Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1860-01-17
Essay upon the Science of Physiology.
Read before the Rtchland County Teachers Asso
cjG:ioa ~ E. Z. Hun9ertord.

! Physiolgy has been defined, a knowl
edge of the way living being lives, an
grows, and performes its various opera
tons. This includes both vegetable an
animal Physiology. The first, with al
It's interesting and curious knowledge, it
truly wonderful and astonishing discover
les, might claim from the lover Of III,
beautiful in nature, life long study; bu
the second-animal Physiology and ,ha
I department which treats exclusively o
ma,s.-his individual, organic structure
his complicated growing, and ever chang
ing machinery, more especially claim.
the attention of the teacher, the pupil, anC
the parent. We all aim TO shun anc
avoid the many ills that flesh is heil
to- Bat too often do we expect life
health. and happiness, without any tho
hO1c we live, or acjtat we do for, or a
gainst the great Hygienic laws of Ma.
ture.
Physiology teaches us this is world OF
action, animal action. The water we
drink. the tear that courses down the pal
d cheek, the juices that permea,e the ten.
der plants and the air we breathe, contain
animal matter. Everything in nature
forces upon US the fact, that the world is
cmphaticaNy, all alire. The microscope
reveals to US, insects and objects, in the
waters we cali pure, Of so hideous form
that from their touch the timid may wei
shrink back.
The necessity of every teacher, or per
son entrusted with the care of the young
knowing and prdcticing the physiological
laws 10y which he or she is governed, Is
the main aim Of this short Essay. Pre-
cept without example looses two thirds lis
force, and knowledge without practice is
of no avail. Horace Greeley once said
" That educated daughter has received a
mistaken and superficial training, If she
cannot excel her mother III making soap,
or cheese, or butter" All these are
chemical processes, IN which her educa-
ton should render her an adept, far be-
yond any uutaught person. Equally true
may il be sand o Physiology. Those per
sons, ,,ho, after studying the laws tha
ru!de 10 health, a few months. (f they
have Inherited no disease, Jour but poorly
educated ia Physiology if they canno
boast of as good health as their parents.
That clergyman or public speaker, ,whc
talks an nour or more IN Il small unven-
tilated room, where the vitialed air is Sc
thick YOU can almost cut 1t with case
knife, to the iniuring of his 0lcn health
and the stupefacton of his own audience
is but poorly versed in Physiology. Tha
teacher who keeps closed doors, and bar
red windows, ana crowds shawiS and bon-
nets, and caps and extra dinner rags into
every crevice and crack where the frest
air wants to get IN, and then builds ho
fire in an air tight stove, and for an houl
and half or two hours, IN low room
IS feet square, crowded full of small chIl
dren. obliges them to stay IN an atmos
phere of 75 or 50 degrees, wondering
whv they are restless, while they are
breathing over and over again the poIsoI
and noxious exhalations of so many lItilt
bodies, is poorly, acIetche7ly educated II
4 Physiology. And all this when the pure
/ fresh, and invigorating air is Utterly mad
/ because you wont let it in; whistlIng anC
bowling around, and calling upon you il
the most earnest tones, not to prison tnost
innocent children under your care.
The atmosphere ty which we are sur
rounded reaches to the highth of ID miles
and contains, curiously mixed up, tn
seeds of life and death. Oxygen, it
! life giving property constitutes about on
fifth of lis enure bulk. The other four
ffths, is slow but deadly poison. Er
ery breath we draw, a certain portion o
this life preserving element, by which w
are surrounded, is poisoned by our owl
exhnlations, and i. rendered unfit for res
piration. if not allowed 10 mix freely wit
surrounding air Carbcnc acid, whIc
we manufacture at every breath, will &C
cumulate so rapidly in a small, ugh
crowded room, that languor, stuPefac
ton. and even death, will shortly follow
if il is not be allowed to escape. Nitrogen
aueh the largest part of the air Will nc
support life under any set of circumstar
ces; a lighted candle Immediately cease
to burn when brought IN contact win 'hl
life DESTROYING element. But every plan
shrub. and flower, lifts up lis little pe'a
and opens lis tiny mouths at the least sig
nj lis presence. The whole vegeiabl
world is eager to deyour those polsonor
gases we are inhaling in the sieepin
chamber. the church, and the scho
house. We are ungratefui, and TIT
cheating the vegetable kingdom of be
natural food, when every hour and MI
ment, she is supplying the AIR with IN
pure unadulterated oxygen, and only II