The Portland daily press., 1879-02-27
PULPIT AND PLATFORM.
THE MAINTENANCE OF HEALTH.

S"S" vas euo euUJeCt Vi LIZ Odrdu W. LIZ
VOLS lecture before the Mechanics Association
last evening to large audience. The lecture
wsa an excee dinghy interesting and able effort
but owing to lack of space this morning we
can only give some of the points.
The lecturer commenced by the axiom that
obedience to the divine laws is the highest wis
dom of the human race. There is no escaping
their memorable destiny. Although each one
is born with free will his type, the plan and
pattern of his being, is born with him also'
and if the will of the individual rejects this
type, and strives against the divine law the
unequal struggle will only end in degradation
and self-destructon. We recognize the divine
law when we see 1t existing unchanged for
ages whether we observe the marvels of parent
al love or explore the wonder OF the SKIES
One noticeable law is the unvarying method OIL
human development from infancy to old age.
IL il the same with every country, every race,
all conditions, and is such a wonderful fact we
fail TO notice its remarkable nature. Tue
speaker gave very graphic description OF tae
human body with its delicate machinery for
the manufa cture of acids, alkalies, sugar. milk
and salts; its storehouses or iron lime and
chemicals; Its heating and ventilating sppsra-
tus; its electric system, the best ever devised.
All these are guided by an intelligence work.
ing towards the maintenance of healthy hu-
man body. Besides this independent existence
of its own the body possesses a life of relation
by means of which it is fitted to the uses OF
industrial and social existence. Its powers OF
loc0motion, active Senses faculty of feeling,
its wonderful human hand and brain, all be-
long to this use of the body as an instrument
for the expression of intelligence and emotioo.
The first law we notice in human growth is
the prevalence of physical over mental growth,
the brain being the last part of the body to
cease growing. This last fact strikes the key
note of education. Among the great facts of
growth by exercise, or use, are the first distri-
butiou of force among the various parts, alter
nations Of exercise and rest, the varied life OF
different fuuctiOus, varieties OF race, tempera-
ment, individual peculiarities These were
all illustrated BY the speaker, who also ex-
plaiaed how, if the proper distribution OF force
is disturbed in any Individual by the neglect to
exercise important functions of our nature,
an antagoDism of faculties springs up Que part
growing at the expense of another part; thus
the emotional may destroy the Intellectual and
the individual become prey to morbid hallus
cnations.
An organization 80 complicated requires GER
tain physical and mental conditions for the
masntenauce of health. Henc3 the questions
of food, clOthing, drainage, ventilation, habita-
ton, exercise aud occupation. Hence II We
neglect to study Gods law on this subject our
ignorance becomes criminal. The principle of
human vitality was exemplltied, and the power
of adaptability, IN the various circumstances
uuder which the human race could live and
thrive; whether among the clouds or 10
or the tropics. And yet our social ar
rangemeut present fearful death record,
terrible dropping away Of infants, and men and
women in middle life. A vital question is that OF
the condition of labor to health, or natural life.
If the conditions of labor are repulsive or in
i'm bo mill raliaf N the excite.
mentof vicious indulgences. The maintenance
of health depends upon the observance OF the
mental as well as the laws of food, drainage
and ventilation. deteriorating influence
from within is more to be dreaded than one
from without The speaker then dWelt upon
the general bad condition of the health of the
educated women of the day, nationallcalaml-
~, since they create society, mould the famlly
life, and exercise great influence on the lower
classes. The duty of people mplatlDg
marriage was explained and exemphtied and
the kind of physical and mental nonrishment
which they should provide their children with
It different ages Ole of the most important
problems Of the present time is how to embooy
the sanitary knowledge which we possess, in
the life of the nation so that higher standard
Of health may be gained by the present and
future generation; this must be brought about
by l. legislative action, education and social
combination. Legislative influence is superior
to individual in that it collects facts and thus
ascsrtains causes by knowledge of which wise
laws can be made. Rum drinking is bad and
legislation should adopt the same course as
with typhoid fever; accumulate the facts to
shOw what produces the dangerous disease.
But ignorance may Cypress and defeat good
Legislation, therefore education must advance
the intellect 60 that it can support good cas-
ures. Hggienic law and scientific lnvestlga-
ton are far in advance of the practice of every
day life at present; 1t ouly remains for the peo-
pie to read understandiogy what are now &C.
cepted facts, and ditfuse that knowledge gen.
orally. Sanitary education should be intro
auced into every school in the land,
and every home, and physicians es-
pecially should ba thoroughly educated to the
fact it Is their duty to prevent disease as well
as cure it. The clergy must be educated IN
No one is fit to direct the education Of youth
who does not perceive the difference between
an old aud young nature, and the hyglenc rules
that should apply in ventilation, the play
ground, and the school studies, and the restless
ness of the pupil. The studies of the pupil
should do him or her positive physical good and
make them stronger and brighter. Ii the leg
sous produce bea1 ache and lassitude then they
are bad, and all education that is not positively
beneficial to the bodily organization is positive
ly injurious. Young women hate to learn the
physical conditions of their organization, and
would turn with disgust from the demonstra-
ton of a bulock's heart in a school class. They
have never learned to respect the laws OF their
organ'Zatlon anu Iurn from the supJecI VI tneir
physical structure with repugnance. The taste
of children is however uniformed and they are
Easily taught in childhood to fancy any study.
Education in health would be best obtained by
giving prominence to; LIST, the practical study
of natural science. I'd, the practical study of
hygiene, Including the structure of houses and
households. Sd. the direct training OF the bodi-
~ powers in precision, agility and strength.
There should be National Health Society also.
1t is only when we have learned to recognize
that Gods law for the human body is one with
his law for the human soul that we shall begin
to understand the importance of the maintain
.nce of health. We live by desire to live. says
Emerson. We live by choice, by will, by
thought by virtue, by the vivaclty of the laws
which we obey, and obeying share their life.
Or we die by sloth, by disobedience, by losing
hold on life which Gibbs ont of US