The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1869-04-23
Revsisr HsStfs.

A person visiting New York for the ilrst
time, and curious to observe the peculiar
tiles OF the metropolis, would probably
Immediately notice the great number of
restaurants, eating.houscs and stands, In
the markets and streets, loaded with eata-
bles. Go where he would, by day or
night, he would find accommodations for
eating and people availing themselves Of
them. The facilities thus afforded for OBJ
tanning meals Mt all hours are, without
doubt, leading to great Irregularities in
eating, and thus exciting delctcrious In.
hucnce upon the public health. It may,
therefore, not be amlss to devote briei
space to the con nsideration Of the effect Of
nll irregularities In habits Of living, upon
the animal economy. ..r'
/ It Is a fact well recognized by physiolo-
gists, that the constitution Of living beings
possesses q rccuperativc power that Is ca
pablo Of resisting attack from external
agencies, or, rather, Is able to restore tho
damage caused by such attacks. The
lower In the scale Of existence an animal
Is found, the stronger Is the power Of It's
organism to restore parts removed by
mechanical means, and the less II is sus-
cepliblc to the influences which cause
disease. II, from individuals Of the low
er orler of animals, u limb or even por-
ton OF the body be removed, n new one
will grow In Its place, and In many cases
the part removed will supply the ncccs-
sary parts which arc absent, and become
q complete organism. In vegetables this
Is almost universally tho case; and the
propagation Of plants by slips cut from
the parent stem Is process OF daily oc-
currencc In horticulture. The rccupcra-
tive power Is indeed so great In many
plants, that they can, by the most extreme
efforts, be scarcely removed from soil
where they have once obtained foothold.
The plant known to farmers rs quack-
grass Is good example.
The power to restore parts which have
been lost extends to the highest orders Of
animal creation. Teeth which have been
removed by mechanical means have often
grown together 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, how
ever, probably the only organ that the
human recuperative energy has power IN
restore.
As ago advances, this power becomes
less, so that repair takes place slowly, and
In very advanced age ceases altogether.
Broken bones refuse to unite, and abra-
sions Of the skin become chronic ulcers.
There Is however striking characters-
tic ofthe power Of recuperation, which
has most important bearing upon the
health, both Of men and animals. II Is
this: The power to restore increases with
the regularity Of the power and periods OF
attack. II Is rs II the constitution were n
citadel, upon the reduction Of which two
kinds Of tactics were employed. So long
as the attacks are made at regular inter
vals, the garrison may sleep while the be-
sieging forces arc Withdrawn, and rise re-
frcshed to increase resistance; but attack
II at unexpected times, and with irregular
force, and unrcmltting vigilance must at
last wear out the strength OF the besIegcd.
Many phenomena which cannot be ac-
counted for In any other way Mt once find
an explanation by the application Of this
truth. A man who Is addicted to the usc
OF alcoholic liquors may often drink very
freely for years without any apparent Sc
rious dctrimcnt tohcalth, II he Is regular
In the times and quantities Of his pota-
tions; while another who only takes an
occasional spree viii suffer from the con-
sequences Of his indulgence.
The taking Of proper exercise, pure air,
sustenancc, sleep, and recreation may bc
compared to the withdrawal Of the attack
Ing forces. 1.-THE Withdrawals are regular,
the attacks will also be regular andthe re-
sisting power Of the vital structure will In
the meantime have accumulated.
We believe six hours Of sleep per diem,
begun and ended ut uniform times, are as
good as eight Mt irregular periods. II fol-
lows then, that regular sleep gives two
hours, ut least, more time per day ayaila-
BILE for business, pleasure or study, than
can be otherwise obtained. ...........
In short, nothing is 80 economical as
regular habits. Less food, less slccp,lcss
clothing. less medicine Il required 10 sus-
tain nature; and better health, more hap
pIness, more wealth, more knowledge, and
longer life are obtained In their exercise.
-Sei<stihe Amsriean. I'd. .....