The Portland daily press., 1883-04-27

DR. Felix Oswald begins in the May num-
Der Of the Popular Science Monthly series
Of papers on THE Remedies Of Nature for
the PRINCIPAL Disorders ~ SIC rr...e>. o.
ganisHs. Pre- first paper treats Of sfCon
sumption, and the writer says much Of i'm
portance on the subject Of this dreaded dis
ease. He defines consumption as essentially
house disease, and says:
Irrespective Of race differences and special
dietetic habits, the habitual breathing of VI
tiated air leads 10 the developmentof puimo-
nary scrofula. And science has furnished
the rationale of that result. Physiology has
demonstrated that air is gaseous food, aud
respiration process OF digestion. The at
mosphere furnishes the raw material OF the
pulmonary pabulum; at each inspiration the
organism of the lungs imbibes the oxygen
GUS or nutritiye principle Of the air draught,
and excretes the indigestible elements. By
breathing the same air over and over again,
the atmospheric element becomes azotized (;
|. e., depleted of its DEMONSTRATING principle
and therefore unfit to sustain the wants OF
the animal economy. The continued inha
lation Of such vitiated air fills the respirato-
~ organs with indigestbIe elements, which
gradually accumulate beyond the dIslodging
ability of the vital forces, and at last corr
rupt the tissue Of the congested organ and
favor the development of parasites. Consump-
ton is one OF The diseases that seem TO con-
firm the teneis Of the
GERM THEORY.
A tubercular diathesis is favored by stag
nant impurities of the circulatory system,
by warm and humid climate, and counter
acted BY cold air and other antiseptIcs. Six
years ago German physician demonstrated
thai tho of I'm. ,fs.ln
be arrested by pectoral injection OF carboI-
ic acid; and one of his countrymen lately as.
certained that the tubercle veins are alive
with microscopic parasites that multiply like
the spores Of a prolific mushroom. The first
development of these lung deyourers would
seem to amount to a sentence of speedy
death; yet their fecundty hardly exceeds
that OF certain intestinal parasites and the
rts rita has methods Of her own for dealing
with such foes, and Is ever ready 70 begin the
battle for life on the sole condition thatrwe
do not complicate the difficulties of the I'M
dertaking by counteracting her efforts or by
perpetuatiDg the influence Of the original
cause. Cease TO feed the lungs with azoti.
gases and DIR. Koch's aninalcule will starye
and disappear as surely as man worms will
starve and disappear II we change pork
and sour kraut diet for bread and apples
In all latitudes the disease known as pull
tOuouAnyttOlit 10 tdu6tu Nv JUe DreHtu-
in Of vitiated air and can be subdued by
outdoor exercise, says Dr. Oswald. and
while he does not say cured, yet In all stages
the progress Of the disease can be arrested
by outdoor exercise alone. This writer be-
lieves that outdoor life will cure the human
organism Of any disease not too deep rooted.
An hours walking each day will keep the
lungs catarrh proof The night air super
stition is to be abandoned and all bedrooms
should be kept well aired night and day.
A rain shutter should be at hand so that In.
stormy weather the air can BIO admitted.
After the prejudice against open windows
has been cured, the repugDance
no OUT DOOR EXERCISE IN WINTER
must be overcome.
The best lung food Is good air, and after
that fresh, sweet cream. Salt pork Is the
worst, and salt meat, pickles, pungent spices,
cheese and all kinds Of intoxicating LIQUORS
are to be avoided. The diet recommended
for those troubled with pulmonary disease is
composed OF graham bread, honey, beans
baked with butter instead Of pork, and lib
eral dessert of sweet fruit, as sweet grapes,
pears, strawberries and stewed prunes. DIR.
Oswald says It is fallacy to suppose that the
night is an unfavorable time for the assimi-
lation OF hearty meal. Animals rest after
repletion, and some Of them never sleep till
they have a good meal to digest. lie pre-
scribes a glass or two of sweetened cream
just before going to bed, not as a food, but
as medicine. It is an established fact, he
adds that
FAT ceuNTERAcTs A TUBERcULoUs DrATHE-
SIS.
Consumptives should sleep much In pure
air, avoid exciting emotions and stay out Of
crowded assemblages. If the danger is rec
ognized in time the virus can be worked off
by outdoor exercise. The article is an able
discussion Of the subject, and IL will repay
persusaI.