The Press., 1891-06-18
w. C. T. U. DEPARTMENT.
!. wAYsIDE LESSON IN HYGIENE.

A WAYsIDE LESSON IN HYGIENE
 DEAR UUIoN SIGNAL:-A scholarly looking gentleman sat opposite me in a railway car near Chicago recently, and spoke thus to his companion:
 "These temperance takers would do welisto season their addresses with more scientific information. Many people care more. alas, for the dictum of science than for the decalogue and sermon on the mount combined. They must be shown beyond a peradventure that alcoholic drinks and tobacco are two sworn foes of a clear brain, and, mol cover, men must be made to understand that, by the changeless laws of inherited tendencies, theirehildren begin where they leave off. These men must be taught to consider and mend their ways, not only in regard to their personal example, but their Ob- ject-lesson methods, so to speak. For insta aee- father brings home candy to his child instead of a picture book or an illustrated paper, forgetting how delight
 
 bits on thewall. Everlastingly the fath- CT etflcates the stomach rather than the brain, both by his example and the infer ences of his words and remembrances. The boy goes out upon the street after breakfast-its a cigarette, a glass of cider, maybe an apple, a few peanuts, and then greasy dinner. The worship of the stomach is the thing taught all the day long Men around him are chewing, smoking, splitting, drinking-meA who ought to be heartily ashamed of them selves for setting this example before de- cent little boys just from their mothers side.
 'Look at the little girl. How much better chance she has to grow up clean and sweet. Her mothers example is wholesome, and the stomach is accustom- ed to the three meals day rule the sal ivary glands are not dried up by tobacco, creating an unnatural thirst; the tempta- tion to treat is altogether absent; the lit tie girl is happily exempt from the ambi- tion to do as pa does,' and has fair op- portunity to grow up into a reputable adult life. Dr. Richardson wisely says that if humanity were not recruited from the comparatively normal and pure blood of the woman, our Anglo-Saxon race would, at the present rate of deteriora- tioii, rapidly become extinct. Already the proportion of girl graduates from the public schools is at the rate of one boy to dozen girls. They take the honors, too. The boot is on the other foot these days. No wonder we hear less about the inferi- ority of woman's brain."
 Here the whistle sounded for my sta tion, but I listened eagerly while the gen. tleman continued S h.
 Fl have been giving course of scien- i8stnses to the professors in - med teal college, and, talking with them of this very subject, they told me young la dies stand the quiz much better than the men. The reason is the girls don't dry up their brains with smoke till they fairly rattle like peas in pod. They conserve their power by regular habits, good digestion and plenty of sleep, so that their brains are clear and free to per form the best work. On the contrary, many of the young men go out evenings to saloons, billiard halls, theatres, and haunts of infamy. The girls save them selves up for study-the boys go out on a lark, to see the folly of it for themselves ? Here the scientists words were lost to my ear, and went up the quiet street wishing had trumpet and could make his helpful utterances heard by every young man in Christendom. WIZ. Matthew Arnold's son Mat had very de- cided opinions. One night the boy heard some one say that the moon is made oi green cheese. Very quickly he said: "1 don't believe the moon is made of green cheese" Don't your" said his father "why not ia t'Oh," said the young gen. tleman, Il don't know why; but don't. J "Well, for Say part" said his father, "1 have no respect for people who give opin- ions for which they can give no reasons. J Young Mat was very much mortified, and went off by himself to hide his feelings The next morning, as bright as possible he greeted his father with this: "Iknow why the moon is not made of green cheese. found it out in Genesis J "Ah," said Matthew Arnold, ST., "you have the advantage of me; I did not know the subject was mentioned in Gen. eais." ''Oh, yes, papa" said the boy s'there is an account of the creation, and the moon was made before there were any COWS" So Matthew the younger tli umphed oyer Matthew the older