The Republican journal., 1885-06-25
Roughing it for Hay Fever.

The happy effect of camp life upon the health
of delicate woman. so pleasantly described by
her husband in a late number of the Forest and
Stream. impels me to contribute something of
like experience. All over the land there are
sufferers from hay fever an insidous, exasper-
ating, treacherous and menacing disease, which
has become alarmingly prevalent and severe of
late years. 1t attacks persons in the better
walks of life, who are actively engaged in the
pursuit of wealth, professional standing. or
higher culture, making sad inroads into the
time of year when summer wanes and the au-
tumn promises a rich fruiton. 1T loves
shining mark" and many persons prominent
in political, social and literary life afflicted
annually, that the disease is considered by
those not afflicted something to be proud of,
like the gout coat of arms. 1t finds its
victims in the larger cities, where civilization is
most intense, and the burning streets, con-
tamnated atmosphere, close dwellings aud
offices. hurried and improper meals. and the
telegraph, telephone and electric hight, con-
spire TO excite, aggravate and destroy the
nervous system and the machine of which it is
the motor.
suppose most men will 90 on in the same
mad rae" for wealth and fame they are run
| ming. flock of sheep follow the leader over
a precipice, breaking and defying the laws Of
| nature and God. taking niggardly holidays at
lightning speed, devoting hours to business and
moments TO friends and family, until the
grave swallows them and they awaken beyond
the veil to mourn their folly. Not 80 the
writer. He was awakened painfully To con-
ception of the precioHsness of life and its frail
tenure by the death of several college mates
with whom he racing to conquer the
world of knowledge, and slowing up, conclud
ed The Years were going fast and holidays We're
to be taken now or never. Above an should
hay fever patients thus resolve. for their over
wrought and exhausted nervous systems will
ind balm in the wild woods and nepentht by
The surrounding sea. for this disease. caused by
| civilization. may be cured by barbarism.
Some wears ago, in search OF prophyactic
or a panacea for hay fever. | saw a statement
hat Or. Die Lewis had cured himself of the
| disease by becoming 4 farmer. He abandoned
the high pressure life Of the city. lived plainly
and ab>temiou>ly. worked in the broad sun
light in contact with forest and fields, and re-
covered.
Experience has abundantly demonstrated
that medicines merely palliatt in this disease.
and amelioraion of symptoms comes from
change of location To the shore or the
mountains. Yet the relief is only partial. A
long solOurn from home and business is necc>-
sary to prevent the accession of severe symp-
toms, and sufferers are ever cropping for other
means of relief. Many persons seek it upon
the shores OF New Jtlsty, because they are
easy of access and have hundreds Of seaside
hotels. The fiat lands, the frequent land
breezes loaded with spores and mosquitoes,
the hot. shining SANDS, the glaring lights and
brass bands, are exceedingly aggravating to
the nerNous sufferer, and he gets only a modi-
cum of comfort.
The White Mountains are fayorite resort
for those suffering from severe type of dis
ease, and considerable relief is obtained by
summer residence there, but the majority of
patients cannot spare 50 much time. except
when they are too sick to 90 anything. and
then the region is 50 far away from the Middle
and Western States that it is torture to travel
to it. 4 gentleman who suffers from hay few
| er and asthma OF terrific type. and who had
been everywhere in search of relief told me,
"Bethlehem. \. H., was a good place if one
would 90 there early and remain until hoar
frost had swept the lowlands. but if Il warm
spell occurs after a return home, the disease
will come on like an army with banners An
annual trip TO Europe it now my panacea
Neither the sea nor the mountain cure. but a
trans Atlantic voyage WILL prov ided one is
careful abroad, and not return TIL October.
This is too expensive in time, If not i'll money,
for many to enjoy, and so the hegra continues
TO seaside and mountain house every season.
Hay fever is disease-an asthenia of the
nervous system, with its main citadel in the
digestive organs All sufferers from it are
good feeders, but they should rigldly abstain
from table indulgence during prevalence of the
disease. The summer hotels are little favorable
| to recovery Of nervous energy, and the profnse
array of tempting food leads patients to contin-
uous over feeding. The sufferer should turn
his back upon civilization and return to the
primitive ways OF a nomad. He must seek
that part of the sea shore fringed with massive
hedges and carpeted with the salt-gli>tening
kelp. He must build his camp among the
stunted >pruces and pines that crown bluff
| overlooking an arm of the sea where his sin
gle hand yacht lies at anchor. and build his
campfire by the rules of '.Nessmuk." lie
must take an ocean bath before breakfast DO
some part of the camp work, sleep much live
upon plain fooG, Danish or greatly limit the
use of s,imuiants and narcotics. pitch quoits,
dig clans, shoot at target, hunt game, fish the
island waters and salty havens, low and sail,
make trips and visits along shore and to neigh
| boring Islands, stud, botany and natural his
| tory. and read the Forest and Stream The
| camp should be the base of supplies and oper
| ations. and the surrounding land and sea the
region of forage and frolic. Yacht life alone
| will not do. There is too much desire TO be on
| the go, thus dtprivng of exercise on land, and
| too many temptations to visit other yachts and
| grand hotels and TO indulge in feastS and dis>i
| patton. Camp life alone is monotOnous, aud
| one soon tires of the same scenes and the daily
| routine. The union OF yacht and camp life
| makes perfection for the Invalid outer. and the
| sterile rocky coast and the briny deep furnish
| those elements of health and strength which
| the highest authorities recommend to the debil
| itated and the sick. | am sure ii month OF
such life at the appropriate season will van
| quish hay fever and restore depressed ener-
| Ses for the balance of the year. | have proved
| it upon many summer campaigns and | wish
| to raise other sufferers from the slough of
| despond" by this article. | had the primary
| stage of hay fever one day and left Baltimore
upon steamer the next. We reached Halifax
| n. S.. in four days, and the disorder had ceas
| ed. | went through Acadia on the train and
sneezed all day. Then crossed the Bay of Fun
| dy and spent three weeks along the coast from
| st. Johns to Rockland, without a symptom
| Then Went to the White Mountains, Via Port
| land. and the disease came on severely. only to
| disappear when | arrived in Boston. jour
ncyed to New York and to Philadelphia, where
| the trouble Immediately began, and returned
to my inland home and sick bed for three
| weeks.
One summer made up party, chartered a
yacht, piled in stores, and made sail for Penob-
| scot Bay, where we camped anu cruised among
the islands month. We slept upon the
ground, had many hardships by field and flood,
| endured some priNations. but every one was
robust and brown and not Il sneeze or cold
| was heard among us.
Are not these facts sufficient to convince
every one that camping and cruising on the
coast is the one thing for hay fever patients! |
| am cOnN inced anyhow, and | am having Il
| small yacht built for part of my sanitarum.
| Before the spores ripen, my dute and kit will
be aboard and | shall sail for the Happy Is
/ lands, there to enjoy semibarbarous, health
giving life awhile. If there is any sufferer
from hay fever which begins in August, Who
values health above wealth and would like TO
90 along. | offer board and blanket and
promise immunity from disease and Il royal
| good time. W. III. WINSLOW.
$50 Penn Ave-, Pittsburg Pa.
An Enterprising Farmer.