Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1857-06-26

man. A gentleman has just remarked
that he never knew the meaning of 'man-
child until he had seen him.
1.-The attitude he assumes in sleeping
is that of the Mu, sulman, makirg pros
trations-on his knees, with his hands
spread out before him, which could not
be if he suffered from fatigue; but his
muscles are too hard for that. By this
means he concentrates the caloric in the
stomach. and SO it is Indifferent to cold;
however cold the limbs (and they get
frightfully cold to touch, and never
numb, being on the contrary, mottIed
red, the loins are always warm.
"Ihis is the first working day since
he has been in my hands that he has not
been in the vapor bath. 1t was the
first word he has learned to say, and he
calls for it every morning. Yesterday
he was in an hoar and half. He
means little when the cold water is
put ON him, but stops when told to do
so. Hot water he will bear at a tenn
perature that | could not endure.
The problem he presents physiolog-
ically is this :: development Of the
nerves producing plcasurable sensations,
and corresponding deadening of those
the contrary. The intensity Of the en-
joyment which he derives from contact
with the skin is only equalled by the
insensibility of the flesh. We have
never known him since his exposure to
extreme cold to cry from pain. Last
hight the difference between his power
Of enjoyment and mine was brought
home to me in remarkable manner, by
my suffering from the state of the sur
rounding atmosphere when he knew
none, enlarging to an equal degree the
pleasures derivable from atmospheric
temperature. And this is only the COM
mencement of the process. When he Is
two years old he will be able to enjoy
life, as dependent upon the surrounding
atmosphere, in the opposite extremes OF
zone, where life is supportable under ordi-
nary circumstances only by means ofclotl.
ing. The necessity of clothing after cer-
tain age will not Interfere with the pro-
cess. during the night, when the tempera-
ture is lowest land no caloric is evolved by
action, the body can be exposed. lfhe
we've exposed to cold only, he might
then suffer from heat, but he is equally
armed against both.
The experiment. in regard to tenn
perature includes that other experiment
bv innovators-lhe free admission OF
oxygen. 1t is not merely the affo,ding
scope to the skin to take life from the
air, but the hardening Of the muscles TO
increase life. Perhaps after all. the
Bear Szrkers we're no myth. Perhaps
the energy Of the Romans may be traced
to the clothing or want oft Of the chill
dren, recorded in the ceremony of the
induction of the virile garb. In the
tombs of their masters, the Etruscans, as
in those OF Asia Minor, children are rep
resented absolutely naked until twelve
years. We refer the character OF nations
to climate, and forget clothing. by which
we can get every climate. This chlid
may be killed by u brickbat, but he has
no more to fear from disease than calf
or foal !; for this is life according to ma
ture, using the elements for health and
strength which, when misused, are those
Of destruction and yet the experiment
will be- barren, for judgments cannot DC
conveyed by results.
dec. 28.-Last night he slept under
the clothes, in the ordinary way. In the
morning his color was gone Contrast
ed with the usual appearance, he was like
a lantern without a light. On two oc-
casions Of nights particularly cold, when
he was in his naked state longer than
usual, the brilllancy of his color and the
liveliness of his action was remarked by
those who saw him"
In refercace to the foregoing. the fol-
lowing extract from letter addressed to
the father of the child by a gentleman
in the medical profession will be read
with interest 81 concur with DR.. B.
that if you were obliged to practice as a
physician, ycu would be another Davey
or Liebig. am reminded of Abraham 8
submission add obedience to the Divine
will by your phlanthropic spirit in ex-
perimenting upon your own child for
the good Of mankind. Your success
!, the greater reward. You have given
much matter for the consideration Of
medical men in the facts set forth. can
now understand the wise motives in the
customs of the northern nations. among
: whom there IS vapor-path in every
house. Nurses know that children who
from their birth get daily cold bath,
are stronger and healthier than those
who do hot Water, whether at high or
low temperature, gives greater shock
TO sensiblity than air. Many tenderly
reared Officer, who succumbed to the sever.
ity Of the weather in the huts before
Sebastopol, might have been living now
had his mother acted upon your plan
DR.. Dods, an American, says he who
cannot reason is a fool: he who dares
not is coward; he who will not is
bigot; but he who can, dares, and will
reason. is man. But say that he who
has confidence in his reasonings, faith in
himself, and courage to act upon his
conclusions, is man of strong mind aud
noble soul. fearless and firm. You prove
t<,h h.o oil hat