The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-10-05
Food, Exercise and ClolhinE.
From uIe Philadelphia LedgeT.

III country WneTe lneI6 dIeS eA-
tremes of climate AS in the United
States, and where the amount OF exer-
Ecise taken is so various, according TO
the occupation, one of the most impor-
tant arts ofIife is TO vary the food taken,
both solid and liquid, with the circum-
stances and habits of daily life. More
sickness, if not also more sin, are
owing to want of consideration and
steady }selEconquest in adapting one TO
the other than can we'll be expressed.
| There is no great change of fashion but
some deep experience lies at the bottom
| of II, and the history OF these changes
would form no small portion of the
medical, as well as the religious history
| of man. ..-.H
Since Liebig has unrolded so many
| of the mysteries of animal chemistry,
the relations OF food, not only to bone
| and muscle, hut to climate, to clothing,
and to work have become matters of
exact science. The great trouble is,
however. that few can understand
enough of the scientific Investigations
requisite to make much practical use
of more than the outline or them. But
every man may know that there are
exact and proper proportions 10 be OBJ
served between the exercise man
I
and alittle experience, with occasional
medical hints, may enable him TO learn
how to preserve, restore, and in many
cases perfect and preserve his health
with little medicine. or rather 10 make
all his food medicinal. -rssa !,
Before, however, most men discover
that care. is needed, habits OF eating
and drinking have been formed that
need to be reformed and controlled, and
the power OF appetite and the habit to-
getherioverpower the dictates of reason
and the strongest resolutions at each
meal.= One way to obtain the necessary
control is by having something higher
to live for than the mere animal graft
| fication of eating or drinking, and set
ting that strongly before the mind as
| the most easy method OF obtaining the
desired self-control. Many. men have
their favorite studies, and the superior
enioyments of knowledge and make 1t
comparatively easy to regulate the
body, SO as most perfectly to facilitate
the Improvement of the mind. With
others ambition Is the ruling passion.
They want to amass wealth, or To bring
up family respectfully, or to take
command OF others; and to follow any
great pursuit of this sort they must
keep the control of themselves, and
often do thus keep il. Others find the
sense of moral obligation the most
powerful of all motives. In all ages
peculiar views of religion have diGta-
led the facts and the feasts of men, and
controlled all their bodily appetites for
the time most powerfully.
But as steady lorce, habits of reas-
oning aud close observation AS TO the
effects OF food, will be found one OF the
best means of promoting temperance
and so securing health. II children
were more carefully taught in all
schools to understand the great prln'
NlnxP Il
ana the consequences OF all the more
common excuses were pointed out TO
them, It would have an instructive effect
in controlling appeLites, and preventing
the formation of bad habits. 1t is gem
orally among the crowds of those not
accustomed 10 reason closely on any
subject, much less upon the effects of
what we eat and drink, that we find
the greatest excess in what they take.
AT other times, u partial attempt AT
reasoning from II wrong stand point,
has caused almost equal mischief.
Men, simply and supremely
anxious 10 avoid the wrong
have often thought that the exact and
extreme opposite of each excess OF in
dulgence must be the highest virtue.
This has been the foundation OF those
rules of extreme abstinance which, in
every age, springing from the most con-
scietiOus motives, have been chiefly
nSefuI III showing IrOu eXCeSSeS VI All
kinds, how various are the conditions
in which men differently yCirCumstanced
can survive and flourish. From the
most ancient times, in proportion as
the common danger has been eating to
excess, severe fastings have been cher
ished and esteemed almost divine. In
proportion as drunkenness has abound
ed, total abstinance from all that can
intoxicate has become the natural and
safe remedy. But if men were TO at
tempt to abstain from cold water at the
same time, there would be very soon
an eni ofall further efforts in that di-
rection. There is AN old Jewish story
that after the flood Moan complained
that, though the waters of a deluge
were only subsiding, yet there were so
many animals and men drowned he
could not possibly drink the water;
upon which an angel flew swiftly from
the courts above bearing to Noah some
sprigs of the vine. But, from his day
to the present, men have not always
known now 10 Keep in due bounds
when they got tasting the juice OF the
grape. Hence, from Samson's time and
before, to that of Franklin, cold water
men have esteemed themselves safer,
healthier and stronger. But physicians
| find that all food must be proportioned
to exercise and clothing, and varied
according to the liability to excess or
defect. mao.