Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-09-13
yALuAsLE I~SsraucrroH.

kuc llOluPat3nS1 PAA4P~
Linsly Institute Of this city, has srrsns-
u with several highly educated gentle
zen to deliver acourse Of familiar lee
to the pupils in that e1cellsnt
upon the neglected sciences OF
anatomy and hygiene. This
Is . good move and We hope the boys
will become deeply interested In these
studies. The New York Tfnes remarks
upon the defect in education which this
movement is intended to supply. For
more than two months" it says, fifty
millions Of people have been deeply in
terested in the wound made by
GUTrzAu's bullet. They have read again
and again the descriptions OF the path
which that bullet is supposed to have
taken, and studied the speculations Of
surgeons IS to the bullets resting place.
They have anxiously examined the ON
cialand unofficial reports relating to
the progress Of. the work OF
restoration. and discussed with their
physicians and others the probability oil
the Presidents recovery. No other
gun-shot wound has eyer been 50 e1-
haustiye.y described to the public, anu
no other PATIENTS symptoms have been
50 carefully recorded and explained TO
a nation. The conversations and ex-
pressions of opinion which have been
caused BY the widespread publication
Of the record OF the ass have directed
the attention OF many intelligent per
sons 10 their own ignorance, and to the
ignorance Of others, concerning
the structure OF the human body.
Persons of ali degrees Of education have
been continually showing that they
know almost nothing Of the simplest
truths Of anatomy and physiology. Their
own bodies are to them a sealed book or
q puzzle.
No u will deny that it is most de-
sirable that every one should under
stand the structure Of the human body,
the location and functions OF its parts,
and those fundamental principles the
the observance Of which is necessary for
the preservation oil health; but it must
be admitted that the facilities for gain
iny the most useful and easily acquired
knowledge in our schools, and even IN
Summaries and colleges, are conspicu-
ous by their absence. The reasons ior
the thorough dissemination OF such
knowledge are almost without number,
and they are al once suggested TO him
who turns over the subject in his mind.
Il is the knowledge which enables each
person 10 preserve his life and health
and the lives and health Of those dear to
him. 1t shows one why bad habits Of
living should be avoided; the necessity
and value OF exercise are explained by
il, and the manner in which strength
can be and ought to be developed.
Children who are taught these truths
and principles gain ability to care Tor
themselves and to understand the WIS.,
dom OF their parents ipjunctions. Pa
rents who have been taught become
capable OF properly directing their chill
dren and keeping their bodies sound.
The real danger which accompanies
obedience TO some OF the most impera-
tine dictates OF fashion ia made clear BY
TINS knowledge to those whosre exposed
to it. instruction in these most useful
sciences would open the eyes ofthe PEG
pie 10 the humbugs and
ignorance OF quacks, who
t.ST~u--4userrerutrmeurs or pnystor,
ogy and hygiene are generally unknown.
Long and costly sicknesses might be
avoided by wise action at the outset be-
fore physicians are summoned. Thou
sands Of lives might be prolonged and
countless other advantages secured to
the race by a general knowledge Of cres'
tons most wonderful piece OF mechan.
ism the human body.
1t is not alone in our common schools
that these subjects are almost entirely
neglected.. The graduates of our best
colleges and universities can look
back over their days Of study-in
the public school, the preparatory
school, and the c~ollsge-and find that
almost no hour was set apart for such
instruction. A course OF ten or a dozen
short lectures on anatomy, providing
for them Just before they received their
diplomas, was generally the beginning
and end. And yet an accurate knowl-
edge Of the first principles ot those three
sciences which we have named would be
OF gsater value than that which they
have gained in any other branch Of
study which years OF labor have
not enabled them to master.
Here and there may be found
a person who by some happy &C.
cident, or because OF the wisdom OF q
teacher, Vas given in youth a good foun-
dation for a thorough knowledge Of the
leading principles OF these sciences, but
such cases are rare. They are not found
among those whose education was con-
fined 10 the branches which are taught
in the public schools. 4 few questions
addressed to the average man will reveal
the TACT that this ignorance OF the struc.
ture Of the body, and even sucb pro-
cesses as the assimilation of food, is
common, and show that knoxledge Of
many things which are OF almost lnesti.
mable value to every adult human be-
ing Is confined to physicians and sur
geons alone.
The Republicans OF Cincinnati TOOK
advantage Of the day set apart" for