Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1857-03-12
For the Democrat
Physiology in Common Schools.

which they are to practice when they be
come men. would not wholly endorse
the remark of Agesilaus, believing tina
boys should learn something besides wha
they are to practice in after life, but if We
, apply the remark to that which so nearly
f concerns US as the welfare of the bodie.
which we inhabit we may will recognize its
truthfulness.
The utility ofphysiology as a branch O
! knowledge demands closer attention than
has hitherto been bestowed upon it. The
knowledge of the laws of our physical be.
e ing has been confined almost entirely &c
professional men; but it is becoming known
that natures laws are the same in every
human being and that all alike should have
knowledge Of themselves. The utility oil
physiology being manifest it follows that ii
should be regularly taught in all our com
mon schools; for in these the mass of our
people receive the whole of their educa-
ton
There arc varions practical uses of Phys
iology in every day life; but shall not en-
ter upon specific enumeration of these.
desiring to call attention, especially to three
great general uses ola KNOWLEDGE of this
science-its utility in improving man,
physically, mentally, and morally.
The first point to be noticed is the per-
fecfand intimate union existing between the
body and the mind-the one akin TO the
dust on which we tread; the other allied to
angelic, and even divine intelligence We
can conceive of different order of things
We believe in higher order of beings--of
incoporeal NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. the spirit is
free, and can range the universe unimpe-
ded by any connection with matter. Again
there are the various kingdoms of nature,
IN which we behold brutes, plants, and
stones rising one above another, in the or
ganization none of which we conceive to be
possessed of mind On The one hand are
spiritual, on the other wholly material
The void is filed by man, in which it
pleased the Creator to bring these two clc-
ments into close and immediate union. as il
has been sublimely expressed--to take
the body from the dust, the soul from the
highest heaven, and mould them into one
being" Thus the mighty intellect, oapa-
bic OF bounding on from star to star in the
ornament Of knowledge ''-the intellect
of Newton, of Shakespeare, of Milton. 5
united to piece Of matter in no respect SUI
perlor to the body of the poorest hborer;
while, on the other hand, the latter pos
ses@es within him, soul ord.,sval --;.
precisely the same faculties as those Of the
most gifted genius. Truly, we are fear
fully and most wonderfully made" Man
is the most wonderful creation Of Jehovah.
But this union does not stop here. Eve
ry act we perform reqrires the agency of
both these elements: the body and the
mind. The mind sees not till the rays of
light reach the rctina through the lenses
and humors Of the eye. The drum of the
ear must be affected 10y the vibrations of
the air before we can hear. When we
speak we call into exercise thcvocI organs
-the..most perfect music-box in tie world
When we write it is by lie muscles Of the
hand and arm. The common operation Of
! thought cannot well be carried on except
in a healthy condition of the body An
affection of the Ymu:e nerve which enters
tooth would spoil the most profound
mathematical calculation of Newton or
La Place. Again every mechanical opera
ton, however simple, requires the exercise
of the faculties of the mind--of memory,
judgment, perception. Now the question
arises, are bodies Of ours--.hese houses in
which we live move, and have our being,
1 these organs through which the mind per-
forms all its functions, which are the me-
dunn of communication between the inner
and outer worlds, are these material sub
stances worthy Of our care?
Is it of any Importance that minds be
vigorous and active, let our bodies be
healthy and strong. There is far too much
neglect of Ills portion of our being. The
physical man is worth caring for, yet the
greatest Ignorance prevails with regard to
the laws Of our physical being. We enter
, into the solution of the most difficult prob
= lens, we reason, we look abroad over the
surface ofthe earth, and survey its rivers,
mountains, seas, and continents, We enter
into its depths and explore its structure,
we ascend to the regions of the armament
and contemplate the moons of Jupiter, the
rings of Saturn, and the innumerable sys-
tens, suns, and worlds, that make up the
vast Universe of God, we even roll back
the veil that separates us from The past, and
through the instrumentaity Of dead Ian
guages, engage with Homer's heroes in