The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-05-15


l had one case which bafled me- A whole
family-father, mother, and four children
were attacked with strange nervous disease, for
which could find no common cause. Finally,
l learned, to my CONSERVATION, that the whole
six slept in one room not over twelve feet
square, with but one window and one door,
and both tightly closed, summer and winter.
The air they breathed, If air it could be called,
must have been as rank poison as human be-
lngs could well receive. 1t was not matter
of necessity with them-no want of room, but
mere carelessness.
assured them this was the cause of their
trouble, and preached ventilation; and they
had some intelligence, too, but they were slow to
believe. They we're sick, and wanted me to cure
them with medicine. told them we had only
to take distractions out Of the way. thought
the lessons had given had some effect, but
was called again. A child, eighteen months
old, in commissions. Now for the cause. 1t
was not teeth it had had no fall.
Had it eaten or drank anything?"
"Oh, nothing! nothing in the world that
could hurt it'll" q
What had it eaten for support"
oh, nothing, much. 1t had not much ap.
petite, and only took little sausage and some
citron preserves
l was in despair, but helped the child, and
*
About this time, my brother came to them,
in his visitations; and having, perhaps, heard
something from me of the state of things, he
added to his spiritual counsel sundry lessons
on health. His way of talking was so winning
and so earnest that he never gave offence, let
him say what he would. He told them their
lungs burned up the air just like a stove, and
warmed their bodies in the same way; and
asked them how a fire would burn shut up in
close place, without air. He brought them little
book to explain these things to them. Jack
had great faith in little books. He preached
lecture, and left little book to enforce it; he
made a call, and, not finding the person he
wished to see, left a little book, with his com.
plirnents. Books upon life and health, books
on tobacco, books ON temperance, and books on
abstinence-all these, aside from the direct
subjects of his profession.
Nobody quarrelled with his books; and if
they found fault with him, he was not there to
hear it. And they had their effect. In this
family, especially, saw it. Theirs were sins
of ignorance. They were ready to read and
to be informed, and were not obstinate when
once they knew. This was the ounce of pre-
vention, again, for / scarcely had another call
in that quarter; and if all my patients had be-
longed to my brothers parish, fear the effect
on my pockets would have been serious.
Among the subjects that came up was Venti-
lation; whereupon, the Parson took new text.
The church was heated, II speak advisedly,)
not warmed, by two stoves, and was as nearly
Theoretically sealed as it could be. The lee
ture-room was worse for it was smaller, and
lower, and being used at evening, the fire and
lights helped to consume the oxygen. The
schoolrooms were worst of all, because occu-
pied during more hours. The old one boast
ed some relief from sundry cracks, and from
windows not quite tight; but the new one, built
on the most approved plan, held the scholars
completely guarded against all draughts.
Though all these things helped my practice,
yet had demonstrated; but Jack did more
He talked ventilation in public and private;
told them they must have pure air, or they
could not live that there must be constant
supply for their bodies as well as their stoves
and when their lungs had consumed it, the bad
air must have an outlet He appealed to the
elders and deacons, to the trustees, TO the trust
ees of the schools, and to the parents of the
children and then he enlightened the women,
explained to them the cause of so many of
their headaches, and of their Sunday and even
ing dullness. He told them how the fire died
out for want of air how the blood became i'm
pure, and the brain could not work with such a
muddy fluid around it. In fine, he fairly con-
WINGED the people, and brought about change.
The people said they should take cold bat he
persevered, and, believe, he prevented more
colds than he caused.
1t we're useless to repeat all the lessons he
enforced-how he dwelt upon cold water and
cleanliness how he denounced strong tea and
coffee, as so many goads to stir up the nerves
and how he inveighed against the tight, spindle
waists, with which our young women choose to
deform themselves. One of his experiments
in this last evil amused me. Having failed in
his exhortations to the women of the family,
he persuaded the father, stout burly farmer,
to wear around his waist, for one half hour, a
band as tight as his daughters constantly wore.
The suferings of the poor man had their effect
the experience was sufficient and, as he was
one who bore rule in his own Eouse, he soon
brought about reform, and restored the forms
of his daughters to the proportions in which
they were first made, assuring them he had no
doubt those were the best; and if they had been
meant for wasps, they would have been made so.
Thus things have gone on for twenty.yesrs;
and not long since, on toe anniyersars.of our
settlement, my brother and / met by appoint
ment, to compare notes, and agree uSon the
results of our experiment. He had brought
faithfully with his ounce of preventio,, and /
with my pound of cure. Direct re: ults we
could not we'll weigh. OF his purely profes-
sional labors / cannot speak moral changes
are not to be measured.
He had wrought in my department as well
as in his own. 1t has always been a favorite
theory of mine, that physical and NOR Il eleva-
ton 60 hand in hand and, in reviewing his
labors, l see no reason to question is truth.
There is an improvementin the town OF b.
When we came to compare the fruits of our
labors, we understood how men regarded our
respective services. We both had growing
- I'D,
of prosperity around us but while John had
spent his moderate income, which had been
barely sufficient for his needs, had been able
to lay by enough to make me comfortable in
my old age, or to make my children independ-
ent, if / should be taken from them. But
John ana I'D Aarlv agreed that, in case of
tie death of either of us, the ether should; as
far as possible, supply the place of father t.. T..
the orphans; and, as We renewed this compact,
the shade of anxiety passed from his face, as
he thought of the slight provision he had been
able to make for his family.*
"But you see, Jack" said /, show the
world regards our services. | have been ten
times as well paid as you, in spite of your prov
erb."
Nevertheless" answered he, quietly, g. when
l look at the objects to which our lives have
been given, and at results, (no disparagement
to your labors,) were l to choose again,
should still say, give me the ounce of proven
ton, and you may take the pound of cure, even
with its rewards"
Ihave doubt policy of life insurance from some
liberal members of his cong regaton would still further
relieve his mind; but, Of course, can't suggest it.
A correspondent of the Independence Beige
says: Lamartine, after making great efforts
to save the wreck of his shattered fortunes