National Republican., 1883-03-01
bone Building.

Bone Building.
Shakespeare is the only author since the
sacred writers, whom we now recall, who
makes use of the expression "fatness Of the
bones" 1t is full of significance 1t indi-
Gates the scientific marrow of life. Man is a
microcosm-a little world of himself. The
bone or earthly matter of the human body is
the foundation or soil from which the semi
vegetation develops and fourishes. The
bony structure contains all the elements Of
the flesh. 1t is tho earth and soil Of
the body, and the flesh is The growth or vege-
table development. A fat bone is analogous to
a rich soil, and it develops a fine physical
structure. A poor bone shows an impoverished
system. 1t is the source Of weakness. De-
crepid old age is always accompanied by an
impoverished bone. When the bone is re-
duced to a mere carbonate Of lime it has little
more hexibility, elasticity, or strength than
chalk itself From this physiological truth
arises the proverbial saying, "a strong bone
denotes a strong heart" and out of the same
idea sprang the political by-word backbone"
as applied to the party representatives in ante
bcllum days. Bluff Ben Wade endcared him
self to the people in those days because he had
political backbone, and the men who were
deficient in the essential vertebral stamina
were quickly shelved.
A stout backbone, however, has more than
fguratvs meaning: it is the basis Of a
rugged manhood and womanhood, prime
essential of successful life. The great qucs-
tion, therefore, with mankind is how to de-
velop and protect the bones.
Recent investigations have led to the grow
ing belief that certain soils are more favorable
than others to the best human development.
The hardy, tough, long lived Teutonic and
Anglo Saxon races have splendid bones. Va
rious causes, rs climate, food, and habits, are
ascribed for the fine physical develop
ment of tho sturdy Scotchman, the
rugged Englishman, and the tenacious,
phlegmatic German; but tracing tho
causes back to their prime source we find that
these people came from lands where grow the
lofty trees and the hardy vegetation that
springs from soil rich in the minerals The
Scotchman diets on oatmeal, but the oats of
our prairie land Edo not reproduce in all its
perfection the physical structure Of the
man from the highlands of Scotia. We
drink American made lager beer but it has a
different effect than it does in the old coun-
try So, then, we are led to the conclusion
that there is something that is different in
the original elements that make up our food
and beverages,
five so to the blue grass district of Kentucky
we find there the longest lived people and the
finest horses, And they claim to raise the
most beautiful women certain it is they have
beautiful teeth, and their bones, scientifically
speaking, are fat-that is, we'll developed
healthful, and charged with the life sustain
ing principle, They obtain this principle
from the soil that produces the food they eat
Bone consists Of carbonate phosphate, and
fuoride Of lime. The latter is the substance
of the enamel of the teeth. In sections o.
country deficient in this element the people
have poor teeth and the dentist thrives. From
this we see that the grain Of wheat or th'
kernel Of corn from one field is not exactly
the same grain or kernel in its exact proper
tions of elements as those from another field
What, then, shall we eat, and wherewitha
shall we quench our thirst if we would fl
our bones with marrow and suckle the nerve
with life? This is a problem for the chemis
and the cook. Science has partly answered
it; and he who wills to do so can partake o
bone making material, just as the fagginl
brain structure, it is said, may be reviviAet
by the PHOSPHORUS of the fish. But the re
generation of tho bones by food alone is
homeopathic process in its diminution of tn
bone making elements. Sometimes, where dis
disarTanged the assimulating machinery 0
the system, some more luxuriant mode of feed
ing the bones is needed And here is wher
science comes to the rescue and suggests tn
application externally of glycerine, as in tn
cases of "weak back :" and other evidence
of nerve exhaustion. For the bone is tn
great nerve center. They tako root in II
marrow, and spread out through the flesl
nourishing and building up the whole struc
turo.
Now, the philosophy of glycerine as bon
builder is the sweet principle-the sugar, tn
combustible matter Of organic nature. 1t