The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1857-10-10


SOME HEALTH PRINCIPLES. No small
share of Disease and suitrrngs is owing to
the error Of one man making auother's cXpe.
ricnce guide for himself in matters pertain.
ing to bodily health. Nothing can hc more
true than that one may do with irnpunlty,
what would kill another. We know lady
who will instantly take cold, ii she passes
across room which has just been washed.
The life Of such Il person would seem TO
hang on very uncc'tain tenure. But, like
a true philosopher, having found that passing
through recently washed room gives her a
cold, simply avoids it, and now. at the full
age of three score years and ten scarcely
misses a meal from sickness. in a whole year
When man finds cut that his constitution
is fral one lis wiScst plan is to study his
intiimitiHS, TO find out its weak points, and
like bclthgclcd general. the winner ola hum
dr,d victories, be always on his guard as to
the weak points. An old hat is never made
better by beng banged about, while by care
it may be- made to look respectable for years
longer. A worn.out horse obtains no invigo
ration by hard usage mans body
whether lrail or strong, is made capable of
greater endurance by being well watched
over And take our word for it The best
way to harden Tie Constitution is to tax.
care of it.
That the popular sentiment should prevail
that The human constitution is hardened by
exposure, when there is nothing like it in the
whole range Of animated nature must be
claSScd among the unaccounabiliticS.
Some men thrive in spite ola given evil
habit. This arises from two distinct causes.
vigorous constitution, or from the nature of
the human body to adJpt itself to the evils
of life.
One may chew Tobacco largely, and live to
the age Of seventy years: another may sur
vivc glass of grog at very meal. or may take
a regular spree at certain intervals, and Yet
seem hale and hearty at the end Of three score
and ten while u fonrth may live equally
long. who sits up late never rises before noon.
But it is the utmost Of folly to conclude that
these are healthy practices, or that they
arc even nnocious. Mulltudes adapt certain
habits Of life, on the ground that they are
healthy because otuerS are healthy who have
adopted them. not taking into account the
difference of habits of life. \ weakly youth
Of Fifty Avenue, who never did hand S turn
in his life is placed to feed on pure rich mike
fresh eggs, and newly made butter, on the
ground that farming people have robust
health who cat such things habitually, t.
deed such diets he not myth in these latudcs.
But to have farmers health, it is not
sufficient that we cat what farmers cat, we
must in adilion, dress and work as farmers
do, otherwise an ordinary farmers dict will
kill off these half imltators in double quick
time.
These sentiments will strike the common
observer as being justly true, and by taking
the principle Of the thing as our guide, VT
shall be saved from many dangerous errors
in reference to human health. We have GA
late, seen several pornicious practices incul-
Gated in the newspapers. made pernlclous by
this glaring want Of consideration.
Cotton stockings are recommended to be
worn in recent medical journal, as being
more hcalthlul, comfortable safe than wooden.
The reason the author gives for his advice is,
the benefit he derived from the change, cor
federated, as he thinks. by the fact that a
clergyman who made the change by his cOun-
ell, was relieved Of a troublesome throat af-
fiction. 1t would seem incredible that any
one Of experience should hazard such a rule
of health, on such tritlng foundation. The
reader has only to try the experiment.
Now and then, there may be a person who
will be bcnctiilted by the change, but there
will be n thousand to be injured by it. We
all know that the feet of some are habiIally
cold, ofohers dry, of others damp of others
hot, and to recommended cotton stockings
in winter, as best Cor all or even for major
ity, is objectionable recklcssness. or.it is the
| result Of ineXcusablc inexperence. SO crit
ical thing is u change of covering for the
feet, at times, that we never advise any spe'
clflc change in that respect; we uniformly
say, try both, and adopt that which is most
comfortable to yourselves. In our practice
as u physician, we strive, at least to give, no
killing advice, even if we do no good
Some persons survive cold shower bath
OF a winter morning the same would send
mtulidues TO their grave in week, and
make other multitudes inyalids for life. In
summing up the whole matter, our advice Is,
list. lfyou are well, let yourself alone.
Cd. If you are not well, make no change
in any of your habits without consult ting an
Sd. DO not take 1t for granted that any
habit or practice is advisable for you, simply
because others have health in their obSer-
vance. But If you want to make the expo
rimcnt. first place yourself mall their condi-
tens HATS Journal Of Health.
The Philadelphia Press regrets to learn