The union Democrat., 1870-08-27
Gbs lniun 9emorraf.
nc,rrein4ioa or american vitality.


sppar reader, during this terribly exhaust
;ng s.egiializ;n. weather, we have steadily
keof t3 u pre- adopted resolution that we
wouaa leave the discussion of the heated
tersas entirely 10 the daiies and health inas-
nalss:~ end, although the above head'ng
isaf..,t at frss sight lead to the belief that our
staeI- Of euliee,s is so Gar exhausted tnhi we
are ompelled to resort 10 rehearsal oil tue
oft-repeatei platitudes which annually ap-
hear AZ this season, about the heat. and the
east. and the wey 10 avoid sun-stroAe, anu
low 10 keen cool, and how to get gooc s!eep
in lrot weather. etc, etc we assure you 'na'
ve have something more weighty to discuss.
Ma Americans are charged with de
crease in vitality - not at this particular
season. bit in general. We plead mot gull
q tothe charge"
What i the evidence of our decreasing VI
tality The report Of life insurance conf
pnnv. which shows that out OF forty-tour
deaths occurring during the past year among
lie insured, eighteen had been insured only
three years.
This cotcmporary takes as ample evi-
dence of the decrease of american vital
ity.u and gives US column-and-a-halt hon.
ily upon CTR sins Of omission and commission,
which in its opinion are fast bringing the ma
ton into state OF pEy ysical degradation.
In aefence of our plea, we call attention to
The following facts. First, that the present
competition among life insurance COMPANIES,
md the methods in which many of them
transact business, are such that we wonder
the pronortion of deaths occurring among
their insured is not greater than it is. Second,
the fact that we, as people, bear and endure
thon IA II
creasinc rather than decreasing vitality.
Only consider for moment the burdens
of dress which our increasing civilization I'M
roses. Think of tho bunion-breeding-bo
the chestcompressing corsets, the fashiona.
bic. black silk, headachy hats for males, and
the almost entire absence of hat for females.
Think OF the horrible heaps of hair bundled
upon the heads OF our women, and the mer-
ci,ess exposure of the necks and legs of Amer
icanchiliren.
Think of the indiscriminate way in which
wc bolt our food ut all hours, and how that
food is adulterated, and how abominably it
is cooked Think of Che gallons of tepid en-
eryating drinks we swallow, and the annual
consumption Of alcohol and tobacco.
Think of the system of taskinG and cram
ming from books, which we call education,
aud how our daughters graduating ut eight
cen from seminaries of learning, are expect
el to have mastered or done their best to
master all tie deal and living languages, the
sciences, literature. and metaphysics.
Think of what frightful drafts upon the
hours of natural rest are made by the balls,
routs. and parties of fashionable society.
Think Of how our young men plunge either
up to tho neck in dissipation, or rush with
out stint into business in the mad race fol
riches.
Think of how all this rush and hustle, this
highly seasoned mental and bodily food feeds
the passions, and begets craving for thu
excitement which in turn, instead OF satisfy
ing. feeds the craving.
Think Of our swift Journeys by land ana
sen, Think how the telegraph brings al
countries near, and how events, the news o
which thirty years since would have scarce
reached us in months, are now retailed by
the news mongers next morning before we
get down to breakfast, demanding increased
activity of brain, and keeping the mind con-
stantly at work.
{ 1t is safe to say that an average American
IF to-day lives more in one year than he could
have dore in ten, half century ago.
And vet he stands il pretty we'll. To be
sure. his nerves are rather sensitive, and he
finds il hard to sit STILL You will nearly al
ways see him dancing his cane, or drumming
on the table, twitching his legs, whistling. oil
humming q tune. But even these additional
drafts upon his vitality are honored by his
constitution in way that shows that al
though lie may, and often does overdraw the
account, that account must be o large one al
the outset og kia career.
No! American lives may be shorter than
formerly. although we think there is moi
good evidence of even this but vitality must
be on the increase, or the drains made upon
it would make us all bankrupt
We rest our case. What say you, gentle
men of the jury?