Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1859-04-21
[ Written for the Fayetteville Observer
HEALTH.

My theme is Health. 1t is SUBJ
ject more fraught with interest to
the human race than al others COM
blned. because upon it depends the
hopes of human progress. All that
is glorious 10 the achievements of
science, all that is magnificent in the
structures Of art, all that is great
in body, beautiful in mind, or SUBJ
lime in spirit, depends upon human
health. Religion has done much to
ameliorate and elevate the condition
Of man, but never can fully perfect
the grand work, until it rests on the
firm foundation Of physical health;
until the motto of the sages Of an
Gent Greece and Rome becomes as
universal as the race, "Sana mems in
corpore sano," that is, "a sound
mind in a sound body" Political
revolution has done great deal to-
wards the establishment Of freedom.
1t hes reared this governmental fab
rio Of ours, which is the proudest
and freest that the sun visits with his
golden light in all his diurnal course.
But what is liberty to a nation Of
Ii.valids? How can We enjoy that
blessed boon, when our bodies are
racked With Rheumatisms, Gouts,
Neuralgias, &C.; when almost every
stomach in the land is the seat of a
grawiugand wasting Dyspepsia, when
Consumption, Scrofala, &C. are max
ing havoc among large portion Of
our Inhabitants, when almost every
woman has q train Of maladies hast.
I
ening her to an untimely gravel
Alb, it is impossible. But in addi-
ton to this, We are all slaves, more or
less, to some perverted passion, some
depraved appetite, some foolish and
sinful habit, or some body and soul
destroying fashion.
| Now, 70 free ourselves from all
these, and enjoy life in it's fullest
acceptatiop, bodily, mentally, and
spiritually, it is necessary that we
have health in every department Of
our being. And to have health Of
body, it is necessary to have pure
food, pure drink, pnd pure air, for
the nourisbment of that body
Proper exercise is also necessary for
the development of the various or.
gans, to give symmetry, beauty, and
ease Of motion to all the parts.-
all these taken in proper quantities
and at proper tines are necessary to
physical health, and if any or all of
them are taken in quantities too
small, non.nutrition and consequent
emaciation is the consequence; but if
used to excess, a plsthoric habit is
engendered. Either of these con-
ditions, being unnatural, Ieiards the
perfect development Of the body,
and hence, detracis from the bappi-
ness Of the individual. This is dis
ease produced by the misuse or abuse
Of things disable. but We far mere
frequently find diseases the effect Of
an attempt to use what il not usa-
BILE at all. Here we wish to make
a distinction which is lost sight Of
by almost the entire world Of man.
kind. 1t is the distinction between
food and poison. All things i'll ma
ture may be arranged under four DIFF
ferent heads: food, drink, air, and
poison. The first three are disable
by the living system, the last is new
er. Now, if an individual should
never take anything into the system
but food, drink, and atmosphere, take
proper exercise Of both body and
mind, regulate the passions. and
avoid exposure, be would live in the
enjoyment Of perfect health. This
being so, is it not a sin and shame
that our land should be filled with
disease and death? More anon.
B. W. CHlLDS, M. D.