The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1872-04-04

lly Jared and unulStufDeu III plloii
vital functions il there existed al
ordinary amount Of physical health.
We must content ourselves with
the common belief that nervous
ness, as it is styled, is incapable OF
amelioration. A proper diet and a
needful amount OF exercise will re-
store the nervous system, uni SIS the
vital forces are nearly destroyed,
and even then it can DO greatly
benefited. Death is not IN aggres-
sor, but awaits our bidding, and
daily the suicides drop off around
us. The majority Of men and wo-
men are busiIy engaged in "dig.
ging their graves with their teeth"
and Us n recent writer says, when
we calculate that three simple meals
each day, during one year, will put
our sipgularly complicated diges-
tive functions strongly to the test
for one thousand and ninety times,
we can readily understand the ma
ture of this popular performance.
Besides these, there are all the lit
tie additional delving efforts which
the customs of society give rise to
in the course of the day, and it is q
most happy thing, if only on this
ground, that sleep has been granted
to man, that he nay, fJr some hours
at least, cease from these sepulchral
operations.
The old men OF Greece and Rome
exercised "to ward off old age and
if we in this generation would only
initiate their wise example,, we
should hear of fewer cases Of soft.
ening of the brain and apoplexy.
1t is better to walk before eating,
and rest an half hour before solid
food is taken. In tropical climates
people can exist without much ex-
~ercise, but in our northcr cline, it
is absolutely necessary for q health
full organization. We have album
dant medical authority for this
statement. Sydenham writes,
"Want of exercise withers the
body, and dregs, such as govt, are
laid up" DR.. John Hunter wrote
to the author of "Tho Utility of
Muscular Action for Restoring the
Power Of the Limbs: 81 have a
high opinion of exercise and in
many cases, it may be said to finish
where the healing art had done it's
utmost; and 1 regret that your art
is not more generally known and
pratciced." We all know that there
arc disorders where perfect rest is
the one thing needful, but in such
cases the food should be advisediy
chosen, taking care not to cat too
much of the hydrocarbons. These
are found in pastry, butter, fatty
meats, tine wheat bread, warm
cakes-whether fried or baked
and all stimulants. One should Sc.
lect muscle-forming food, such as is
contained in roast and boiled bee
and muttoa, eggs in all their forms
but fried, Graham bread, cracked
wheat, oatmeal greats, and all kinds
of fruit. Fish diet is always health
full, as it bounds in phosphate
which is needlul in the growth 0
the brain.
The first physician who practicet
medical gymnastics was Herodicu'
surnamed the Gymnastic and he
was one of.the instructors Of Hippo
cratus. These two physician
Judged it to be as much the physi
clans duty to provide against dis
eases in the healthy man, as to cure
him who was already i'll. Hence
they rendered the science prolific o
much good, giving it an intimate re
lationsh'p with the health OF th'
bodies oil men, as well as the sick
ness. The Chinese are really wise.
than we in these matters. kiel
Sing, emperor Of China, asked al
English ambassador how physi
clans were paidin England, whel
the enstom was explained. Gear
any man in your country afford t,
be sick? Now l will tell you how .
deal with my doctors. Ihave four
to whom the care tf my health il
committed, and a weekly salary i
allowed them 4; but the moment .
am i'll, their pay is stopped till l an
well again. need not inform yol
that my illness is never tediousl..
long"
Cyrus, king of Persia, estimated
SO highly the exercise Of the mus
cular system that he caused his sub
jects to study to use it Alright, TO
he did not know which was the mos
needful to the body, food u exercise
Scion tells us that exercise sup
plies % needful element to the hu
man body, just as in purging TIL
wheat by tanning it, the cmpt.,
chaff is scattered and removed b,
the wind, whilst the pure seed i
separated and accumulated.
Friction, by rubbing the limbs, is
wonderful aid to some diseases, an
should be more frequently r%esorte'
to-. The aneicnts held it in high es
TEEN, and it was always %connecte'
with their baths. It is but anothe
form of exercise, and those who can
not walk should try its effect. /
will often produce sleep when al
narcotics fail. A sponge-bath G
warm water and a rapid friction
rubbing the limbs up, rather thai
down, Is intensely soothing to bod,
and mind. Socrates taught tina
the strength of the body is destroy
ed both by violence and idlenest
but preserved by exercise and mo
-, H;,po,rto, Jo,1o,o5 fbor &c