The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-07-12
Importance of Regular Habits.

A person visiting New York for the first time,
and curious TO observe the pecnliarities of the
metropolis, would probably Immediately notice
the great number OF restaurants, eating houses,
and stands in the markets aud streets, loaded
with eatables. Go where he would, by day or
night, he would find accommodations for eating
AMI people ayaiiDg themselves of them. The
facilities thus afforded for obtaining meals at all
hours, are, without doubt, leading TO great ire
gularities in eating, and thus exciting delete
TOus influence upon the public health. II may
therefore, not be amiss TO devote a brief space
TO the consideration Of the effect of all irregular
ties in habits of living upon the animal economy.
il is fact well recognized by Psychologists,
that the constitution Of living beings possesses a
recuperative power that is capable Of resisting
attacks from external agencies or, rather, is able
to restore the damage caused by such attacks.
The lower in the scale Of existence an animal is
found, the stronger is the power of its organism
to restore parts removed by mechanical means,
and the less is its susceptibility TO the influences
which cause disease. If from individuals of the
lower orders OF animal limb, or even portion
of the body be removed, new one will grow in
its place, and in many cases the part removed
will supply the necessary parts which are absent,
and become complete organism. In vegetables
this is almost universally the case and the prOpa-
cation of plants by slips cut from the parent
stem, is process OF daily occurrence in horticu-
ture. The recuperative power is indeed so great
in many plants that they can, by the most eX-
IRENE efforts, be scarcely removed from a soil
plant known TO farmers as Quackgrass is a good
example.
The power to restore parts which have been
lost extends TO the highest orders of the animal
creation. Teeth which have been removed by
mechanical means have often grown again in the
human Jaw years after the second set which take
the place Of the first, in the regular course of
nature, had been supplied. This is, however,
probably the only organ that the human recupera-
tive energy has power to restore.
AS age advances this power becomes less, so
that repair takes place slowly, and in very adj
vanced age ceases altogether. Broken bones re-
fuse 10 unite, and abrasions Of the skin become
chronic ulcers.
There is, however, striking characteristic of
the power of recuperation, which has most i'm
pOrisnt bearing upon the health, both Of men and
animals. It is this: The power 10 restore in-
creases with the regularity of the power and
periods of Attack II is if the constitution were
a citadel, upon the reduction of which two kinds
of tactics were employed. So long as the attacks
made at regular intervals the garrison may
sleep while the besieging forces are withdrawn,
and rise refreshed TO increased resistance; bat
attack it at unexpected times, and with irregular
force, and unremittiDg vigilance must at last wear
out the stTanRth of the besieged.
Many phenomena which cannot be accounted
for in any other way, at once find an explanation
by the application of this truth. A man who is
addicted to the use of alcoholic liquors may often
drink very freely for years without any apparent
serious detriment 20 health if he is regular in the
times and quantities Of his pOtatiOns; while
other, who only takes an occasional spree" will
suffer from the consequences of his indulgence.
The taking of proper exercise, pure air, susie
nance, sleep, and recreation, may be compared to
the withdrawal Of the attacking forces. II the
Withdrawals are regular the attacks will also be
regular, and the resisting power of the vital
structure will in the meantime have accumulated.
We believe that six hours Of sleep per. diem,
begun and ended at uniform times, are as good
a. eight taken at irregular periods. Il follows.
then, that regular sleep gives two hours at least
more time per day. available for business, pleasure
! or study than can be otherwise obtained.
In short, nothing is so economical as regular
habits Less food less sleep, less clothing, less
medicine is required 10 sustain nature. aud better
health, more happiness, more wealth, more knowl.
edge and longer life are obtained in their exer-
| cise.-[Scientlfc American.