The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-10-03
Written for THE NATIONAL TRIBuNE.l
WEALTH HINTS
For Old and Young.
by FELIX L. OSWALD, NJ. D.,
Author of Physical. Education; Household
Remedes'; The Bible of Nature" etc.
CHAPTER XXXVI.
HOME REMEDIEs-(continued).

and IL a medical calendar were to he arranged
on that plan the month of October could be
recommended rs the best season for the homo
cure of dyspepsia.
Outdoor exercise and bracing temperature
are the two best natural specifics for all dis
orders of the digestive organs, ms illustrated by
the EastronomiC vigor of northern nations in u
primitive state of social Observation-Disclosures
aud herders, whose gastric capacity seems
actually limited only by the limits of their appe-.
tite. Without spice or salt, a herdsman of the
AItai highlands will dovour and digest q
quantum of meat at % single meal that would
surfeitcity gluttons even in tho ice bound towns
of northern Russia On the other hand, viGor-
Gus outdoor exercise alone can to some degree
counterfeit the facilitating influence of a warm
climate, aud the hunting tribes of southern
Africa indulge with comparative impunity in
barbecues that would appall sedentary gour-
mand in the much milder cline of northern
Italy. Pedestrian tours and such home work
as wood-cntting and gardening could be very
pro6tably substituted for the digestive tonics
ofour nostrum- mougers; but the trouble is that
for nine months in every year the prescription
would have the fate of all disagreeable remedies
that are discarded as soon as their repulsive-
ness make the malady seem the lesser evil
Swedish movement cures in fact are apt to
become hopelessly unpopular in warm weather
and outdoor life in Midwnter, but in cool Au-
tumn days the two specifics can DO combined,
and the owner or renter of patch of suburban
garden land could dig array complaints that
would defy all the compounds of metropolitan
drugstore. Ditching with common spade ex-
ercises every muscle of the human body aud can
be kept up without fatigue about ten times MS
long as cIahkwork gymnastics. For tho time
being the patient must try to forget that he is
working cut sanitary problem and attend
merely to the mechanical incidents of his job.
which will interest him in proportion TO its
progress and appear pleasure rather than q
task, ii the weather continues both dry and cool.
After trying all nostrums mentioned in Her
riCk's list of patent medicines, | applied for
admission To gymnasium" writes city friend
OF mine, land went through course of con-
tortions that could not help reorganiziug my in
terual machinery if had been able to keep it
mp long enough. But there was the rub. Ira
peze acts and horiZoutal-ba eyolutions soon
became so tedious that loathed the very sight
of the gymnasium building and felt that |
could take pleasure in climbing volcanic
peak during the progress of a first. class erup-
ton, merely to effect IA change of program aud
break the mOnotony of the irksome routine
work. came mighty near relapsing into med
icated bitters when happened to hear about
Capt. st. -- wanting TO uproot a big stump in
his orchard aud trying to find help for n day
or two promptly volunteered my assistance.
He bad his mlsgviugs but / persisted. and
though felt stiff aud sore the next evening
am sure that on the whole | never enjoyed n
days hard work more since my college days,
when we used TO build rough hewn log cabins
by way of vacation fun. Swinging q heavy
matt0ck aud bringing il down hard enough to
break through four.inch root required more
steam 10 tue square inch than anything they
expected ne To do at the gymnasium, but some
how other 1t did not fatigue mo one per
cent. as much. There was "A practical purpose
Ia
excrtiou and squirting 10 further effort, and in
spite of aching baekbones | actually kept nj IL
from a. m To noon. aud after "A short rest, with
a still shorter lunch, pitched ia again aud got
the three main roots out two hours before sun
set. That was IN September, and before the end
of October had done IS similar days work in
SITS vineyard, where three acres Of woodland
we're cut down but not stumped, "a year ago,
leaving me a chance to cover myself With glory
and Precipitation for the next three nIouihs to
come.
MY appetite has returned" he adds; aud
with similar results the prescription could be-
| tried in nine out of 10 obstinate cases OF chronic
dyspepsia. The exceptional case might be that
OF dyspeptic VINO, IN addition to his penchant
| for oyerspiccd dishes. has contracted tend
ency 10 pOlyphdgid-a passion for excessive re-
| pleiion for ita Own sake. There are invalds
| who without the stimulus of anything dcsery-
| ing the name Of hard work eau aud do dovour
| the daily rations Of three hardworking mo-
| chahics and never enjoy a moments respite
! from feeling Of gastric uncaslncas Till th1y
| have disteudcd their abdomen with an over
/ dose of food and brought on "A sort Of digestive
| fever which for the time being, seems 10 atm-
ulaic them as an overdose OF alcohol stimulates
the torpid nerves OF veteran topper That
| 0vereating mania can grow TO proportions
/ whicii make the chronic gluttou nuisance 10
| himself and his neighbors till such complica.
| ti0Ds as heart disease and apOplecte symptoms
! friRhten him into an attempt at reform.
Experience, by that time. will have taught
| him the uselcECaess Of chemical nustrnms, but
/ ia his efforts TO reach the barbor OF perna,
nent natural cure he Is apt 10 get wrecked
| against the cliff Of the fasting cure insanity
The attempt TO limit a vofaeions eater TO one
| fifth Of his usual Fations makes his ex tstencc
weary pail against the current Of fierce
| uusatislIed passion aud sooner or later is al.
| most sure To eyentuate ia "A disastrous re-
| lapse. The Rlutton resumes his suFleits, ek
| cusing his excuses on the plea that eating
| can hardly be dangerous while positive appe.
tite encourages a continuation Of the Tepast
| That excuse may be founded on u bona fde ex
pericnce. Appetite Of some sort or other doc
continue considerably beyond the actual needs
Of the organism. and tho physiological paradox
can he explained only on the theory that habit
ual oyereating has blunted the gastric nerves
to degree when the fact of repletion can n,
longer be communicated to the sens0Tium Will
sufficient promptitude the promp titude which
enables healthy person TO leave of satisfied
the moment he has eaten enough for his own
permanent good.
Sooner or later even the stomach of the dys
peptic Will protest against further repetition
aud on that circumstances modern pathoIogis
POUNDS the very sensible advice TO cat with oe
casioHal pauses in order 10 give tho organism
a chance 10 arrive at competent verdict oil
the question OF the proper quantum.
There is no difficulty In Willing away few
minutes at table with entertaining converse
ton or an interesting book, in the way, even
confirmed drunkard will manage to Interrupt
his symposiums long enough TO tell good an
ecdote but the difference in the net result ii 4
considerable from sanitary point Of view
that the plan in its systematic application
might justify tho establishment of speca
sanitarium for the cure Of gluttony. An OK
celIent adjuyant method for the completion q
that cure would be the rule to lengthen tn
pauses between meals. by dint of outd00
sports or mind engrossing business pursuit
even glutt0n can get himself 10 forget til
arrival OF mealtime by an hour or two aud til
elimination of one daily meal IL very encoai
aging step in the right direction. For nearly
full thousand years the most civilized nation
Of antiquity got along with single meal
day, az proved by the concurrent testimony
innumerable contemporary historians, an
there would be 40 valid reason for the appr6
hensOn that two meals day might prove in
insufficient for the physiological needs of thei
much less hard working descendants
breakfast especially, can very profitably
reduced TO mere pocket-lunch-a pear and
couple of small biscuits and after frugal dir
& 4. l. til