, 1888-12-04
P~REVENTABLE PAINS.
PHYSICAL SUFFERING BROUGHT ON
BY OUR .cARELEssNEss.

Headaches and Their canse-CoIds In thu
Head-Tortures of the Toothache-Ca
tarrh and Throat Trouble-The Amer,
lean Neck-Breathing Bad Air.
How large a proportion of our pains
are u~navoidably necessary? 1t is not ex-
travagant to say that four-ffths of all
the aches and pains of humanity are
brought on us by our recklessness and
heedlessness. 1 would set down one.
half of these to bad fashions, and the
other half to carelessness in our habits.
Suppose we begin at the head and go to
h feet. Headaches are rarely, if ever,
known by savages. They are rarely, if
ever, known by children brought up on
fruit and cereals. They are mostly de-
pendent on impaired digestion, over
loaded stomachs and kindred abuses; or
to hot, close rooms, and breathing car
donated air. A cure for headache is ra-
tional diet, abundant exercise, good ma
ture and pure air. . Ishould add one more
cause.-the habitual exhaustion of the
system by abuse and intemperance.
l ave tried the experiment with chill
dren, and find that If from their infancy
they are prevented from indulging in
cakes and pastries, and are INDUCED in
an abundance of ripe fruits, cereals,
milk and pure sugar, they never know
poisoning effect of bad air, of close and
~overheated rooms, is understood better
than it was one generation ago. Colds
in the head are not caused by a draught
of cold air If we are not first overheated,
and made unduly sensitive to common
fresh air. In addition, or in connection
with the causes above named, our liter
airy classes also are compelled to endure
a vast amount of brain trouble from the
lack of good sense in their habits of
study. They should simply let their
brains rest while their stomachs are at
work, and their stomachs rest while
thei brains are at work.
TooTHACHE AND DYSPEPSIA.
But we cannot leave the head when
we leave the brain case, for there are
years of agony in nearly every mans
mouth history. The decay Of teeth may
not be wholly preventable with our pres
ent heredity, but l am positive that nine
tenthS of our toothaches are preventable
by proper care from the outset. Decay
in teeth begins at a very early age, and
might be prevented largely by the sim
plest means. The cause is not always
neglect of cleanliness, but it is acidity of
he stomach, caused by improper food.
A thoroughly sound digestion should be
secured for every child. 1t is the one
duty that precedes morals, because q dys-
peptic child cannot be u saint. Church
n Sunday school should be preceded
by the toothbrush, and catechism is more
than counterbalanced by cake and pas
try.
The majority of Americans suffer from
pafarrh Tho 6ilnaca 10 frauapfnh1a
even in u worst climates, like that of
Boston. 1t is almost invariably the con-
sequence of a neglected cold. Throat
diseases follow in the same line. The
throat should be clothed. N~otwithstand-
ing what many physicians urge to the
contrary, there is no reason why the
neck should go bare, except when swad-
died for a ride in winter. Our Ameri-
can typical neck is a long one. 1t car
ries little fat. The vocal organs are
close to the surface. The ordinary scarf
and collar leave the neck almost en-
tirely uncovered. The old fashioned
stock was better. The modern linen col
lar is little better than nothing; it should
be dispensed with.
o FOR THE NECK.
Wooden is quite as necessary for the
neck as for the chest. The same tubes
reach through, or into, both. Why
should the lower end be a~bundantly
clothed, and the upper end exposed?
Consumption generally begins at the
throat unless it be caused by general de-
yitalization, or poisoned air. What we
should demand of our clothiers is a class of
wrappers and shirts that can be brought
well up about the throat. From the LIST
of October to the LIST of June 1 wear an
extra flannel collar, made to button over
the other flannel shirt collar, and theE
turned down over a scarf. 1t thoroughly
protects the throat and meets every 70
quirement of the case; Is both soft and
warm, and neat. 1t Is all important that
the throat be relieved from the gross ir-
ritation of fashionable collars which
scratch and poke at all points. Indeed,
If you will consider, there is not a part
of the body so roughly and unkindly
heated as the throat. SEARCHED neck
wear is fit only for fools.
Our lungs will easily take care Of them
selves, and of all the rest of the body,
if warmly clothed with wooden and pro-
tected from foul air. 1 am compelled, as
a physician, to breath air that / would
not be able to live in by the hour. One
more than that. Country houses mainly
depend on the opening of doors. Worst
of all is thea air breathed at night. Either
the room is kept closed, and the foulness
is breathed over all night, or,the window
is left open, and the lungs must use Arc
tic air at night while all day accustomed
to the hot atmosphere from stoves. On
no account should the lungs be compelled
to brace themselves to frigid air at night.
Very many colds are caught by these ex-
tremes, and one may count to a GER
tainty that, if practiced. the end will be
catarrhs, bronchitis or consumption
M. Maurice M ID In he-DemO