Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1855-06-14
THE MORNING AIR.

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virtue Of no mean order, and even those who
delight to snooze away the balmy morning
hours, have been compelled to pay tribute
OF admiration to that resoluie and sloth-de-
spising race, who rise before tue sun, and
90 forth to the fields, the streets, or to the
Common, to snuff the cool air, and shake off
the. torpor Of sleep. 1t is pity to say any
any thing that will detract from the value
Of this rare form OF moral courage but, as
faithful chronicers Of the times, we mus.
record the fact that DIR. Hall, in his Journal
Of Health very decidedly condemns the prac-
tice 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 sun.
rise in summer, when taken into the lungs
and stomach, which are equally debiitated
with other portions of the body from the
long fast since supper, is very readily abb
soIbed, and enters the circulation within an
hour or two, poisoning the blood and laying
the foundation for troublesome diseases !;
while in winter the same debiltated condi.
ton of these vital organs readily allows the
blood to be chilled, and thus renders the
system susceptible Of taking cold, with all
II is well known that the fruitful source
Of tevers and other epidemics in Southern
climates, il the decomposition Of vegetable
matter. The ranker and more dense the
vegetation, the more deadly are the diseases
Of That locality but this decomposition can.
not take place without moisture and heat
approaching ninety degrees Of Fahrenheit.
The terrible I" isthnHs fever" which has
made such frighslnl havoc among passen-
gers to and from California. is disease of
this species. In the hot season it is almost
certain death for an unacclimated person to
sleep at Chagres single night. In Charles
ton, in early years, says DIR. Hall, it was
death for stranger to sleep in the city one
night; aud during the most violent ragincs
OF epidemics. citizens themselves would not
60 to town to attend to necessary business,
except at noon-day, the hottest portion of
the twenty-four hours, because then the ma
laria was most rari6ed, and found by observ.
alton to be least hurtful. The explanation
Of this is found in the fact, that the great
heat of the sun caused a rapid evaporation
Of the malaria, rarifying it to such degree
that it almost instsntaneousiy 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, snd fell
to the earth, thus giving the layer of air,
within fifteen feet Of the surface. a density
and concentration Of malaria Indignantly
fatal; while in the morning this density
was not diminished until the sun had gain
ed 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
oren ali on an empty stomach. He also
expresses the opinion that there would be
great falling of Of diarrhaas, summer COM
plants and Group among children, if from
May to October they were sent up stairs
wi,hin,half an hour after sunset. and were
not allowed to leave the second or third
story in the morning until they had eaten a
plain and hearty breakfast. The Doctors
premises appear to be correct, and his con-
illusions, whether sound or not, will doubt
less afford great satisfaction to those who
are afflicted with chronic habit Of lying
abed MORNINGS.