The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1857-07-31
Travelling for Pleasure Viewed Medically

Travelling for Pleasure Viewed Medically.
In the last number of the Boston Medical
World we find some suggestive hints on
this subject, the pith of which wo will en-
deavorto give in 4 few lines:
The writer thinks that in our country
there Is much travel, ostensihly for health,
where, in his opinion, injury far surpasscs
the gain. lucXorab!c Fashion SAYS we must
60 from our homes in dog days; and in
obedience to her mandate, there is a rush in
all our cities and towns, from the metropo-
lis down to the smallest village, to the place
where this goddess" specially prcsdes. This
is the season when the quiet and comfort of
home are the most healthful and necessary.
But, instead ofthis, we find people deter
mined to exchange the larger, airy, brick
walled rooms of tho town, and the cool
mattress and fine linen, for tho heating cot
ton, greasy feathers and dirty sheets of a
tavern, or pcnt-up village, or watering place,
hotel or boarding house.
But who, asks tho Doctor, could live
through hot summer without visiting
Nahant, Newport, Saratoga or Niagara :
lie docs cot deny them an occasional trip
TO such places, but protests against taking
tho hottest season to make these visits, with
the expectation ofthcrcby promoting health.
At the season usually taken, lie saws, tho
organs ofdigeslion arc least able to discharge
their function. They sympatbise with all tic
other parts of the body; and, like them, re-
1ulrc rest; and, he asks, is this the time to
leave the frugal, wholesome fare at home, and
rush to the gathering places, where every
board groans with its Ife-kiling feasts, and
where the luxurics provided and tho cxcit-
ing presence and example Of hundreds Of
mouths, eager to reward tho purse at the
expense Of the stomach, render it next to
impossible to obey the laws of health {?
Where, bcsides,' this poor pack horse, this
groanng organ, is tcascd with mineral wa
tors, wines, bittors, pills, tobacco juice and
tobacco fumes, to case itself of its curiber-
some burdens.
DR.. Smith maintains that there is no.
thing moro delusive than tho generally re-
celved impression that people arc growing
better, because, rs they suppose, they arc
gaining flesh. Under tho spasnodie action
of this paraphcrnalia of stimuIants, there is
often an appearance of moro flesh. But it
is diseased, not Bound, healthy flesh. For
every pound Of such, nature will be rcycng-
cd.
llcnco it's, the Doctor argues, that most
persons, soon after q return from such FASH
lonabIe gathering places, have m attack of
dyspepsia, biliousncss, sick headache, pull
monary affection or cntancons cruptions.
These abuses, occurring periodically, under
mine'the best constitutions.
Taking children to such places the writer
denonnces as the very consumation of folly.
Moro than halffhe so called diseases of the
season, and the death of children which oc-
cur in August and September, arise, ho says,
from this fashionable dissipation. No place
is so good for children, if you wish them to
live, as quiet home. But take them to
places OF fashionable resort, and stuff them
with tempting ylands, gravics, pudding and
pastries, is to cheat them out of tho best
things in the world-a good conscience and
good stomach.