The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-08-31

The boat, fortunately. did not overset, but
became wholly unmsnageable. The oars
were lost, and the men could only stay In
the boat by clinging with all their strength
10 the thwarts. 1t was soon blown upon
some distractions partially covered with
water, and remained fixed, broadside TO the
wind. cold and the water dashing over the
occupants. independently of their dis
pairing signals 1t was plain they must soon
be rescued or perish II was observed that
while his com psnions' heads were covered
one had on his only handkerchief
After a good deal Of fruitless debate
among observers rs 20 What was to be done,
daring man mounted on a powerful
horse, appeared and dashed into the turbu'
lent waters. Sometimes the horse would
have foo:hold at others, swimming, he at
length reached the boat, and one at a
time, brought of the men. The first and
worst condition was the one that had lost
his hat. | knew him well as strong,
healthy, intelligent contractor and builder {;
by trade mason. The weather was very
cold MS was the water, but not freezing
While the other men experienced no last
Ing i'll consequences, this one was stlffened
and almost llfeless; whimpering and la
menting, 20 the extent Of his power OF ut
terance. Engaged as he was on building
in which | vas then employed as a drug
gist's clerk he was much about there and
saw him frequently, both before and after
he had partially recovered from the
Immediate effects of his exposure. He had
suffered permanent impairment OF mind 4;
was weak and paltry talked and seemed
10 think only Of triaing and Indifferent
things: had become and continued con-
tirmed imbecile.
II will readily be noted that this incident
Is cited In illustration of the effect On the
brain of one extreme of temperature.
remember that this man had but slight
growth of hair, covering but a slight por-
ZION of his head. He had lost his hat and
thus his brain had suffered from the de-
preston of tenn perature for a considerable
period, 70 the utter impairment OF Its func.
lions and OF the entire system, conse
ouently. He survived. Soon passing from
nv observation, learned afterwards that
he lapsed into confirmed idiocy, dying OF
softening of the brain.
| have known, and still know, survivors
of the late war, who while existing have
become greatly enfeebled in body, and
particularly In mind, from exposures such
as those TO which our men we're subjected
on that march 70 Memphis, from the In
tense heat TO which they were exposed
without due protection TO the head produc'
ing the condition known as "sunstroke."
A fact is correspondingly well known OF
persons when losing limbs by freezing,
who yet having their head protected, were
not materially injured mentally.
There are other often overlooked and
important considerations In favor of wear
ing the hair and beard Of good length. !
have successfully advised II for those al
hicied with habitual headache and irrita-
bic eyes There are cases of bald men
relieved OF constant headache by allowing
the beard to grow long.
Living so near To nature, like the beasts
that PERISH as we were compelled for
most of that war, where were such chsnses
In the sta,e of mOsphere-eXtremenl
hot days and very cool nights land no
chance to 90 In when II rained D-a.l were
liable TO serious catarrhal affections; and
to rheumatism, much produced from the
same causes and In some respects partakiDg
of that nature. Some of us, observing this
precaution, wore our hair and boards Alb
surdly long, In disregard of all fashion and
esthetic prompting Personally, 1t proved
an efficient safeguard against those stfec-
tons IL is to be noted also that the rea'
sons for this practice obtained no less In
winter than In summer, and all the year
around.
An ample beard is also defence
chepauI-de- frise, placed directly below the
nostriIs (the direction from which the air
Is drawn being from below upwards),
against the entrance of dust In the mouth
and air passage, acting as sieve or separa-
tor, as we'll also as filter for purifying the
air charged with noXious emanations from
the soil. We cannot suggest improvements
on the cunning devices of nature, when
placed In circumstances fully to test their
uses. When IL Is remembered the vile
admixtures In the dust Of the roads, or
whatever ways travelled, the value Of these
natural filters will be the more apparent.
We cannot much improve on the always sen
sible devices Of the Great Fashioner; who
never designed the tonsure nor other spe-
cial uses for the razor. The 'artiticialties
of civilized life are largely violations of
natural laws. The lines OF style" are
seldom drawn conformably to common
sense and the laws of anatomy and physi-
ology.
This march for "the boys" was an entire
ly new phase of war experience. 1t was
as we'll appointed and provided an army as
ever took the field. No comparatively
great damages nor hardships were encount-
cred. There was no trial of arms. Re-
duced to the briefest statement, II was Gerry
uncomfortable! And yet, think In any
of those worst days, so dishesrtening were
some of the conditions, that If II had bsen
put to vote, the majority would have pre-
ferred the chances Of heavy battle to
bearing the trials and hardships they con-
sidered they did
For reasons already tediously explained,
while the discomtortS were great at best,
the conditions promised more favorably
for the latter part of the march, There
was no abatement, but rather an Increase
of heat and dryness and the dust denser
yet, seemed void OF gravity lighter than
the atmosphere. 1t was all the dewy
nj chit In settling to the earth again. But
there Is seldom an uncompensated Ill In
whatever of LIES experiences, | scarcely
remember an exception-the summer
nights In Dixie, were uniformly cool, a
blanket or two necessary for perfect COM
fort, after the hottest days. In very few
localities were insects troublesome. All