Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1872-12-17
Our National Physique.

The Americans Is Q nation are notoriously
Careless Of their health. We make money land
lose /, for that matter) in many cases without
apparent physical effort, and that, too, BY ig-
horing the rules for the accumulation of wealth
laid down by "Poor Richard of almanac
memory. "Early to bed and esrlyto rise," &C.,
may have been just the thing for the slow coach
days of good old Ben. Franklin, but the Amer
lean can't see the matter i'm that light and
slate 10 bed and early to rise'' is the modern
version OF the old adage. We don't ego" much
on plodders, aud habits of regularity such as
obtained in ''the good old colony days" of Miles
Stsndish, and which are still practlced to a
great extent In Europe at the present DAY do not
count much when put into the balance against
vim, dash, and sudacitY. The fact is. we
haven't time to be methotical in orr
habits-or rather we imagine we haven't.
Engishmen, for instance, look upon an Amer
lean boiling his meals and rushing to business
with wondering horror. Dickens in one of his
works burlesques the American fashion of eat
iug, when he describes the first dinner NJ artin
Chuzzlewit ate in New York. The gong
sounded; instantly grand rush for the dining
room ensued; people were overturned and
tTaInpled upon in the Railways; the unsophisti-
Gated BTitisher went down in the charge and
on recovering his equilibrium innocently in
CURED OF the waiter where the fire was re-
cel'ing the reply Fire! why, dere is no fire;
We l. only gwine to dinner" As nation we
are altogether too careless of the public health,
and there are strong reasons why that important
subject should receive the attention OF our
Rational legislators.
During the closing days Of the second session
o. the present Congress, " "A bill to establish
bureau of sanitary science" was introduced
IN the House By Mr.. Maynard, and referred to
he adj
be brought up during the present session, and,
Judging from the favor with which the meas
uTe Is regarded by those who have carefully
considered it, may become law. The bill en-
acts that there shall be established at the seat
of government, and attached to the depart
nent OF the Interior, national sanitary bu-
Ieau, the general design and duties OF which
shall be TO acquire and diffuss among the peo-
PIE OF the United States useful information on
subjects connected with the preserva alton of the
public health, and to aid in the estab-
fshmeDt OF efficient sanitary and Guaran-
tine regulations throughout the United States.
The memorial OF DIR. G. c. Cox. OF this city,
(Who first conceived the plan of a national san
itsry bureau, y accompanying the bill, sets forth
the vital necessity OF preserving the health of
the nation, upon which, in no small degree, de-
Pends its mental and moral elevation IN peace,
II u
scientific national organization is needed for the
general record Of statistics bearing upon the
public health and safety; to determine the cause
OF disease; to examine into the comparative in
tuence Of different occupations and diets &C.
These views were presented at q meeting OF
the American Health Association in New York
IN May last, and received hearty approval At
subsequent meeting of the association which
Is composed OF leading sanitsriazs from differ
ent sections OF the United States, q committee
was appointed TO urge upon Congress the i'm
Portsnce Of passing the bill referred to for the
establishment, Of bureau Of sanitary science.
We have a bureau of education Tor the dis
seminatiOn OF educational information; a de-
paTtnent OF agriculture for the diffusion OF
agricultural knowledge, and a signal bureau TO
Keep us posted IN regard to meteorological
changes, past and prospective. The friends OF
bureau Of sanitary science claim for il prece-
dence In importance over either OF the branches
0fthe government named since the public health
underles the very existence OF the republic
l--clI.