New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-08-06
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
TEN LAWS OF HEALTH,


BLACK, Nj. d. limo. pp. S22s j. H. LpplncoU q w.
The knowledge Of the laws of hygiene OF the con-
itons Of good health has kept equal pace with the
nrocress of physiological and medical science so
chat the excessive prevalence of sickness In modern
society is the consequence of negligent habits OF IN
difference to the action of cause and erect Iatner
than Of ignorance. In the present volume the re-
sults of scientific research are exhibited in popular
form. unembarrassed by technical details, and IN
style impressive by its excellent practical sense anu
attractive by its neatness and simplicity Ihe'au
thor has aimed less at novelty of statement tah ~
tborouebness of information, and if the reader VINO
mas arrived at that age when he is either
ar fool as far as his own constitution is concerned
shall ind little that is absolutely new in It's pages
he viii rot fail to recognize the clearness OF l's
method and the good taste and marked intelligence
of its composition
canital point in tho very outset of the work is
the voluntary character of the principal types OF
disease If men and women In the present state OF
knowledge on the subject are the victims OF Ill
health II is because they do not choose TO apply the
means by which it can be averted. People are SICK
for the most part not through any mystic acton OF
the "skicy Influences" or through any arbitrary
intervention Of the divine providence but because
they recldossly run their heads against post with
their eyes open. If the human race would live as
they ought to live, they would be free IN a great
measure from Sickness and when the time comes,
would fall TO pieces like the "onehoss shay of the
poet from the gradual decays of nature, and not
from tile violent and superiuOus process OF disease
Medical the first TO recognize this fact Ihey
will admit with remarkable unanimity, that oil the
one thousand diseases which the flesh OF man is heir
TO. a very small proportion absolutely in
evitabo. Apart from the invisible and subtle
operation of malaria it is held by the most
eminent authorities that Eve hold our health and
life almost at VIII"
In the savage state, men have generally referred
their diseases TO the agency of spiritual
being and united the offices of physician and priest
With the advance Of knowledge this illusion has
been dspelled Natural causes have been recognized
as sufficient TO account for the phenomena IN ques-
fion. But even here many errors have erept IN. 1t
is common opinion that nearly all diseases, when
do not arise from imprudences i'll eating and drink
ing. arc theresUlt of exposure to cold But as d.
Black maintains. cold is not necessarily or III itself
cause Of disease There is no uniformity in the
action of this agent. So far cold has any effect,
what viii cause disease at time Will not at
another. very slight exposure will sometimes
bring on an attack Of disease while at another
time q great and prolonged exposure does no HARM
When a wave of cold air sweeps over continent,
in one case it produces inflammation, IN another
neuralgia, in a third cough, and III fourth rheum-
atism while with great majority of the inhabitants
it only braces and invigorates the whole body.
Indeed, according to the best modern opinions,
nature plays but small part in the production OF
disease. Tie increase Of the average duration
of human life from nineteen to thirty-nine
years cannot be ascTibed to any favorable
change in nature, but to the improved by
cienic methods which men have adopted The
reason why man is the most sicllly Of beings is his
neglect OF the natural conditions of health He can
rot be guilty Of lawessness in the treatment OF him
self without harm. The animal Is bound by the
law of its nature and cannot do otherwise than con
form to it. With the animal there is no power OF
choice and hence il IS in accordance with nature, and
when unaided by man, is almost wholly free from
disease Nor has man, like the animal, an ntutlve
perception of hat is good for him. lie must ex-
pertinent and prove in order to find out what Is for
lis benefit and what is for lis harm. He thus
learns the existence Of certain laws which when fol-
lowed lead to the one, when departed from to the
other This is true not only of all his modes of
using himself but of all his modes of using the
forces of nature. lie knows enough to deduce the
laws by which lie should complete the government
of his actions and become powerful over himself,
he is powerful over nature. Let him reduce these
laws TO a simple CODE showing that disease is the
penalty of his ignorance and lawessness he may be-
come the most healthy instead of the most sickly
ibeing in the animal creation.
Tie primary condition Of health. as everybody
Knows nowadays is the breathing Of pure air. This
fact is illustrated by the author with peculiar
f,rce The leading quality Of the atmosphere as he
vel sets forth. is its constant motion. 1t either
PUSHES with the force Of ahurricane, or moves so
gently as only 10 be detected 10y the hazy dust that
moves in a shadow pierced by sunbeam. This per-
petual mobility has most benefcent effect. 1t carries
81 into infinite space all the impure eXhalatOns Of
Ian and beast. Ii sweeps away the foul air which
constantly arises from our streets and our court
yards thousand times day. With these oondi-
tons, we need suffer 10 harm from noXious gases.
" Bat man often does his utmost 10 set these con-
dtions at defiance. He builds himself houses, thick,
Heavy solid and as alright as ingenuity can de-
use II is his study to render the air in his rooms
IS motionless as possible, and 10 shut of all COM
nunication between the inside and the outside Of
hie house. small air-leal., from dOOrjOint, win
dow-fIalne, or mfnitesimal cTeUce must be in
ttantly remedied. In thus boxing up in bis apart
mmts a few cubic feet Of air lie thinks himself and
these he holds dear fortunate in being shut
IL rom outside purity where lie must in
hale tie same air again and again. At
tight he goes into a sleepng-ToOm per-
taps not more than eight by ten feet il size, win
dove down doors closed, to breathe its four OF five
loesheads Of air some half a dozen times over be-
fore morning. On entering such an apartment
from the pure, crisp, outside, morning atmosphere
the foulness is almost OvGpowering. This foul air
is often allowed 10 remain throughout the day
without any Of escape, ready TO he rebreathed
~ the succeeding night. The result is that the
lungs are half starved the blood becomes poisoned
aud the occupant gets up in the morning as
weary, as lanWid, and as unrefreshed as when he
lay down. He thinks and the idea is cher
ished by many regarded as authorities, that bis