West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1884-08-29
Timely Health Hints.

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Timely Health Hints.
The farmer. of all men. should enioy
good health. He can have the best and
freshest of natures productions for food
and drink; his work is healthful exer-
else, and the air he breathes is free aud
pure. Yet statistics show that the life
of the farmer is below the average. and
that several classes who lead sedcntary
lives i'm the city are longer lived than
he. This must proceed from gross
disregard OF the requirements of health
on his part and if we look at the mat
ter critically, we must confess that
many of us farmers treat ourselves rs if
we did not care particularly whether
we lived or not. Now | shall. perhaps,
say some plan things, and | say them
without eNempting myself. DO not
think that speak from high pinnacle
of faucied personal perfection. | am
quite willing to admit that | am as
much ut fault rs any OF my brethren.
We must confess that we ARE UNI
clearly about our bodies. All over the
surface of the body there are many lit
tic glands, opening upon the skin,
whose Office il is TO eXcrete from the
body the particles Of broken down, deal
tissue. This cllc:e matter is cast upon
the skin. and must be fire juently re-
moved with soap and water. or il will
finally close up the glands, and the
dead matter must be retained i'm the
body, producing disease There are
also other glands opening on the sur
face of the body, whose office it is to
pour out an oily liquid This liquid
soon becomes unit for the purpose for
which it Is designed, and other must
take its place. But unless that first
thrown out is removed, it will close up
the mouths of the glands, and prevent
the exit of fresh matter. 1t is plain
that if no matter fell upon the surface
of the body from external sources fire.
quent ablut ons would yet he neces-
sary. But our work is such that
the body must continually receive
dust from the air. Currying the horses:
milking the cows; blowing, narrowing,
or bragg ne the land; binding or hand
ling the grain, all are attended with the
settling of dust upon the body At this
season, when the sweat glands are I'M
usually active and keep the skin damp,
this dust is more than usually liable TO
adhere to the body. Thus from both
within and without the body is contain
a'iNbNN anu maui uutltti. 90 ltlDlu Is
the work at this season that the BODY
should be clcansed every twenty-four
hours, and it is best to do this when the
day. work IS done, for then the body's
liability TO receive dir: from external
sources is small, and the functions of
the glands can be properly performed
during the night, insuring healthful
slumber.
But how many of us do cleanse the
body each nightP am afraid the tru h
would be that full as many cleanse the
body only once a week, as those that
cleanse il once day. Not one farm
house in fifty, take the country over,
has bathroom; and / doubt if one
farmers family in twelve has even a
bath-tub. This is n sad commentary on
our way OF living, and explains tho
prevalence of fcvers i'm the country.
where they should be almost unknown.
i know only too well how tired the
plowman is at the close of the day, and
the fatigue is yet greater if the day has
been spent in the harvest field. 1t
seems great task to drag the weqried
body even twenty feet to bed. The
thought of going to the trouble and
expense of time OF bathing may appear
almost absurd. But my word for IL
that you will be largely the gamer bv
so do NC. To battle will not REQUIRE
more than ten minutes, and YOU will
have added two hours to your slum-
Der. You have shortened the time for
sleep by ten minutes, but YOU have
made slumber so much more sounder
and sweeter that YOU have gained n
dozen mes the time expended. TRY
bhthing each night for week, and
you will no more think of retiring with
out first cleansing the body of sweat and
dirt than you would of going to bed with
your boots on. And remember that
while you have gained so much in rest
and comfort, You will ultimately Gain
more in health.
During warm weather meat and oilv
food should be almost entirely discard
ed, and fresh Vegetables, and ripe fruit
should make up the bill Of fare. Asa
people we eat too much meat; vet New
Englanders do not sin so greatly i'm
this respect rs their Western brethren.
Yet 1t IS safe to say that even New En-
glapdcrs cat too much meat i'm warm
weather At this season of the wear
comfort. which is another name for
health. demands that we keep the bodi-
~ heat ~ the lowest possible point
while exercising in the hot sun. The
bodily heat is pro luced bv q slow com
bust on. the fuel for which is carbon
Meat and oils are rich IN carbon. and
when used for food incrcasr the bodily
heat. Vegetables aud fruits for dict
keep the bodily heat at minimum
figure hence tho wisdom of the use Of
the latter for food. But fully half of
tine farmers ito not have q good garden
or good orchard. H. is hard 10 &c.
count for this, for when properly At
tended TO- no other part Of the farm Is
more profitable than the orchard and
garden. From n money roint Of view
alone the farmer should be convinced
that good policy dictates an carly and
productive garden JohD W. stunt,
'H Mem E,lgiaud turner
The finest private ship i'm the world,
William AstOr's NOurmahal is nearly
a. large ~ some of those o. can steam