The National tribune., 1889-01-10
written for THE NATIONAL Tn1BuNn.I
HEALTH BINTS,
For Old and Young.
BY FELIX L. OSWALD, NJ. D.,
Author of physical Education .; Household
Remedies; THE Bible of Nature etc.
CHAPTER I.
THE SCIENCE OF HEALTH.

There is deep significance in the expression
of the German historian who defines the ad-
vance of civilization as a progress in the sci
ence of preventing evils Barbarans, in their
dealings with the annoyances of life, generally
prefer the plan of suppression. 81 can tell
you in few words how we manage to lessen
the risk of insurrection in our Sepoy regI-
ments," said a British officer of my acquaint-
ance. The old method consisted in shooting
mutineers. We have found it better plan to
prevent the causes of mutiny."
similar reform has greatly modified the
art of healing and only since the adoption of
the PreCeNtjOa Plan, Hygiene has begun to de-
serve the name OF true science. The medl-
cine-men of the Middle Ages confined their
endeavors almost exclusively to the attempt of
suppressing the symptoms of disease. If the
rapid pulse of the patient indicated the ap-
proach of a fever they would bleed him till
they could feel next to no pulse at all. Dysen-
terry they tried to cure by filing the system
with narcotic drugs, which momentarlly an
sWered the purpose by paralyzing the bowels
The opposite extreme they tried to counteract
by prescriptions which forced the exhausted
organism to resume its functional activity and
work with feverish haste to rid itself of q life
endangering poison. A similar misconceptiOn
of the true significance of disease still tempts
many nurses to remedy the fretfulness of
sick child by means of opiated soothing sir
ups" In other words, they Stupefy the child
into silence, and might as well accomplish that
purpose by a knock-down blow on the head
They might just as well try to "cure" the hun
ger of bowling dog by choking him at the
first squeak. The symptoms of disease are the
alarm signals of Nature. What should we
think of the intelligence of a commanding Off
Ger who had been awakened by an alarm-shot
announcing the approach of the enemy. and
who should rush out patrol to restore the re-
pose of the camp by knocking down the noisy
r,ic ri hot in n ic
try to suppress confagration by smashing the
fire -bells2
Yet in exactly that manner the old-school
drug doctors tried to suppress the disorders of
the human organism. Their bue-pills did not
really improve the condition of the dyspeptic
stomach; they merely suppressed-for while
the symptoms of dyspepsia, and lesSened the
chance of complete recovery by just as much as
the small remaining strength of the organism
had been still further exhausted by the yirulent
drug. Opiates do not cure the ailments of the
fretful child; they only silence the audible
symptoms of distress, at the risk of turning a
triHing complaint into very serious disorder.
The attempt to " break a fever by bleeding
the patient into fainting- fit succeeds only for
the short time of complete exhaustion, while
the extraordinary as we'll as the ordinary func-
tons OF the organism are suspended, as an ex-
hausted country would be obliged to suspend
the operations of a campaign for lack of the
requisite funds for paying its expenses.
" But can there be doubt that drugs prove
beneficial in a majority of cases2" 1 have
often been asked. Nine out of ten pill-dosed
patients, after all, seem to recover; can there
be doubt that even blue-pills benefit certain
constitutional"
Such questions often remind me of an anec-
dote about French infantry officer who had a
passion for constructing fascines, and during
campaign in Southern Algeria carried his hobby
fO a w lNy INN cd a
ments of his own allies. " Don't forget to men
tion the services of my brigade" he told re-
porter after skirmish that had ended with
the rout of the hostile Arabs; my men have
been at work all night cutting brush for in
trenehments." Forget you? No risk of that
old fellow" a cavalry officer shouted across
the mess-table; my troopers couldn't ride
down those niggers without riding down
square mile of your - brushWorks."
just about in that way poison drugs assist
Nature in her fight against disease. The medi-
cine-man claims a considerable share of the
credit, but the fact is that his patient RECEIVERS
because the vigor of his constitution is sufficient
to overcome both the medicine and the malady.
Yetit is true enough that many diseases can
not be cured on the " Let-alone plan" Pain,
sleeplessness, weakness, nervousness loss of ap-
petite, are all so many urgent appeals for help,
and sanitarans, as well as drug -mongers, pro-
pose TO assist Nature and differ only in regard to
o
assistance. Are you sick? Then swallow my
nostrum" says DR.. Quack. Change your
habits" says the sanitarian. Have you lost
your appetizer A blue-pill will stimulate the
activity of the torpid liver only for a day or
two, the unnatural irritation of the bowels will
be followed by depressing reaction, and at the
end of 48 hours your constipation and nausea
will be worse than before. Protesting Nature
cannot be bullied into silence. If an over
fatigued soldier breaks down, moaning it would
be poor plan TO remedy his trouble by drench-
ing him with a pailful of vitriol; the effect of
the stimulant might get him on his legs for
moment but after staggering along for min
ute or two he would break down again, more
hOpelessly exhausted than ever Convulsing
the bowels into fever of unnatural activity is
a bad way to remedy their exhaustion. In
nine out of 10 cases actual recovery can be
effected only by a change of habits. Has your
loss of appetite been caused by overeating and
want of exercise? Then walk more and eat
less.
Patients who apply to a doctor like to get a
prescription" and need not fear that sanitary
reform will deprive them of that comfort. The
list of effective remedies is not confined to the
manuals of the drug trade. Fresh air alone
w0uld cure hundreds of complaints that defy
all the specifics of pharmacy. Consumption is
so Enthusiastically house disease that its ratio in
/ all countries and in all climes bears an exact
proportion to the prevalence of indoor occupa-
tions. Sunlight would save the lives of thou
sands of poor city children who sicken, like
cellar-plants, in the unnatural twilight of their
| slum-prisons. Active exercise is an almost in.
fallibe specific for variety of bowel com
plants, that can only be complicated by drastic
! drugs. Natural hygiene teaches the science of
| preventing and eradieating diseases, instead of
suppressng their symptoms; its disciples are
the allies of Nature rather than of the nos
| trum- -vendeT Its lessons will enable us TO dis
| tinguish food from poison, and harmless from
| banefui pleasures; to preserve health under
abnormal circumstances; to interpret the symp-
toms of approaching disease; to conciliate Of
Tended Nature by timely reform; to cure or
mitigate the unavoidable ailments caused by
accident, by the debility of old age, or the in
experience of childhood. The true science of
health consists in the art of curing disease by
the removal of its cause and preventing re-
lapse by the reform of unhygienic habits.
In the following papers (written expressly
for the readers of THE NATIONAL TRIBuNE1
we shall consider the best means of APPLYING
those principles to the sanitary needs of every
day life.
| Ito be c0ntinued.1
An Elephantine Romance.
Even elephants have their loves, with ac-
companying jealousies, and the little drama
hot l,nTEa tod Il.