New-York daily tribune., 1856-03-28
HEALTH FOR THE PEOPLE....No. III.

pr.frDIrs FOR THE EVILS POINTED OUT.
In,xo former articles have been presented the fsat
Of general decay Of nstional health, and some o ~
causes and results. II has thus been shown shat Nhe
the Greeks Of old systematically trained their children
10 be vigorous beautiful, graceful and healthy 'ne
American people are as systematically training their
oT.pring to be feeble, sckly, homey, deformed and
wtwsrd as much 20 a. IL il was o deliberate desgn.
By their wise methods the Greeks became the strong
est visest and most beautiful nation Of the Old world
The Apgo-SsIon physically is one OF the hnest s'ocAs
on earth and has fair chance ss the Greeks ever
lad 10 gain the preeminenee in these later ages
Iii the object of this article to point out the course
to "a pursued for this purpose--a course tha' "oui
at once remedy past mistakes and secure future ad-
vancement.
The most import ant steps have been already indi-
Gated which are to bring the subject to the attention
Of all the people BY The Hsr.paper Pres and py ,~Tr~
ducing into al schools, but especially our common
schools school book Physiology and HeatA so SIM
yed and interesting that parents as wei az chidren
viii be led TO read IT.
laws of health until they understand, not merely what
these sws are but the philosophy of them-he reason
why obeying or neglectng them involves evu or good'
Next il is proposed that sy,em 9t Phy''ca4 ra'n
ing on cdsfH6aic erercises which Is one portion oi
| tlis book be made obligatory portion oi schooi
duty in all educational institutions, but especially 10
cur CoInmon Schools. These exercises are ranged
20 train and develop every muscle Of the body, ana
can be used in any fanly or school without apparatus
| and without additional room. As much authonty is
needed to enforce proper system Of physical training
as is required to secure intellectual development lhe
| Greeks put this fret we have left 1t out entirely.
| Another Indispensable measure is to enlist the
powerful influence Of the pulpit. Men, women and
children need TO hear from tie ministers OF rehglon
that he lars Of hath the lars Of G0d, and that
when they neglect or dsobey them they commit SIN as
| really ne when they lie, or swear or ~ al
Cert,ymen can set forth the laws Of health and ex
plain tEer philosophy. They can show to their people
how il that erery pair Of lungs Uifates one h0Ss
head Of ar erery hour, which should be expelled ana
replaced By esh air from without. II can be shown
that every householder is gully o. PotsoHing who
does not provide the proper amount OF pure ar Tor an
the inmat,s of the Eouse, and that the most cruel
poisoning Of all is collecting the young IN heated and
| aRreHfi{dted school rooms.
Every clergyman, too can teach his people thar m
temperonce In eating fatal TO health and really
sin as intemperarce in drink He can convince them
that the American people eat too much fat meat put
ter sugar ard moassses; that confectionery disorders
the stomach ard spices pepper and other condiments
excite false appetite inducing excess and that tea,
coffee alcohol and tobacco are all alike needlessly
stimulating the nervous system and causing conse-
| Quent debility.
So also the duty of strengthening and purifying the
whole system by daily abutions of the whole person in
| cool water can he enforced, and those unhealthy
modes of clothing that induce debility, dformty and
disease can be set forth henous sins. The wicked
nees of compTeesDg the vital and lower organs by
tight dress Of every kind the mischief of sustaining
heavy cohirg the hips, instead of the shoulders,
and tie terrible evils that result from the weight and
heat Of accumulated clothing around the hips can be
eet forth as properly the evils of intemperance. To
oppose the gully and fatal fashions ot dress requires
the authority Of those motives that religion alone can
| present -
Again the ministers Of religion should especially be
nvok TO aid in reducing the of intellectual,
brain OF this nation at fever heat, and gradually
exhaustrg the physical energies. Excess in study in
care, in business, in amusement, in everything that
| taxes the brain, is grand national sin.
| And there s no direction in which men and women
! are 30 unengLtened and much need instruction
| from the pulpit in this. And il, that
ministers teachers and parents are themselves so ex-
tensvey invo, ed in this sin. The brain and nerves
of the whole nation wearing down with orer-stR-
ulatOn in drink, diet, tobacco, and mental activity:
The importance Of moderation in the plans and du-
tics Of life the need of daily recurring periods of do
nestle and social relaxation the duty of regular and
proper periods for the brain to by Sleep and the
necessity for 0mUsements TO all who are taxed by cares
ard esponsibiles--tbese ore duties that especially
need to be enforced by the solemn sanctions Of rel-
gion. In thus speaking OF amusements as duties, OF
reference is lad TO those preposterous fash
onable gatherings in ilventilatcd rooms, where the
stomach is taxed with improper food and drink the
IeTOn gi up in murdeTous fashions, the brain excited
ty the fascinating dance, when quiet sleep and pure
air its due, and where the benevolent laws of God
for our health and happiness are more reckless vio-
lated than in any other circumstances that can be
| named.
II is especially in reference to the young that the at
tenti' of the clergy is invoked. For the last half
century, every year has witnessed demands the
brain by multiplying studies aud increasing stimulating
motives. PareIts, teachers, school committees and
State officers Of education all combine to stimulate,
stin nGfe with to balance the fatal pressure
by sufficient exercise and amusement The result IS
tie rising generation are coming on with pale or thick
and sallow skim instead Of the ruddy hue of former
times. The sunken chest, round shoulders, projecting
neck curved spine decaying teeth aud, most fatal Of
ALL that SINKING and consequent sI9accDeHt Of all the
interior organs from de6tty If The supporting mus
clts these becoming the general rule, while the
perfectly formed ruddy and vigorous looking children
are the exceptions. Tie clergy Of our country
pecialy urged 10 direct their attention to these
| ful indications in our schools.
IL tLis connection the last remedy will be suggested
ard that IS to 10 permanent educational in
sttutions endOred toGRddtiohs to sustain teachers
wLose ccdl duty il ,ba be TO teach and enforce the
laws Of health as their associates do the laws Of in
| teleotual training.
Ard here may be- presented the fact that the Anert
c7h Uemda's Educational association il now making
Ills prominent object. Its aim is to establish insti
tutols in which there shall be teachers sustained by
endowments whose official duty il shall be TO that
the pupils educated to be keaIhy and also thor
oughy trained to perform properly the distinctive
duties Of their
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