The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1864-07-12

OUR HEALTH.
The saubrIJy of our city is, doubtless,
largely dependent on natural causes, but the
personal habits Of a population are neyerthe-
less highly important to this public health. i
Is not eZtravagant to say that, in great ma
iolisy OF cases. those who are attacked with
the complaints which are peculiar to the sum-
mer season are quite as much indebted for
their suffering or death TO some abuse or
rash indiscretion, either in over-eatlng, or
eating improper food, as to the fithiness Of
streets and houses and to bad air, on which so
much stress is laid in accounting for the
origin or prevalence OF an epidemic. We
allUde to these facts now because the time Is
favorable to diseases which assail especially
the digestive organs; and because there is,
therefore, an urgent occasion that every citi-
zen should be unusually careful, both in
selecting his dict with a view to its whole
scne character and in abstaining from con-
suming more than the stomach, in the relaxed
and weakened condition peculiar to such
weather as we are now experiencing, can
safely bear.
We are persuaded that this neglect Is not
properly appreciated by the multitude. They
read with terror the accounts OF mortality in
distant localities, and are ready 70 fly from
their own homes upon the first authentic
assurance that the yellow fever or other like
plagCe 10 in our midst. They conceive that the
infect GUS poison is resident merely in the air
they breathe, and that the only possible
chance of immunity from It's effects lies in
abrupt fight to seine more healthy region,
where the atmosphere is not contaminated.
They seem to forget that they have, in a
great measure, the means Of protection in q
wisely regulated system of personal clean
illness, sobriety of habit, in eating and
drinking, and in the maintenance of a cheer
full and tranquil state of mind. To these
considerations they pay little or no attention.
With all their apprehensions of being hurried
prematurely out Of life by a contagious dis
order, mysteriously blown about as they sup
rose, by the winds, they cannot resist that sort
of sepsuality which Induces the most criminal
violations Of the plainest laws and conditions
Of health. The lust of the palate is too strong
for rational prudence; and instead of adopt
ing and resolutely adherlng to that kind o
sumptuary regimen which circumstances i'm
peratively require as an indispensable msan:
Of security against disease, they impose little
or no restraint upon their appo,ites, and swil
and gormandize with freedom which no con
sitution, in the presence of the mOrbll'
agencies that surround us during the heats o
summer, can possibly stand.
= 1t is the increased susceptibility to derange
| - ,eh l., tI,o I'll a,
of the "dog days." that we should be con
stantly mindful of and careful to guart
against. We should remember that what w
may Go with inpunity at any other time ma,
be rendered emiuently dangerous and ever
fatal now; that things which we may haV,
been accustomed TO eat or drink, that ex
, ccsses which we may have been wont b
practise without sensible injury. acquire
deadly potency at period when the vital force
are enieebled by noxious influences whicl
our senses cannot detect, but which ar
cnly waiting an opportunity to deyeope thel
malignity and power The first entrance tha
a mnlady ever gains into community lilS
ours, Is often tTaceable TO causes over whicl
we possess entire control; and none Is NOR
important than due regulation of our habit
in the very particulars OF which we arc speak
ing. The public authorities of a town ma,
! use all possible diligence in the enforcemon
:. Of sanitary ordinances; they may go to an
expense in the work; they may Ill ever
. street, and alley, and court with scav
eIgers; turn rivers of water through then
and employ any amount OF disinfecting agent
in the process cf publication; but AL tiei
vigilance, all their labor, all their mlhih
! cence, will be in vain as protection agaias
cholera or yellow fever, or the like, If tn
people themselves do not adopt and strlcl
= observe requisite hy9ienic measures in thei
:. own persons and households. In order {
preserve the public health; each one mus
take care of his individual health, and II is {
be hoped that every citizen for his own sAl1
as well as for that Of the community, wi
= keep his fact in mind, and govern him5e
accordingly.