The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1884-05-16
Climate and the National Health

The New York Christian Advocate
contains an interesting article from the
pen of Abel Stevens, LII. D., entitled
american Disiccation. The author
takes rank among the ablest thinkers of
the country and therefore what he has
to say respecting the effect of our eli
mate on the national health will be read
with serious attention. Limited space
will only permit a glance at its more
prominent features. European writer's
assume that the European race has
eve yet been acclimated in North
America and will not be for sew
eral generations yet to come. Some
think that the trouble lies in our
having an excess of ozone, OF OF
electricity, or of atmospheric changes,
but pretty much all united in the opin-
ion that we suffer from atmospheric
dryness DIR. Stevens is Of the opinion
that the prevalence Of nervous diseases
of every kind among us furnishes proof
favorable to the general theory of these
foreign writer's. While Americans at
tribute much of these morbid
ty to the excessive activity of life in this
country, and their disease take on forms
indicative of the fact hat they live I'M
der constant and intense stimulation,
DIR. Stevens is inclined to take up the
European belief that climatic causes lie
at the bottom of our principal physical
maladies. Butt he says that our climate,
per Sc, should not be considered an evil,
though we suffer evil from it. If we do
so it is III own fault, for he argues
that we know the climate to be full of
stimulus, of vitality, and yet go on and
abuse it. But notwithstanding our dis
position to carelessness he belives that
the general effect of the climate on the
national temperament and habits is
good-that it is on the side of industry,
of enterprise, of achievement, of prog
ress. We sometimes argue that we
have the humanity of the future in this
country. Referring to this DR.. Stevens
declares that ours ought also to be
the climate for that humanity eli
mate of sunshine, vivacity, and energy
"a climate giving brightness to child.
hood, beauty to womanhood, and enter.
prise to manhood, If we fail in these
respects it is because of our careless
habits and heedlessness of ~hygienics.
Though our air is full of natural stimu-
lus, says DR.. Stevens, 1--WE fill our stom'
achs, besides, with artificial stimuli
In a very few words he then
goes on to point out the minor
causes which affect the national
health. He says: "We have more
need than any other nation of being {
temperance people, and yet itmay BIZ
doubted whether any other people 'tip.
pie as much as we. We use tobacco
more than other people, for if any other
smokes it as much as we, one chew il
and spit away as much saliva as we. We
impair our digestion by eating hot bread
and drinking ice water. We soak ou
bread with melted butter, notwithstand'
ing that medical authorities agree thai
melted butter is simply q rank poison
How a people, he asks, be healthy il
any climate whose mothers bring them
up from childhood in such q diet. DIR,
Stevens expresses the opinion that ou1
dietetic habits are, in all probability, thu
worst to be found on earth and alleges as
q reason that while everything abounds
with us everything a be abused, while
with most other nations want, at least,
restraints excess and many other abuses
Besides these habits, 80 untitled to our
climate, the author declares that ou1
other modes Of life are equally bad.
We live too fast and drive business toe
rapidly. On these accounts we need 81
universal preaching of the gospel of re.
taxation" Looking at these severa
matters he concludes. and we ayr et
with him, that in order to become
adapted to the excessively stimulating
climate of this broad land, we need al
almost universal physiological reform
while physical education should b.
made of fundamental Importance in ON
primary school system.
Tattooing, which was at one time al
most universal among the Japanese, i
row fast diving mt. and in the 1arCe cit