Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1891-02-27
PROFESSIONAL MEN.
ADVICE TO THOSE PURSUING A
SEDENTARY OCCUPATION.


Synopsis of IL Lecture by Professor Fran
els Minot-What Is shown by Statis-
tics-origin of Diseases brain Work
and Health.
Professor Francis Mnot lectured re-
Gently at the Harvard Divinity school on
the health of professional men. The lect-
ure included three topics: The actual
condition of the health of professional
men; their peculiar disease and the best
mode of doing professional work Under
the term professional men, we include
| physicians, lawyers, clergymen, writers,
| scientists and teachers
! DR.. Minot said the health of profess
sional men ought to be rs good as that of
other people, for they had good shelter,
good food, and were not exposed to ex-
tremes of weather and noXious surround
ings, and were not tempted to dissipation
and excess. This inference was shown to
be correct by statistics. Longevity was
not always attended by good health, but
old age was generally the reward of a
healthy life Statistics of the age at
death of over 200 900 people in Massachu-
sets showed that, while the average of
all was about 81, the average age of pro-
fessional men was u little over 81. includ-
ing actors ana photographers. OF real
professional men the average age was
about 50; of judges, &c. of clergymen, 60:
of professors, So; of physicians, 81; of
lawyers, over 90,
A DIFFERENT RESULT
Statistics compiled in England showed
different result, for while clergymen
were there also longer lived than lawyers
| or physicians, physicians were the short
est lived of professional men During
three consecutive years the death rate
among physicians was 2G in 100; among
lawyers, 20, and much less among the
clergy. This difference was remarkable
1t could not be explained by the irregular
life, lack of rest and overwork of medical
men, for those conditions applied to Amer
lean physicians, and was probably due to
the fact that many English doctors spend
years in India, whence they return with
impaired health. There was Il general re-
semblance in the mode of living Of law
yers and physicians; they were obliged to
exercise more and there was more variety
in their lives than in those of clergymen
and professors. The great longevity of
ministers must be attributed TO modera-
ton, temperance and freedom from anX-
| iety as to pecuuiary matters.
DIR Minot then reviewed briefly the ori-
! gin of diseases i'll general and said many
of them would disappear as soon as their
causes became known. The danger to
the health of professional men lay in their
sedentary life. They should warm their
studios and offices with open fires rather
than with furnace heat, and supply less
oxygen in consequence of greater rarefica-
ton of the air. Good hygienic conditions
in their houses was next in importance.
Bad drainage caused typhoid fever, pneu-
monia, diphtheria and blood poisoning.
No drainage or sewer pipes should have
indirect communication through other
pipes with the interior of sleeping rooms.
Next to drainage the care of the person
was of greatest Importance Sponge baths
every morning were advantageous to those
whom the practice did not iniure, and
| daily moderate exercise was necessary
| Professional men often suffered from
what was popularity known as biliousness,
which was due to insufficient exercise in
the open air; from this ill lawyers and
physicians We're freer than clergymen and
writers,
WORK AND RELAXATION.
From work professional men gained
their livelihood and their happiness, and
the question was, How can one do the
most work with the least injury? The
work should be uniform as regards hours,
with intervals of relaxation, during which
the mind should be completely withdrawn
from ones work. There were many in
stances of the beneficial effects of this
alienation of employment. Sir John
Lubbock was an active banker and MEM
Der of parliament, but became famous
from his avocation as Il naturalist. A
distinguished Massachusetts judge spent
his evenings frequently in reading SEN
sational novels. An hour at whist not
only afforded a positive gain as regards
health, but an increased capacity for
labor. complete vacation at least once
a year was advantageous b. r. Curtis
said he could do his years work in nine
months, but not in twelve. Every pro-
fessional man. except the country doctor,
could generally take Il vacation in the
summer, and the country doctor should
take a journey, particularly journey
across the ocean.
Professor Minot did not believe that
brain work was bad for health. Instances
of the effects of over brain work were
nearly all due to the neglect of hygienic
rules or to hereditary diseases Brain
workers often lived long and laborious
lives. IL was a natural inference when a
professional man died of apopleXy that ne
died of overwork, but apopleXy was us
liable to be caused by physical overwork
rs by mental The professor closed with
three examples of the effects of the rules
| he had laid down: Darwin, who by rcgu-
| larity performed an enormous amount of
work, in spite of i'll health and intense
| pain; DR., Little, whose rule of life in
/ cluded tke twenty-four hours of the day,
and who generally worked until 3 in tine
morning aud rose at 8, took a vacation of
one month every year, and lived to be
nearly 50; IA distinguished London ply
slcian, DIR. Bird, who ut 10 had built up
practice worth G1O, 900 year, but who
died soon after, broken down by over
work.-Boston Advert User.
Where Good sponges Are Found.
"The best sponge of commerce." said a
| dealer, i'll speaking to Il reporter sis