The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1891-11-26
HEALTH HINTS
For Old and Young.
BY FELIX L. OSWALD. N. D.
CHAPTER CXXIv.
,1rY cnILpREn-fcontinnc

EMS OF the ndle-iAItA khouEu OLlitINl1o pr
haps healthy. yOungster envy the red cheeks OF
the butcher boy from tho suburbs where spa
ciOus Fairgrounds compensate for the lack OF
other country advantages.
But is il wholly certain that a fOrid COM
plexiOn can DO regarded a symptom OF abundant
health2 The flushed cheeks of cOnsumptiyes
can hardly be recOncilcd with that theory /;
hut there is another. aud still more suggestive,
fact which may well Justify doubt in the
correctness of the current belief, viz, the cir
cumstance that q stimulating diet, no matter
how ruinOus to the health OF mind and body, is
apt 10 impart q ilorid hue TO the countenance
Of its habtues. In alcohol drinkers that tint
advances from pale Carmine 10 n deep purple;
and DIR. Isaac Jennings went so far as TO base
one Of his chief arguments against flesh food
on the fact that the flushed appearance Of meat
eaters resembles that Of habitual wine-drink-
ers.
with about equal potency" he says. alco-
hol aud flesh, meats weaken the force Of the
capillaries Of the system, on which healthy
action so much depends. This is a species Of
evidence that comes within the observation OF
every person, for it is exhibited by that prom
inent mirror, the face. When he is in healthy
state, and the little, minute vessels which con-
stitute large part Of the body are strong and
active. they keep themselves habitually so con-
tracted that nothing but the thinner. pure. nu-
tritious portion OF the blood can pass them.
Now whatever tends TO weaken these impOr-
tant yet indispensable little agents, so that
they are habitually obliged to diate sufficiently
10 carry the coarse glObules Of blood. and thus
give a man, woman or child a red face, is sap
ping the very foundations Of permanent health
and long life. Alcohol and animal food alike
perpetraie this mischief Many individuals
can now be found in the ranks Of alcoholic
teetOtalers, aud true TO their pledge of total
abstidence from strong drink, who neveTtheless
carry flushed cheek. TO which nothing but a
pure vegetable diet will give a safe and solitary
bleaching. There are some cases OF meat eat
ers' foridness extending from the tip of the
nose to the extreme border OF the ear, and
which / would defy my esteemed friend, DIR.
Alcott Whose diagnOstic skill in such matters
is not surpassed) to distinguish from the effects
Of alcohol"
On the other hand. Il Is true that certain
forms of disease may likewise tend TO bleach the
face Of the patient, and habitual pallor Is hardly
compatible with perfect health. The truth
seems 10 be that We ought 10 distinguish be-
tween the rudy appearance Of sunburnt cOun.
try lads and the AOrid-i. e., hushed-cheeks Of
stimulant- fuddled city children. The latter
sort Of complexion is hardly preferable to the
uniform pale-brOwn OF street Arabs, who lack
nothing bat sunshine 70 be quite as hale as their
stoutest country cousins. A yellowish- gray COM
piexion, however, indicates often the influence
Of bilious disorders, and may result from habit
nal constipation, a complaint which can be
cOunteracted by a change Of diet especially by
the substitution Of brown bread, stewed prunes
and baked beans for the concentrated food Of
many city dwellers
General debility is often associated with I'M
timely drowsiness, and many city teachers COM
plain that some Of their pupils seem TO find it
impossible TO keep awake during the afternoon
lessons. Country teachers rarely experience
that difficulty. though in some of the very hot
test parts Of the South our school trustees arc
in the habit Of engaging teachers only for the
three waTmest Summer months: July, August.
aud September. Farm work is slack then. and
the youngsters can DO spared from tho fields,
where they have 10 pick cotton in Fall and
pillow in Winter and Spring. To make up for
lest time many village schools keep at il from
in the morning to noon, and again from /
o'clock till 5. while the mercury RACES in the 90s.
Nevertheless the young visitors Of such schools
keep wide awake. They enjoy more general
vignr aud sleep well all night, when thousands
OF city children are kept awake by the heat
aud sitting Odors Of uuventilated tenements.
Often also a penchant for daytime maps is due
10 ennui and sort Of premature life WEAKNESS.
] remember the case Of poor orphan boy
whose guardians complained that he could not
be got out OF bed in the morning and took
every chance 20 steal a nap on the porch or in
III ouA-ui-Aflt-HaF EOIuCI Oh tic gdTu. lnby
accused him Of laziness, but their severe plan
Of cure only aggravated the evil and it seemed
only too possible that the poor little fellow
slept 10 forget bis misery, aud would much
have preferred q sleep without a waking.
deprivation Of natural rest" says Jean
Jacques Rousseau, has always appeared 10 be a
harshness bordering on meanuess, since sleep is
certainly the cheapest Of all harmless Injuries.
IL a child won't get up in the morning / would
adj wise ltg educators IN Ulaagaut
pastime-a woodland Tamble or little fishing
tTip-fOr the morning hours. II he gets up too
soon try the opposite plan, and without SEEM
ing 20 intend IL, eOntTive 10 make the early
morning triae dull. In that way the evil is
apt TO correct ITSELF and you make your pupil
find his own interest in complying with your
wishes; n much better plan than TO bully him
into compliance against his constant private
inclination"
One of the disadvantages Of crowded city
schools is the risk Of cOntagion. favored by the
atmosphere Of oyerheated schOOl-rooms. "Can
skin diseases be communicated without actual
contact with the afflicted person2" inquiries
one of my correspondents. Ny little boy of
nine years" she says, "a few weeks ago showed
me his arm, neck. and breast covered with a
red rash, which has since spread 10 the other
side Of his body. lie thought it must be sort
Of itch, thing Of which he has an intense
dread, and which must have fastened upon him
in some unexplained manner, since no took
particular care to avoid the touch of certain
school mates whom he saw rubbing and scratch
ing themselves all day"
Besides scabies and prurigo there are at least
dozen less severe skin diseases, most of them
contagious enough to be communicated by a
short contact with the clothing worn by affected
persons. In the case in question the trouble
may have been caused by the habit of many
teachers TO make their pupils change their
seats, either in token Of merit and demerit or
10 prevent quarrels between bench-neighbOrs
unable TO agree. Besides, in the scuflles Of the
playground every youngster is almost unavoid-
ably and often unwittingly brought in moment
airy contact with every other.
In mild affections Of that sort, change OF
clothing and a warm bath will remedy the
trouble. Bed-clOthes. bed-sheets especially.
should likewise be changed, and II necessary
be put aside, after being thoroughly washed In
hot water. IL the eruptions do not cease TO re-
appear. try an ointment Of two ounces Of vase
line. or lard, mixed with one ounce of flowers
Of sulphur. Stir the mixture. after warming
II, enough to dissolve the vaseline. and apply
with soft linen rag, after washing the affected
parts Of the skin with warm water and SPONGE
--====-=--s-===------ ----.----=S-=z=--==