The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-12-19
pYsPsRrlc FARMERS,
How They Disregard the Laws OF Health
and Bring Suffering Upon Themselves.


How They Disregard the Laws OF Health,
and Bring Suffering Upon Themselves.
A man in fair conditioner horse,
OK, or dog, for that matter-will live
at least forty days without food, and
ten days without either food or drink;
but not three minutes without air. We
. can skip meal or two, or even fast a
day or two or more, whenever there
are indications that we have ''got ahead
of our digestion and excretion," with
out the fear of starving" This one
lesson, if fully appreciated by every.
body, and acted upon would save
thousands of lives every day. 1t would
extend the average age of life by many
years. Every one will admit that we
eat too much; but few, indeed, have
anything like correct idea as to the
degree of excess commonly INDUCED
in everywhere. If we regard this ques-
ton in its bearing upon, say the farm
ers, how many, let me ask, in the hun
dred make any sort of calculation as to
how much food is demanded for so
much work? How many take one
meal less, or less at either regular meal
on the day succeeding an idle day,
VIXEN, perhaps, by reason of more
leisure more has been eaten than on a
working dayp
Surprising the case of laboring and
woll-ncurished man-one in we'll
balanced condition.; he should eat less
when at light work or on half time, and
much less whenever he passes a day OF
entire rest, for less of his bodily tissues
have been used, or, perhaps we should
say. less of his stored.up nutriment has
been consumed, and, therefore, less is
required to restore the balance, or. so
to speak, make good his vital banh ac-
count. In winter, except when work
ing hard in the open air, the farmer
should eat less than ut any other
season of the year. Ii so working-as
in the logging swamp, Or when en-
ployed in getting out and working
up" the years wood-hC will require
more in winter than in summer. He
will require more: but supposing that
he largely oyereats in summer-tak-
ing habitually more than would be
best for him? Does he do this? Let
me take aside almost anyone in the
first dozen fary-houses we enter, and
question him little, say in .'haying.'
He will probably show up something
of y dyspeptic. Let me say, first off:
Il have been there;" have worked on
farm. summer after summer, and
know just how to handle my suppose
titious candidate.
Not only did l observe the prevalence
of dyspepsia among farmers and farm
hands. but suffered in my own person
from indigestion dyspepsia, in spite
of hard work and outdoor air. Be
vond question, much of the mischief
arises from the time and manner of eat
Ing. especially at the most busy season
of the year. Farmers work hard at
this season and should eat well; but
they constantly err in eating when
tired, and thsy resume work directly
after eating-two very serious violations
of natural law. Again, the farmers
heaviest meal-the mushiest, least
chewable, grcasiest, and, consequently,
least digestible meal and least nourish-
ing meals eaten at midday. when
he is already somewhat tired and very
mitch heated. and when he must imme-
diately resume his hardest and hottest
work. There is not a single wholesome
feature in this whole process. The
farmer could not treat himself worse,
except by adding ''nipper' of spirits
before the meal and pipe of tobac-
CO after. OF the three transactions, bad
suredly are, and always harmful.
the meal such as it is and
taken under the conditions described is
even worse. But this is the custom.
ard it is kept up without any question
or thought as TO whether it is precisely
wong or not. So far as the work and
the outdoor air are concerned the farm
er $ life. in summer. is of the whole
soonest sort: and if he would breakfast
lightly. lunch ut noon more lightly Tor
better still. lie in the shade for an hOur),
ard then ut night, full hour after
quitting work, eat the principal meal of
tt day, and of plain. natural food, he
would be the gamer in every way. If
he would treat the pork he raises upon
the principle of the wise doctor who
will not take his own pills." he would
have less occasion for swallowing pills
aGi pOtions; and If farmers. not only.
bus people in general, would make
somewhat wise in the mat
ter of OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES aud plain as
they are-''So simple and plain says
one of the wisest of physicians. THAT
the people refuse to understand
them'-most of the doctors and the
druggists would be forced to take to the
soil for a livelihood themSelves.-C. E.
Pnne IL u in n Z Y'rihune