Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1864-01-20
ABUSE OF THE STOMACH.

that mankind abuse themselves in some re-
spects worse than they would animals The
careful farmer sees that his stock has every
thing needful to health and comfort. that
1t Is under shelter, and has enough but not
too much, TO eat; and from this prudent
provision Tor his own pockets sake, the far
mer goes straightway to his own table and
eats greasy fried meats, vegetables sodden in
butter, and pastry or pudding as a make
weight to keep the load down the farmer
Is only the representative of a class. for per-
sons OF ali conditions In life are guilty of
similar practices. As this performance is
solely a matter of individual concern the
law mas no right to interfere, but we should
like to know why man in such a case is not
equally a suicide with him who saps the
foundation OF life with slow but subtle mar
cotlcs-laudanum, opium in other forms,
and the lmmOderate use of tobacco?
Perhaps we erred III drawing an ilustra-
ton between man and his beasts, because
the latter seldom or never exceed the bounds
OF the instinct which nature has provided
them with; but this trait being removed in
the sentlent belng-man-he gorges himself
to repletlon, and sooner or later his or her
posterity fall victims to the abuse OF the
stomach Some digestive organs are Strong
tortresses. Ffteen-inch shot in the shape
OF huge, doughy, apple dumplings, Greek
lire IN the semblance of scalding liquids,
followed by deluges Of ice water at the same
meal, rifle shot and MIME bullets, disguised
as pickles and sharp spices, have no appa-
rent effect. Pshaw, says the robust read
er my stomach can stand anything. [
never was sick in my life. F" All that is
quite probable but the strongest fortifca-
ton IN the world cannot resist the slow ad-
vance of rife-pit, sap, mine and parallel,
and the engineer knows full well that when
he puts spade into the ground the strong
hold Is virtually his The comparison holds
good with the stomachs of men although
for time the individuals who compose gen
eratIons OF families may defy disease of the
peculiar nature discussed, their posteritv
will be enfeebled until they are literally
swept off the face of the earth entirely, or
their blood absorbed into new and healthier
organizations. Thus we see races, or rather
families, die out; so great names perish.
In some easss ssohaa dRk has n md5sSStEE2yed the e9at
and dissipation generally, kept up through
a series of years, are the sap and mine of
which we spoke previously.
To paraphrase Patrick Henry, rs money
so dear and ease so sweet us to be purchased
at the sacrifice of life and health ?' Far
better, In physical sense, the humblest la
borer, with his simple fare and regular hab-
It's, than the millionaire and his disordered
The latter Is of 10 more use
to civilization as regards re-populating the
world with healthy human beings than
wooden puppet.
The great social vice of the American peo-
pie is eating too much and too fast We
are as a race naturally nervous in tempera-
ment, and this added to the evils tirst-men
toned results in the long, lean phy5iogno-
mics characteristic OF the nation. W hen an
American business man takes dinner he
does so generally with yer-eagerness and
a sort of gulping choke, as if 1t were an un-
pleasant duty which is painful TO witness.
gagged in calculating his profits and losses,
when he should be wholly at ease and cheer
iUl. Now, every one must know that such
practices are wrong-that they are not what
nature entended. The organs of the human
body, particular the digestive ones, are deli
cate In the extreme, and when used rudely
nature revolts and disease results. If it is
disputed that stomachs are naturally deli
cate, we may take the case OF a hardy out
door worker; confne him to sedentary or
partially sedentary life and require him to
overload his stomach as too many men do,
and then mark the result. He will as assur-
edly become dyspeptic as any one else.
The punishment inflicted on such infrac
-ions of common sense are severe but justly
and the remedy is as simple as
obvious. OF all the ills that flesh is heir to
there are none more distressing than those
which arise from indigestion. We are not
1f that class who put faith IN nostrunls, BIT |
5ers, purges and the whole nauseus category
Of the pharmacopmla Tor the reduction OF |
the disease III question. When the system
is already enfeebled we are to sustain it, not
lebilitate it; and this can only be done by
food of the proper kind, taken IN the right
way at certain times We are not going to
run raid against doctors or poach over
their field but we do think that patients
afflicted with dyspepsia have the means of
cure within their own reach. We have no
recipes to furnish, as we are not exactly IN
the medical line of business; but we feel 1t
Incumbent to lift up our voices against the !
abuse of the stomach and digestive
organs which prevails so extensively. Ad- |
vice is very CHEAP, and those who fear the
approach of disordered condition of the
parts mentioned, should take measures in
time to prevent the real attack. Nature |
makes feints In every part OF the system:
she hangs out head aches and stomach aches, /
pains in the back and limbs, horrible lassl- /
Iude and inanlty generally over the whole
system, as warnings that ere long the grand
attack which cannot be repulsed will take
place. Eat slowly, and even solemnly, If
you must, reader; but be cheerful and merry |
f you can eat slowly make your teeth do |
what nature intended they should, and do
not delegate their work to the stomach; it
has no teeth and is intended for another
purpose than mastication Live temperately
and avoid excitement; eschew quaek medi-
cines eat only the best and simplestfood, and
e Won do NOT recover wholly vouwill at least