The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1881-09-08

OF necessity from chronic O1Scom1Ot> ,~v
weakness Dndcr the influence of herediA ~
transmission and change in habits:
HOW TQLlVELosG.
From Harper e Weekly: IF |
We have, to a great extent, the power of
prolor ging our lives. Living by rule and
obeying natures simple laws may seem
very irksome to people at filst. but doing so
soon becomes habit, and blessed habit,
and one that tends to happiness, to COM
fort, and to length of days.
Be regular in your hours of getting up in
the morning and going to rest at night, but
YOU cannot easily be SO unless you are reg
ular in your light Of day life. The simple
fact that you lie down for so many hours
out Of the twenty four does not prove that
YOU have secured that necessity OF llfe-a
good nights rest. "A little preparation Of
both body and mind is needed to enable US
to enjoy sound and refreshing sleep, and SO
be fortified by morning to struggle success
fully with the events of another day. Do
not forget that during sleep the brain is in a
comparatively blood!ess condition; but ex-
element causes q flow Of blood to the cap
illaries of that vital organ, and if you retire
to rest before it be toned down, you will be
little likely to fall into refreshing SUM
Der. Indeed, it will in all probable
ity be just the reverse; the very en-
deayor to sleep will Danish it effectually for
hours, if not for the whole night; there will
be war between mind and body, and the
latter will assurealy come of second best.
They sleep best who have neither worry
nor care to annoy tlsem; but one should Try
| TO get into habit Of being able to lay Oh
care with ones office coat. and OF devotlng
the evening to reading or any kind Of calm
endowment. But what are termed night
=, -" or soothing drini s, should never be
haa recourse to. They are generally OF q
sr,;r,tn 1us nature and composition, and
sbatefn-. they are narcotics, und shonfd
not 10 ,,ae. led for healtnful sleep. They
nover IA ano never could tel ID to longevity
Thera is q ~. It and intimate connection
,,otwaa,, hra;n ana stomach, oh lefty through
the Medium Of the nneursogaA str!c nerve,
hence heaTv sinners IN not co. oduclve tc
healthful sleep. do not b.. 'ieve,' ot course e.
IN going supperless to bed, but me ias'
meal should be light ohA, ana CIR "'n 10y
an easily digastod one; q man 40 not In :,
tual health if he needs heavy SKIPPER J.
cause him to sleep. would not. advise
such a person to purchase an ANNUITY, for
obvious reasons. A hearty supper will no
doubt induce sleep. bot it is not sound.
blissful, child sleep. It is turgid, BRAIN
putting, bloted sleep. A SOW eats hearty
constructor swallows an OK, and Toes to
sleep for fortnight. Neither a,:i1nal IS
much to be admired. However, what l
wish to impress upon You is the fact that
| want Of good refreshing sleep is incom-
| ratible With longevity. One must learn to
| sleep we'll who would live long, and re-
| freshing slumber is not to be obtained
! Though the narcotism Of nightcaps or
| enormous suppers.
| Regularity in meal times is another thing
one should study, if health would be retain
ed and long life hoped for. I need hard
~ say that the food should he partaken of
slowly, and that all excess or incompetence
in either eating or drinking should be STU
diously avoided. It is very injurious to
the health to stimulate the appetite at the
should find ones appetite by legitimate
means before sitting down; it Should be
brought to the table, not manufactured
there, or taken up as you do your table
| napkin.
AS regards food. some reople-nay, but
1 may say very many people oftentimes
commit grave error in this way; they sit
down to table and eat, whether they be
hungry or not. Sit down to table by all
means; but ii you have little appetite, if
he stomach tells you 1t needs ras t, let it
thaye it, and eat but very sparingly indeed.
! But person not only desires to 1--we
long, but to retain his faculties and sense;
how, then, are we to do this? Why, by
verge Of fatigue. Take the oyesight, for
instance. Would you preserve it? Well,
do not forget that to great extent that
beautiful optical instrument, the eye, is
orasided over by muscles which not only
| alter its discretion, but even it's focus; the
eye, then, that is used not only to read
| small PRINT, but to discern objects at dis
lance, is tho one that, apart from the dim
ness incidental to old age, is likely to last
the longest. And the same may be said OF
the ear. Acuteness of hearing may be cul-
tivated in youth by civilized beings just as
it is by savages; and where it is SO, tits sell
of aural exercise, however, is out of the
question in towns. But wherever one lives.
the organ of voice can be cultivated and
exercised. Music Of all kinds, and the
practice of singing especially, ore great aids
to health, happiness and longevity.
| Mental exercise is favorable TO long life,
and even under adverse circumstances
man with we'll trained mind will live,
longer than a lout; theformer has some
thing to fall back upon, the latter depends
entirely upon external impressions. think
that Euclid and Algebra should be (within
hounds) SIS much studied by girls as by
riddles, enigmas, ETC., should be encour-
aged, and, above all, original composition
and the writing of verses.
| Thousands OF people annually ruin their
constitutions by simply swal owing too much
| medicine. It may seem strange thing for
| a medical man to say, but it is nevertheless
a fact. It is dangerous thing to fly with
| every little ailu!ent to the medicine chest.
| The use of tonics, unless under medical
advice, should be discountenanced; a tonic
| is sharper than tvo-edged sword; it is u
| tool that needs to be used with caction.
| There are now, am sorry to see, some ae-
rated waters coming into use which contain
the strongest mineral tonics, that are apt to
! disastrous results. They should therefore
not be drunk ad libituna as to quantity, or
| without guidance as to quality.
Rest should be taken with grsat regular
| ity. I have already spoken of nocturnal
! rest, but one day in seven should be set
apart for the complete rest of both body
and mind. Independent of this, all who
can afford it should take an annual holiday.
Travelling is cheap, and two weeks or
| months relaxation from care and business
cannot make a big hole in the purse of ono
| who works we'll all the rest of the year, and
knows how to economic time. Innocent
pleasure and wholesome recreation conduce
to longevity. All work and no play sends
Jack to an early grave. Recreation is to
the mind and nervous system what sun
| shine is to tie blood.
AS physician, I must be allowed to say
just one word about the quoting, calming
effect Of religion upon the mind. The truly
religious make by far and away the best
patients, their chances Of recovery from
selious sickness are greater, and so is their
chance OF long life, simply owing TO the
power they have of submitting themselves
quietly, yet humbly and hopefully to what
soever may he before them. 49,, g..
Personal Matters.
The debts of Archbishop Purcell amount