Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-08-04
The Sanitary Morrtaxe

RULES OF CONDITION WHICH SHOULD BE CON-
PULsoRY IN mutual UNIONS
From the Boston Herald
The day when true sanitary marriage win be-
come the rule is long way on. The need must
be made more plainly evident. In this country
we are developing, from the amalgamation Of
many strains, race wholly new TO the world.
Our immigrants as they tntermarry with those
who have preceded them, produce descendants OF
quicker and more aggressive mental type than
their own, and 1t Is noted by Darwin that the
bodies and limbs OF these descendants are very
noticeaoly longer than those OF their ancestors
During our civil war the uniforms manufactured
10 nj the average American soldler-including
those OF foreign descent, though born here-were
found, as rule, TO be much TOO long FOR foreign
erS just arrived.
When we shall have learned, and learned to ap-
ply, the laws OF proper selection in marriage, our
race ought 10 be second to none In health and
physical development; and that means, also, IN
Cellectual advancement. A wide step toward the
needed reform has been taken by us as people
1or lar more than ever before we interested In
phySlcal culture, upon which health so clearly de-
ponds. There Is promise that 1t will yet have
the high place in the curriculum OF education
which II deserves.
Our schools now, on account OF the absence OF q
proper system OF physical culture, are constantly
sending out Into The world young men and young
women VINO, by reason OF their 1nfirmities, never
ought to marry. And again, our ill-ventllated
countlng-rooms and factories are generating an
army, the offspring OF which must present every
phase OF DOuliy lmperfectiOn. The remedy for this
physical culture and the sooner 1t is recognized
6y ALL and particularly by our educators the BET
yer. social reformer5 and philanthropsts have
here wide field for cultivation. Let them impress
upon our growing youth the importance OF healthy
bodies tremendously developed by proper exer-
cise
Young women, perhaps even more than young
men, need encouragement TO strive secure bodily
perfection by proper exercise. They must realize
that mere beauty OF face, while IL attracts and
possibly excites the admiration Of some, does not
alone constitute true beauty, which can only be
founded on perfect health.
Another thing which young ladies must remem-
Der: NO matter how richly nature has endowed
them with outward charms they can retain them
only as long as they enjoy good health. They may
health continues even to old age. No desires 70
see Spartanlsm revived in these times, but we may
learn valuable lessons from IL. The SparJans wOr-
shipped the beautiful and useful, and they took
| means to secure them. Bodily perfection was at
tanned by enforced, we-appointed exercise. There
were but few Sicky men and women among theln.
None sickly were allowed to marry, and all In
health were compelled TO do so; If they refused they
were punished. Bachelors after certain age
were shut out OF the society OF women, and once a
year were shamed In public. Neither boys nor
girls were allowed TO marry before maturity was
| reached. This Spartan system Of marriage, purely
for the welfare OF the state, continued for 500
years, and during that time there were produced
succession OF the strongest and bravest men
and the most healthy and beautiful women tnat
the world has ever known,
There Is a remarkable and Self-impOsed family
law which popularity prevails, told, through
out Brazil LII relation to matrimony. IL is recOg-
nlZeC among all the higher classes. The man who
Is about to marry Is required to furnish certin-
cate from one or more physicians that he is tree
IRON diseases OF certain character, and that he
Is free also from all signs or any OF the diseases
winch are liable to be transmitted to the offspring
Not only that, but the physicians consulted must
testify that as far as they learn, there exists
no reason TO believe that the union will be other
IMAM Ii accord with the laws OF sanitation.