The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1861-09-07
PHILOSOPHY OF BAruvrc

The following is from DR.. Mayo g. Smith
on the subject. and is worthy Of considers
ton:
There are in the human BODY 2 700 900
glands and 1000. 900 pores, from 1000 TO
$500 TO the square inch. and one-eiehtb of
an inch in depth, making twenty eight miles
of human drainage.
Five-eighths of all that is eaten passes off
through the pores, aud but one per cent. of
all perspirabls matter consists of solid cub
stances. The change in the muscle, tbs.
sues. and bones occurs in from six to seven
years. If this old matter be retained it
causes disease-it is a real virus.
Some diseases are relieved almost instant
ly BY opening the pores. Diarrhsa is fire.
quently cured, matter from the mucous
membrane is expelled through the skin; TO-
bacco. opium, and mercury thus exuded.
Whatever through the skin the body can
expsl, it can absorb. Hold the end of your
finger in spirits of turpentine: it is absorbed,
goes through the system, and may be detect
ed by its odor. Constant handling Of arsenic
has produced death by absorption.
The doctor relates an account of q gen
tleman in the Barbados who was in the
habit of daily intoxication, and had con-
etructed tub with q pillow to accommo-
date his head, and when in this state he
was placed therein, and the tub was filled
with cold water, in which be reposed for
two or three hours, and then would arise
refreshed and invigorated. When his wife
or family required him they would wake
him up by taking out the plug and allowing
the water to escape, when he would pleas
anty complain of the Gloss of his bed
clothes"
Precipitation is eliminated from all parts
Of the body, and the excretions, cutaneous-
Iy forced, may from some parts of the sur
face be readmitted 20 the circulation, and if
poisonous or injurious, whenever the blood
visits it, must carry disease. Nature keeps
her side of the interior clean and soft,
and demands an unobstructed exterior,
and exudes to the surface the refuse matter
for removal by bathing and evaporation.
A dry, light powder, mixed with sweat and
oil from the glands, aud dust, clogs up the
pores. AS all parts of the cuticIe have
pores, as we'll as the face and arms, all the
body should be bathed at least one third as
many times as those are.
On board a slave-ship the small pox sud-
denly broke out. Medical aid was power
less. Every morning the dead in great
numbers were thrown overheard. In the
midst of terror and anguish, the negroes
cried out, LET US do as we do in our own
country with the sick" Permission being
given. they gently lowered their sick COM
panions into the sea, letting them remain a
few minutes, and then raised them, and
placed them in the sunlight on deck till
dried, and repeated the process several times,
when the disease left them, and they were
cured.
At Charleston, S. c., during the recent
epidemic, among several northern D1echan
les who had gone thither in company, but
one escaped the prevailing fever. and he
alone bathed frequently, and never slept at
night in any of the clothes worn by day.
The others cast off only their outer gar
msnts, slept in their perspiration, and died
Cold water is used and prescribed much
more than formerly, though many would
think physician not worth sending for
who should prescribe So simple remedy.
Abernethy's advice to one of his wealthy
patients was, '.Let your servant bring to
you three or four pals full of water and
put it into wash tub; take off your clothes,
get into it, and from head to foot rub your
self with it, and you'll recover" "This
advice seems very much like telling me TO
wash myself" said the patient. "Well,"
said Abernethy, sit is open to that objec-
ton
DR.. Currie used fresh water generally,
and by long and careful experience he found
that bathing prevented or cured most dis