The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-04-03
HEALTH FOR THE PEOPLE.
FOR THE EVILS POINTED OUT

and some of its causes and results. 1t has
thus been shown that, while the Greeks of old
Systematically trained their children to be vigor
GUS, beautiful, graceful and healthy, the Amer.
lean people are as Systematically training their
offspring to be feeble, sickly, homely, deformed
| and awkward, as much so as if it was DELHI
crate design. By their wise methods, the
Greeks became the strongest, wisest, and most
beautiful nation of the Old World. The Anglo
Saxon, physically, is one of the finest stocks on
earth, and has fair "A chance as the Greeks
ever had to gain the same pre-eminence in these
later ages.
1t is the object of this article to point out the
course to be pursued for this purpose course
that would at once remedy past mistakes, and
secure future advancement
The most importast steps have been already
indicated, which are to bring the subject to the
attention of all the people by the newspaper
press, and by Introducing into all schools, but
especially our common schools, a school book
on Physiology and Health, so simplifed and in
teresting that parents as well as children will
be led TO read it.
Neither adults nor children can be led to
obey the laws of health until they understand
not merely what these laws are, but the philos.
ophy of them-the reason why obeying or neg
Letting them involves evil or good.
Next it is proposed that system Of physical
training or cdListhentc exercises, which is one
portion of this book, be made an o5liqatory
portion of school duty in all educational insti-
tutions, but especially in our Common Schools
These exercises are arranged to train and de-
velop every muscle of the body, and can be used
in any family or school without apparatus, and
| without additional room. As much authority
is needed to enforce a proper system of physi
cal training as is required to secure intellectual
development. The Greeks put this first; we
have left it out entirely.
Another indispensable measure is, to enlist
the powerful influence of the pulpit. Men,
women, and children, need to hear, from the
ministers of religion, that the lars of health are
the lacs Of God, and that when they neglect OF
disobey them, they commit sin as really as when
they lie, or swear, or steal.
Clergymen can set forth the laws of health,
and explain their philosophy. They can show
to their people how it is that eceyy pair Of lungs
oitiGteS one hOgshead Of air ecery hour which
should be expelled and replaced by fresh air
from without. 1t can be shown that every
householder isBuilty Of poisoning, who does not
provide the proper amount of pure air for all
the inmates of the house, and that the most
cruel poisoning of all is collecting the young in
heated and unoentiidted school rooms
Every clergyman, too, can teach his people
and as really a sin as intemperance in drink
He can convince them that the American peo-
pie eat too much fat meat, butter, sugar, and
molasses; that confectionery disorders the
stomach; and spices, pepper, and other condi
ments, excite false appetite, inducing excess;
and that tea, coffee, alcohol, and tobacco, are
all alike needlessly stimulating to the nervous
system, and causing consequent debility.
So, also, the duty of strengthening and puri-
flying the whole system, by daily additions of
the whole person in cool water can be enforced;
and those unhealthy modes of clothing that in
duce debility, deformity, and disease, can be set
forth as heinous sins. The wickedness of COM
pressing the vital and lower organs by tight
dress of every kind the mischief Of sustaining
heavy clothing on the hips, instead OF the
shoulders, and the terrible evils that result from
the weight and heat of accumulated clothing
around the hips, can be set forth as properly as
the evils of intemperance. To oppose the guilty
and .fatGl fashions Of dress, requires the au-
thority of those motives that religion alone can
present.
Again: the ministers of religion should espe-
pecially be invoked to aid in reducing the er-
cesses Of Intellectual, social political, and bust
ness excitements, that keep the brain of this
nation at fever heat, and are gradually exhaust
ing the physical energies. Excess in study, in
care, in business, in amusement, in everything
that taxes the brain, is our grand national sin.
Aud there is no direction in which men and
women are so unenlightened and so much need
instruction from the pulpit as in this And one
reason is, that ministers, teachers, and parents,
are themselves so extensively involved in this
sin. The brain and nerves of the whole nation
are wearing down with oues- stimulation in drink,
diet, tobacco, and mental activity.
The Importance of moderation in the plans
and duties of life, the need of daily recurring
periods of domestic and social relaxation, the
duty of regular and proper periods for the brain
to rest by sleep, and the necessity for dmuse-
nse'.ts to all who are taxed by cares and reSpon.
sibilities-these are duties that especially need
to be enforced by the solemn sanctions of reli-
gion. In thus speaking of amusenents as du-
ties, of course no reference is had to those pre-
posterous fashionable gatherings in ill-ventila-
ted rooms, where the stomach is taxed with i'm
proper food and drink, the person girt up in
mGrderous fashions, the brain excited by the
fascinating dance, when quiet sleep and pure
air are its due, and where the benevolent laws
of God for our health and happiness are more
recklessly violated than in any other circuU-
stances that can be named,
1t is especially in reference to the young that
the attention of the clergy is invoked. For the
last half century, every year has witnessed new
demands on the brain, by multiplying studies
and increasing stimulating motives. Parents,
teachers, school committees, and State officers
of education, all combine to stimulate, stimu-
late, with no care to balance the fatal pressure
by sufficient exercise and amusement. The re-
suit is, the rising generation are coming on with
pale or thick and sallow skin, instead of the ruddy
hue of former times. The sunken chest, round
shoulders, projecting neck, curved spine, de-
caying teeth, and, most fatal of all, that sinking
and consequent displacement of all the interior
organs, from debility oftte supporting muscles;
these are becoming the general rule, while ths
pertectly-formed, rudy, aad visorouslookiug
children are the exceptions. The clergy of our
country are especially urged to direct their at
tention to these mournful indications in our
schools.
In this connection, the last remedy will be
suggested-and that is, TO secure to our perma-
nent educational institutions endoued touradc.
tons, to sustain teachers whose Official duty it
shall be to teach and e,t orcs the laws Of health
as their associates do the laws of intellectual
training.
And here may be presented the fact that the
american W0man's Educational Association
is now making this prominent object Its
aim is to establish institutions in which there
shall be teachers sustained by endowments
whose official duty it shall be to see that the
pupils are educated to be healthy, and also
thoroughly trained to perform properly the dis
tinctive duties of their Sex.
THE OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS OF THE PITTS