The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1896-01-03
HEALTH is AMONG THE VIRTUES.
1t Is Now Admitted That 1t Is Moral
Obligation to Keep Well.

Obligation to Keep well.
In recent paper ON "The Right Edu
cation of Girls" Miss May Hoggenboth-
am, the head Of the domestic science de-
partment of the Drexel institute, peril
nently says that among the convictions
that the earnest spirit of the nineteenth
century is blowing deep into the minds
of men are the dignity and preciouspess
of human life and the moral obligation
that rests upon each and all to preserve
that life in health and vigor for as long
period as may be possible. y
After emphasizing the fact that the
time is coming when pestilence and dis
ease shall no longer be looked upon as
visitations of Providence" and show
ing, too, how physicians, boards OF
health and Legislatures labor in vain to
establish healthy conditions while the
great mass of housekeepers are Ignorant
of sanitary principles, the paper con-
tinues:
every woman should understand the
details as we'll as the theory of santa
ton. She should understand what is
meant by good air and good water, I'M
der what conditions they become con-
taminated and what means of preven-
ton are in the power of the housekeep-
or. The serious and imminent dangers
TO life and health that may arise from
defects in the water supply and drain
age of the house can often be averted by
intelligent oversight and knowledge
of what defects to look for,
When women know what is meant by
good plumbing, good woodwork, good
sanitary conditions generally, builders
will not dare to rely, as many do now,
upon frescoed walls, tawdry mantel cab
inets, snowy stationary wardrobes and
beveled glass doors to sell or rent houses
that have thin walls, wretched floors,
n can woodwork, meaner plumbing and
unsanitary conditions generally.
Upon proper diet more than upon any
other thing depends the health and con-
dition of every human being. Life itself
is a matter of nutrition, and man 8
earthly destiny turns on the considera-
| ton of his diet. 1t involves his strength,
both of body and Of mind, and it large
| ly determines his disposition. We all
recall the case of Carlyle, who made
things hard for himself and those around
| him because he was the miserable
owner of diabolical arrangement called
stomach If Carlyle had possessed the
knowledge of foods that is possible to
the school girl or boy of today, he
would have been better man and his
wife and mother happier women.
No argument is strong enough to con-
vey the full significance of the mother g
responsibility to her household in the
matter of foods. In those periods of in
fancy and early childhood which are be-
yond the control of the individual 1t
rests with the mother to supply the food
that will best build up the tissues OF
the body, keep the blood pure and sup
ply the heat and vital energy to keep
the bodily machine in motion. There
may be hereditary taint-a tendency
to biliousness, headache, poverty OF
blood, nervous hysteria. She can com
bat all with proper diet at the right
time. With the knowledge attainable
today it will be a disgrace for the wom-
an of the future to exclaim, as thou
sands do now: "Oh, yes, it is unfortu-
nate. My mother and grandmother had
it. 1t runs in the family. New York
| Times