Los Angeles daily herald., 1875-02-16
Suggestions on Health.

EDITOR HERALD: love machinery,
and am never more at home than
when among the busy wheels, or
watching the tireless arm of the en-
gine as it answers to the expanding
steam. Think what the mechanical
power that has been utilized within
the last century out Of the inertia of
the coal measures-the gravitation of
falling water and the momentum of
the wind has accomplished as COM
pared with mere manual labor. But
that the whole of mans ingenuity
should be turned to develop material
wealth the mental and
grand aims and destiny. There must
be certain balance, an equilibrium
kept up between all the powers to
have harmony. What is it but this
principle that has brought on all the
struggles between nations in the wars
of the last three-quarters of a century?
The balance of power must be kept up
or anarchy is inevitable; chaos super
venes. Then why not be consistent in
all civil and educational measures,
cultivating such thorough balance
of knowledge aud physical develop
ment that the danger of individual
chaotic conditions may be availed?
The insane asylums of this coast are
overcrowded with poor creatures that
have become victims to this tendency
to neglect the proper educational bal
ance. The life, health and vigor of
our rising generation are of infinitely
greater Importance than any mere
temporary gain OF wealth or mechan-
ical achievement, however grand the
results of such achievement. Then
why not introduce into our schools
these studies and practical appliances
that are necessary to train. our youth
to have such balance of knowledge
ethical, technical and practical that
fits them for the arena of the nine-
teenth century.
This is the age of giants in one sense,
if not in the right sense. We talk
about giant powder, giant quartz and
corn mills, giant machines and gigan-
tic undertakings and frauds; but have
we the bodies, the physique, to match?
/ say no: and herein lays our weak
ness-our liability to wreck the never
so-carefully matured plans of State, of
moral victories or of mental achieve
mentS.
A man and woman come here to this
coast and set up their modest establish
ment-the miniature confederacy-
and go into the business of life-happi-
ness is the desderatum. They struggle
and toll together, in every way, con-
triving to exc out means to make ends
meet. In the meantime family is
growing up around them. Sons and
dau,, hters are added until the beauti-
full little confederacy is quite numer-
Gus. All the energies are turned to
gather wealth, and at last it is secured.
The piano is bought, pictures adorn
the walls, books crowd the shelves,
carriages and fine horses are in the
stables-happiness surely ought to be
near. But the balancing has been
neglected = that nice adjustment of
knowledge and wealth--moral, intel
lectual and physical health has been
overlooked. Death steps in and
snatches loved one from the circle,
breaking the charm and destroying at
one fell swoop the castles hope and
love and labor had been SO fondly
rearing. All this because the simple
laws of a hygienic life had been left
out of the bill when they thought
everything was down in "black and
whiten that was necessary to consti-
F. NJ. SHAW.
Los Angeles, Feb. IA, 1875.