man compels his fam.
~ in his own house, some travellers, boarders "a
hotels compel the other occupants of the pub sc
&c rooms, and passengers in the streets COM ec
'el others IN their vicinity, to inhae their to-
'aceo-smoke. Any one, who desires il, takes v
his liberty OF foroiRg others TO Join with him. Is
y yitiAting their atmosphere, which, IL seems A
vas given to man in state ofpurity, that all OF
night have the privilege Of breathing it in the
condition that would most efeetualiy serve the ~
IMPOSES Of life. ba
These, and other common and familiar Gus 70
Oms, show how little the principles of vitality,
Z the care Tor life, weigh upon the anxieties Of
be world, and how far these from being pa r 70
mount considerations in the general plans Of &c
elton. IN
The tenor Of early education, the influence OF T..
'ablic opinion, and the example of general hab-
ses, and the purposes of life and its elements DR.
The world talks much of the sacred ness of life, on
nd allows no man TO eXtinguish il In himself 81
e others. Suicide and murder are too shock ~
ng 10 Be tolerated. But the foundation on 70
which life Is established, the organs and means
y which IL 10 sustained, the powers and facul- W,
les which are its products, and the la oors and
which are its objects, have no such u''
acredness attached TO them. These may be
IPenoed OF wasted, and life thereby diminished,
9 even ultimately extinguisbed-and thus par
sl murder or partial suicide may be committed; ON
nc no law Of authority prohibits il, no public D
PinIOn Is disturbed by it. nc
A man does not TINS voluntarily; but he de- eel
beratey lays his plans, and Pursues his course lee
y which these consequences are inevitably pro- In
uced. He indOlges his sppetites and passions
eyond their proper limit, be works too labori Io'
Dsly with hIs hands or his brain, he deprives lea
itnseif Of sleep, he engages In an unhealthfs the
ecupatiOn, or establishes himself In an un- M
eaithful climate miasmstic country, and
aus he reduces his vital forces, and partially Oa'
estrOys life, or entirely wastes 1t away. VIII
The common sense Of mankind is not shock al
! by these things: on the contrary, a willing g.
zee 10 incur the partial loss Of life, and run the
sk Of its entire loss, is esteemed, with some Pri
sort Of virtue; while the cautious guarding ed
he integrity Ct life is deemed reproachable. fro