The National tribune., 1890-05-08
CHAPTER LXYI.

In "moonshincr" district of western North
Carolina the consequences of pitched battle
with force Of Revenue officers are said to have
been reported as " three cases of natural death" +"
The misty notions as to the meaning of the
two latter words are however, by no means
confined to the highland regions of the Southern
Alleganies, and many American city-dwellcrs
might be surprised TO read the reflections of
the physiologist Bichat on the significance Of
human euthanasia-the bright sunset Of a
nature-abiding life.
" very prevalent misconception," he says,
connects the end of life as well as its begin
ming, with the idea of unavoidable disease. The
truth is, however, that no person, terminatD z
his existence amidst pains and complicated
disorders, can, in the proper sense Of the word
be said to have died natural death. Judging
from the auaogiGs of our instinct guided fel.
low-creaturcs and Of a few primitive nations,
The approach Of old age should announce itself
by general and very gradual decline of vital
energy, implying physically an increasing de-
sire tor rest and aversion to active exercise,
anu mentally progressive decline in the re-
tentive force OF the memory and the spoutan-
eous conception Of new ideas. In the process
OF increasing decrepitudc, no special sense no
special bodily faculty, should, however much
anticipate the rest. and an old man whose
teeth are completely gone, while his eyes aud
ears are still in tolerably good working order
cannot be said 10 he in normal condition Of
decline. Again. others who have lost their
natural affection but retain their faculty Of
augmentation, Justly incur the suspicion of
having cultivated the intellectual at the ex-
ponse Of the social part Of their nature or rice
rCTsa, since there is no lack of amorouB-even
scxnaly Rn@rcus-od imbeciles and pious
block heads"
Among sayare nations 10 is nothing uncOm-
mon to tud patriarchs with teeth rs sound as
those of au aged gorilla, but with weak or
even totally sightlcss eyes owing to the conse-
qucnces OF countless days passed in the smoke
OF crowded wigwam a chimneyless hovel.
iho frequency OF the opposite predicament t
must be agcribed TO our habit Of substitution z
hash and stews for articles Of diet apt to excr-
clse tho vigor of the mastcating organs. Ma
turc avoids all useless expenditures. If the
task of warming the skull is amply performed
by caps aud hats, hair Is put on the retired
list, and II the work of grinding up orr food is
habitnally anticipated by mills and sausage
machines, our natural grinding apparatus is
permitted Ia decay, even If that decay should
not be fastened by tho use of acids aud super
heated dishes
On the other hand the excessive and too long
continued exercise Of certain muscles may now
and then avcnEe itself in similar manner
especially II thoge muscles should not have
been formed with view 10 constant use in n
state OF nature. The supports Of the knee-ioint
are called into notion in every motion Of a run
ming, walking or eaping man, and even in the
effort to keep the body in n standing posi-
ton. As consequence, they arc almost indc
iatigabic, and the monkish enthusiast. Simon
styiites. is said TO have aecompl shed the task
Of standing erect on tall pillar, day and night
Tor nearly quarter Of q century. Pedestrians,
even IN our degenerate age have proved able
to sustain the fatigue Of lOcomotion 10 an almost
incredible length Of time while vciocipede
riders are liable 10 ali sorts of unpleasant after
effects OF more than usually protractcd ex-
cursion.
Tho possibility Of an extensive use OF the
special muscles exercised in the net Of lrFiWg
does not seem 10 have been anticipated in the
program of nature, judging from tho liability
OF r"nnen 10 the affection known rs the
writer's cramp.' Aged persons. especially,
are apt 10 experience an occasional difficulty in
keeping pcnhodcr steady cnough for the for.
nation 81 lCgihe letters and that difficulty
may 40 last take tho form of continued
tremor-n twiiChing movement of the muscles
OF tho hand and arm, as If the process Of hand
ling the pen had become automatic and inde-
pendent Of the control of the will. Galyansm
and the use of hot foments has been found
beneficial ia severe attacks of that affection
and complete rest rarely fails 20 mitigate the
trouble, but still moro effective remedy is a
frequent change Of occupation. Nature seems
10 object less 10 the ong-contiuucd use of the
writing muscles than 20 their cIriasirc use, and
after "A series Of experiments numerous patients
OF my acquaintance have agreed with me that
the best plan consists in frequently leaving the
writng.desk for an amateur carpenters hcuch
where different set of wrist-muscles can be
exercised by saving, planning. filing. or turning
n stit gimlet for couple of minutes IL is not
necessary that the countcractiug labor should
bp continued for 81 9th al finn ar par-
ricd TO the degree Of positive fatigue. Wood
chopping with adult, heavy axe is, for instance,
rather apt TO aggravnte the trouble and bring
on chronic trcmor of the very muscles the
patient hoped To reduce 10 a controliahlc condi.
tion. IL is a suggestive fact that professional
copyists are the chief victims of the disorder,
and that t rarely or rever attacks writer's who
alternate their literary pursuits with gardening
farm work.
All exclusive kinds Of manual occupations
are liable 20 be hampcrcd by similar troubles,
and the physicians and surgeons of large man.
ufgcturing towns arc made familiar with the
pathOiogy OF such affections as "cobbier's
crnmp, tailor cramp," aud even turner's and
painters cramp. Change of occupation, or
rather manual by. trade, would in most cases
suffice to effect a cure.
All sorts Of nervous trcmors are, however
apt TO be aggravated by the habitual use OF
stimulants. which, besides have often "A curious
effect in relaxing special muscles of the human
organism.
Would you object" writes a reader of Tue
NATIONAL tribune, 10 say few words on an
ugly defect seen in the eyes of so many persons
OF 40 years and upwards, viz. n puilinGss under
the eyes, forming in many eases II vcritable
sack hanging under the lower eyelid The
look under Secretary b. 3 eyes illustrates just
what mean. Youth aud beauty, | know, are
apt TO depart together. butif there is any way
10 avoid being unpleasant and unwheles0me-
looking, surely we may be excused for being
anxious TO walk herein II you can suggest
remedy, ! believe. many OF your readers would
thank you"
For permanent effectiveness no remedy can,
for that purpose, compare with the daily use of
cold water internally, too. perhaps but at all
events in Turkish-towel bath of the head,
faco and neck. The originator of hydropathy
claimed unlimited and no doubt rather exag.
gerated merits for the lavorite prescription of
his sanitnrium; but have noticed that all his
jealous disciples are distinguished by II remark
ably wholesome complexion, a hale Iuddness,
aud the almost complete absence of facial
wrinkles.
(1o De cOnfinued)