The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1880-10-01

in different ages concerning this impor-
tant matter. Whilst the written and
printed instructions substantially agree
on all the important points, there is
curious difference between them and
modern practice in one or two features.
A triplet, current in the days of our
fathers and grandfathers, concerning
the proper course to be pursued after
meals, instructed people, If they would
enjoy perfect health, to
After breakfast work a while;
After dinner sleep while;
After supper walk q mile.
The after-dinner programme was un-
questionably lived up to by all who
had the time and opportunity for forty
winks," and the same practice is in
dulged in by large number of persons
at the present time; but it was consid-
cred reprehensible by the old writer's
on healthful sleep. That rhyming en-
bodiment of eleventh century hygienic
wisdom, the Regimen Sanitatis Saler-
nitatum,'' or "Code of Health of the
School of Salernum." says:
Let MONDAY sleep be brief, or none at all;
Else st%por' headache, fever, rheums will
On him who yields to noontide's drowsy call.
Andrew BOrde, writing in the six
teenth century, says that men in health,
''what age or complexion sooner they
be of, shulde take theyr natural rest
and sleep in the night, and to eschewe
merydyall Sleep" Sleep after dinner
was, in especial, to be avoided if pos
sible; but if heaviness overcame the
diner, and indulgence in apost-prandial
nap could not be avoided. then, saws
DR.. Borde, 'tLet hymn make pause,
and then let hymn stande and lene and
slepe agaynst a cupborde. or els let
hymn sytte upright in chayre and
slepe." Sleeping on full stomach,
says the same authority, ''doth ingen-
dyr infirmities, itdoth hurte the splene,
it relaxeth the sinews, it doth ingendyr
the dropses and the gowte, and doth
make man locke euyll colored." An
other authority, DR.. Bulleyn, solemnly
informs his readers that ''to slepe in
the fielde is perilous," which in the
days when gentlemen of the purse
taking profession were plying their vo-
cation at lively rate on the highways
and bywsys, and tramps and ''sturdy
beggars" abounded to the great per-
plexity of honest folk, was unquestion-
ably correct statement on other
grounds than those purely hygienic.
''Early to bed'' was the rule enjoined
by the old writer's, and the best time
was held to be about two hours after
supper, which was the heaviest meal of
the day. "To bedwarde be you merry,
or haue merry company about you, so
that the bedwarde no angre nor
heuynes, sorrowe, nor pensyfulness. do
trouble or disquyet YOU" A good fire
"to vast and consume the euyl vapoures
within the chambre'' was strongly
recommended, and one writer added
the suggestion thai it was not good pol
icy to sleep in chamber much troubled
with rats, mice or snails. A respectful
distance should, however, be kept from
tho fire "takyng the favour of it. for
tyre doth aryfire and doth drye up q
names blode, and doth make sterke
the sinewes and joyntes of man." Con-
trary to the modern American idea that
sleeping with open windows is most
healthful, the Englishman of three CEN
turtles ago was particularly enjoined to
carefully close the windows of the bed
chamber.
Feather-beds were the rule for per-
sons of good estate, but DR.. Borde adj
vised that instead of sleeping directly
on the feather-b bed there should be in
terposed flock mattress or thick cot
ton quilt. Special attention was given
to the night-cap. One writer insisted
that it should be of scarlet. Another
recommended it should shave hole
in the top through which the vapor may
goe out"
Having observed all the directions
given in some of the books, with con-
siderable fullness of detail, and at last
stretched himself on the bed, the
reader was told how to dispose himself
so as to secure both sleep and health.
All but one of the writer's directed that
the first position should be on the right
side. DR.. Borde says there should be q
rest for short time on the left side,
and then on the right. All agree that
the regular sleep of the night should
be upon the left side. To lie upon the
back was q proceeding to be utterly
abhorred," and in this modern medical
authorities agree with the older
Drot0ren. COnLr8ry 10 O6tliu tn0OFy,
one ancient hygienist. DR.. Vaughn,
recommended that every person should
sleep with his mouth wide open, that
the s.fumeosities'' of the stomach
might the. more easily escape. The
same authority strongly recommended
that mastic be chewed before going to
sleep, and white pepper on getting up
in the morning.
Finally, the advice of Sir John Hart
ington can be strongly recommended