Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1861-05-02
SPRING SUGGESTIONS I'm REGARD TO
HEAITH.

w. w. Hall, M. d., editor OF the journal o.
Health, makes some suggestions in the April
number Of his publication, which strikes us as
being as sensible as they are worthy OF con-
sideration by the residents of all nations OF our
country. We therefore transfer them to the
careful perusal of our readers'-
DO not take off your winter flannel sooner
than the first of May, but then change to
thinner article of the same material They are
wisest and healthiest who wear wooden flannel
the whole year. Arrange to have fire kept
up all day in the family room however warm it
may be out of doors, until the first of May =; |
and in the morning and evening daily until the |
first of June. The editor has lived in the most
malarial region in the world perhaps, and when
the thermometer was a hundred and twelve at
noon, a fire was regularly kindled at sunrise
and sunset in his Office, and sat by. Disease,
malignant fever, and death reigned in every di.
rection, and yet he had not seconds sickness.
1t is because brisk fire not only creates draft,
and thus purilies a room, but so rarefes the
deadly air that it is carried to the ceiling where
it can not be breathed The simple precaution
of having FIRE kindled in the family room at
sunrise and sunset in late spring and early fall,
is known by eminent names in the army and
navy surgery to be the most efficient preventive
of all forms of fever and ague, and spring and
fall diseases; in fat, wet, warm countries, it is
almost u specific against those diseases. No
man would be considered sane who should keep
up as hot fires in his house as the spring adj
vances as he did in mid-winter. Food is the
fuel which keeps the human house-the body
warm hence, if as much is eaten in spring as
in winter, we are kept too warm we burn up
with fever; we are oppressed; we suffer from
lassitude. All nature takes a new lease OF life
with spring but man. 1t is because he alone is
unwise. The brute beasts, the COW, the horse,
the OK these turn to a new diet and go out to
grass, to crop every green thing; they would
never come to the stable or barnyard of choice
to eat the cheating" Grinding" oats and corn
on which they luxuriated during the winter !;
they eat watery food which is light and purify
ing. Not so with man he continues his meats
and fats, his greases and his gravies, as at
Christmas. Watchful nature takes away his
appetite for these, and because he does not "rel-
ish" them as he did few weeks before, he be-
gins to conclude that something is the matter,
and measuring the amount of his health by the
amount he can send down his throat, he begins
to stimulate the appetite, thinks he must use
some tonic, readily assents to any suggestion
which includes bitters and whisky, especially
the latter; in addition, he puts more mustard,
and pepper, and catsup on his meats, seasons
goaded so that she will bear no more, and yields
to the fatal dysentery or bilious collie, or hap
PLY relieves herself by a copious diarrhea.
Does not every reader know that fever and ilux,
and diarrhea are common ails of spring? Bat
you did not know one of the two chief causes
mans gluttony as above described! Tens of
thousands of lives would be saved every spring.
and an incalculalhe amount of human discom-
fort would be prevented, if early in March, or
at most by the first of April, meat and grease
and flied food of every description were ban
ished from the table wholly at least for break
fast and supper. If meat will be eaten for din
ner, let it be lean; use hominy and "samp"
largely, have no fries, eat but little butter; use
eggs, celery, spinach, vinegar; keep the body
clean, spend every hour possible in the open
air, snuffing in the spring; but by every con-
sideration of wisdom and of health, have good
fire to come to and sit by with all your garments
on, for eight or ten minutes after all forms IF
exercises otherwise YOU will wake up next
morning as stiff as a bean-pole and as "sore'
as if you had been pounded in a bag, to the
effect of your exercise having done your more
harm than good and concluding that work don't
agree with you; however beneficial it may be
to others, you take no more for weeks and
months. Man is certainly the biggest mule tina,
ever was created. For the sake of giving some
general idea as to how much sedentary persons
should eat in spring, particularly those who are
most of the time indoors, it may be we'll tc
name the bill of fare. At breakfast, take
single cup of weak coffee or tea, some cold bread
and butter, with one or two soft boiled eggs
and nothing else. Twice week bit of ham
or salt-fish may be used in place of the eggs
but then no meat should be eaten for dinner
that day. If there is no appetite for eggs OF
the salt meat, it is because nature needs nothin.
more than the bread and butter and the drink
and nature is wise. When there is not mucl
inclination to eat. q baked or roasted potato
with little salt and butter, is good substi
tute for an egg or piece of ham. Substitute
for these again are found in a roasted apple o
in stewed fruit or cranberry-sauce. Dinner
half glass of cold water, cold bread and but
ter, and pieces of lean meat. Of any sort. will
baked or roasted potatoes. or some other veg
etable; as dessert. stewed fruits or berries @
any sort. and nolbinp else. sumner. n singl
cum of weak tea. some cola stale broad and bn,
ter, and nothing else whatever; any relish a
it is called. whether in the shane of bit O
dried beef or cold ham. or sauce. or nreserveS
This is strong language; but such things d
give millions of persons restless nights, un