Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1884-09-20

teach us at once that its domestic quail
tiles outweigh its aesthetic claims, and
utility is better than beauty.
The fable of its origin, also, fails to
invest it with any permanent interest.
The enlightened mind of the nineteenth
century refuses to reverence a fable,
however poetic, save as the property
of the poets. LoYe.sick Clytie may
follow, with fidelity unparalleled, the
career of her god, but this age de-
mands something more upon which to
base its respect. Fidelity is a virtue
common to women, land men have grown
accustomed to it. Upon close acquain-
lance we find other traits of character
in Clytie, and | now present her in the
domestic character of disinfectant and
anti.malarial agent.
The fact that living sunfowers will
ward off attacks of malaria is not new
to scientific men, but has never been
much acted upon. think Lieutenant
Maury was the first to call attention to
this fact. In his sanitary investiga,
tons he found family living on the
sickly Potomac Flats who were robust
and healthy, while all around them
suffered from malarial diseases. The
only point of difference which he could
discover was the cultivation of suns
fowers'by the healthy German fami-
ly.
This led to experiments, at his re-
quest, and the presence of sunhOwers
invariably banished the attacks of ma
laria, and brought back the bloom Of
health to the faces of the former vic
Tins. The sanction of Maury and his
conYictions on the subject are sufficient
to recommend it to our attention.
Several years ago, in Italy, one
Professor Mantegazza discovered, by
experiments, that all flowers emitting
great fragrance are health>givers, and
advised the growth of such shrubs and
flowers in all low, marshy countries
He mentioned the hyacinth, heliotrope
mignOnette, narcissus, lilly.of,the-val
ley, mint, bergamot, lavender, fennel
anise, and others, whose perfumes, hi
claimed, contain large amounts o
ozone. Now the sunfower has no per
fume, so, according to the Montegazza
theory, it cannot accomplish its mis-
sion by exhalation of some atmospher
ic antidote; consequently it must be al
absorbent, As the suns heat deyel
opes the germs of malaria, this faith
full friend must absorb them, and thu
render them harmless to man. TIT
very color of her beauty betokens tn,
bilious nature of her temperament, fo
we all know how yellow the complex
ions become of those who breathe tht
germ.poiso1ed air of malarial countries
The remedy to an i'll often accompa
MES the i'll itself, and may not the an
tidote to malaria be in our midst, We
unknown to us? We know that tn,
sunfower seeds furnish an oil mucl
used in Europe, and that they ar,
good food for poultry. Each fowe
furnishes such an abundance of seed
SO we may expect to find there ais,
abundant good. 1t is possible tina
they may contain some quality equa
in effects to quinine. Let our scienti
ic men test it. Trifes often yielC
great results. Natures laborator,
furnishes cinchona and Peruvian bark
May not the humble sunfower be an
other of her healing handmaidens
! However, even if decorations ant
eliminated powders fail to prove bene
{ fetal, there remains the anti.malaria
influence of the presence of livinj
: sunfowers. Our whole country abound
with sections where our people ar
martyrs to chills and fevers and live
diseases, incident to the presence 0
) malaria. If so simple remedy j
: within our reach, we are stupid not t
, avail ourselves of it. beg for ely
: ties admission to our homes as a veri
: table member of the family. Let tn
: test be made, not neglecting, of course
f other higienic precautions, for Will
| she is an able assistant she cannot d