The Kansas herald of freedom. [volume] (Wakarusa, Kan. Territory) 1854-1860, 1855-06-16
The Morning Air.


virtue ofno mean order, land even those who
delight to snooze away the balmy morn
ing hours, have been compelled to pay a
tribute of admiration to that resolute and
sloth-despising race, who rise before the
sun, and 60 forth to the fields, the streets,
or the common, to snuff the cool air,
and shake off the torpor of sleep. It is
a pity to say anything that will detraet
from the value of this rather rare form OF
moral courage; but, as faithful chroni-
clers of the times, we must record the
factthat DR.. Hall, in his Journalof Health,
very decidedly condemns the practice Of
taking outdoor exercise early in the
morning, and with an empty stomach
The reason he gives for this opinion is,
that the malaria which rests on the earth
about sunrise in summer, when taken in
to the lungs and stomach, which are
equally debilitated with other portions Of
the body from the long fast since supper,
is very readily absorbed, and enters the
circulation within an hour or two, poison
ing the blood, and laying the foundation
for troublesome diseases; while in winter
the same debilitated condition of these
vital organs readily allows the blood to
be chilled, and thus renders the system
susceptible of taking cold, with all its va
ried and too often disastrous results.
1t is well known that the fruitful source
of fevers and other epidemics in southern
climates, is the decomposition of vegeta-
BILE matter. The ranker and more dense
the vegetation, the more deadly are the
diseases of that locality; but this decom-
position cannot take place without mois-
ture and heat approaching ninety degrees
of Fahrenheit. The terrible "isthmus
fever" which has made such frightful
havoc among passengers to and from Cal
ifornia, is disease of this species. In
the hot season it is almost certain death
foran unacclimated person to sleep at Cha
gres single night. In Charleston, in
early years, says DR.. Hall, it was death
for stranger to sleep in the city one
night; and during the most violent rag
ings of epidemics, citizens themselves
would not SO to town to attend to neces-
sary business, except at MONDAY, the
hottest portion of the twenty-four hours,
because then the malaria was most rari-
fed, and found by observation to be the
least hurtful. The explanation of this
is found in the fact, that the great heat of
the sun caused rapid evaporation of the
malaria, rarifying it to such degree that
it almost instantaneously ascended to the
upper atmosphere after the first morning
hours but in the course of the day.
when the sun declined in power, these
vapors gradually condensed, got heavier,
and fell to the earth, thus giving the lay
er of air, within fifteen feet of the. sur
face, density and concentration of ma
laria Indignantly fatal; while in the morn
ing this density was not diminished until
the sun had gained some power.
From these facts, DR.. Hall argues that
early morning walks are prejudicial to
health, and that it is better to remain in
bed until breakfast, than to be out in the
open air on an empty stomach. He also
expresses the opinion that there would be
a great falling OFF of diarrheas, summer
complaints, and groups among children,
if from May to October they were sent
up stairs within half an hour after sunset,
and were not allowed to leave the second
or third story in the morning until they
had eaten plain and hearty breakfast
The doctors premises appear to be cor
rect, and his conclusions, whether sound
or not, doubtless afford great satisfaction
to those who are afflicted with a chronic
habit of lying abed mornings.-N. f.
Farmer.