Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1888-04-06
EFFECT OF CITY LIFE.
Tho General Physical DetorioT alton Of
Town Populations.

Tho General Physical Dotorior alton of
Town Populations.
1t is generally recognized that tho
effect of town life upon the physique
is not beneficial, and as the population
of boroughs has now exceeded that of
tho country, The fact becomes ono
worthy of our attention. The great
and rapid increase OF largo towns at
the present time adds to the impor-
tance Of the subject and dcepons its
gravity. OF old there were but few
large towns. in our modern sense of o
"large" town; but Lugol, the great
French authority on 'scrofula," noted
how the population of Paris deterior-
ated, and how scrofulous were the
third generations of persons who camo
in from the country perfectly healthy.
Other observers have noticed the bad
effect Of town life elsewhere. And tho
recent researches of MI. james
Camille have demonstrated the rarity
of purc-bred Cockney of the fourth
generation. OF old the Baron lived
in his castle, while the populace lived
around in villages of limiiel siza. For
men of all conditions of life the ono
thing to DO coveted above all others
was physical prowess. For work. for
war, for games, which were largely
mimic war; bodily strength was essen
tial. No courage. no skill, could ef-
fec:ually compensate for the want
of thews and sinews. Work, war;
sports, rcvols, all, too. were conducted
in the open air. But civilization
brought about changes profoundly in-
fluencing the life of the individual.
The development of commerce en-
tailed the growth OF towns, and then it
was found that in the now struggle for
existence the battle went rather TO tho
man with the active brain than TO tho
man with massive framework. The
active brain became now the ono
great thing TO bc coveted, rather than
physical prowcss. The tendency Of
town populations is TO dwindle, and
'his dWlndihg IL soon markellv in
The feoblc digestive capacity OF town
dwcllers. They can not eat the pas
try, the piecrust, the cakes. which |
form SO large n portion Of the dietary
of their country cousins. If they at
tempt these articles of food they give |
themselves the stomach-ache. Consc-
quently they 1.-Two on such food MS |
they can digest without suffering
bread, and fish, and meat; above all |
the last-the sapd, tasty flesh of ami
mails, which sits lightly on tho
stomach and gives an acceptable feel
ing of safety, so pleasant to expert
ence. The town-lweller, in his selec-
tion of food, is guided by his feelings;
he avoids what is rcpugnant to him.
Such selection is natural and intel
ligiblc, but it is fraught with danger
all tho same. Pulmonary phthisis
and Brights disease seem Dame Nat
ure's means of wedding out degoner-
ating town dwellers The offspring
of urban residents arc another race
from their cousins who remain in the
country. Tho laitor arc large-limbed,
stalwart. fair haired Anglo-Danes.
while their urban cousins are smaller.
slightcr, darker beings. of an earlier
and lowlicr ethnic form, and resem-
bling the Cello-Iberian race. And
amid this general rcvcrslon we can
recognize distinct lver-rovcrsion 10
the early primitive uric acid formation
Of the bird and reptile. A recognition
of these facts must lead 10 such mo Ii.
iications of the food customs of town.
dwellers as are indicated. The spread
Of tectotalism and egetaransm tells
Of dark cropping in the right direc-
lion in blind obedience 10 the law of
There must also
follow some modification of the existing
system of education, for it is by the
mpcrfectly-nourished town child that
he weight of the burden of education
S most acutely felt. Summary of q
,aper By Dr.. FothergiA, an Nature.