The record-union., 1897-08-02
HOT WEATHER AND HEALTH.

l.
The New York Herald editorially
gives advice to its readers how to live
in hot weather. Among other things,
it says:
We can commence and end by say
ing that the best way to keep health
during the summer, and thus escape
many of the diseases incident to the
season, is to live moderately, avoid eX-
cesses in food and drink and eschew
all forms of dissipation.
1t seems to us that that is good ad-
vice for any season of the year. Why
should men and women live immoder
ately, immoderately indulge in excess
of food or drink at any time, or ever
dissipate? Hot or cold, no matter what
the weather, a chief way to happiness
and health lies through moderation.
One of the best known men to Cali
fornia. man who has attained great
age and preserves his mental and
physical vigor, says that he always
arises from the table just before his
appetite for the meal is satisfied. It
is safe to say, on the basis of that
statement from his lips, that he does
better than that, indeed, namely that
he does not indulge in excess in any
thing at or away from table, physically
or mentally. He has probably found
what the Herald" says to be true,
namely:
One Of the main purposes of food is
the production of animal heat; it is
easy to understand that the demands
to that end are not prOnOuncedly i'm
perative. 1t is quite surprising to learn
how small an amount of food, particu-
larly of the animal variety, is necessary
to maintain bodily vigor during the
warmer months. The wise man follows
indications accordingly and is satisfied
to live on the blandest materials posi-
BILE, eating when he is hungry and sat
isfying his appetite with simples-
If this much can be said against in
discretion in eating, how much more
does the injunction of temperance ap-
ply to that of liquor drinking? It is
well known that the persons most prone
to heat stroke are those that consume
the most spirits. Notwithstanding this
impressively significant truth, it is
growing into more and more of fash
ion to indulge to an alarming extent in
all sorts Of wine bibbing and whisky
drinking in the fatal delusion that cool
ness of body and bracing of spirit are
thereby maintained. Nothing can be
more absurd from any standpoint of
reason or of health. II is safe to say
that stimulants in any form are never
needed by healthy subject during hot
or cold weather. This fact has been
abundantly proven by exhaustively ac-
curate physiological experiments. Wa
ter plain and pure. with the
cool temperature of the run
ming spring does everything that
any drink can do in main
tanning the temperature of the body
at the safe and normal standard. Ice
water when an individual is overheated
IS always harmful 1t cannot quench
thirst in a natural way. and when used
in large quantities has been known to
cause instant death by paralyzing the
nerves of the stomach and heart. We
do not protest against lemonade and
other innocent soft" drinks, but are
not aware that any have actually suf-
IST0Q 1UT dIAA vi NLACAiA VI 0lC0 pCNolSSO
they could not obtain them.
This is all absolutely and undeniably
true. II is unnecessary exposure, I'M
necessary eating and drinking, unnec-
essary stimulation that father seven
tenths of the ills man is subject to
physically, whether the weather be tor
rid or arctic With moderation and
cleanliness ample exercise, and a re-
fined spirit comprehending the duty to
care for our bodies. as we would for
our riches, and freedom from worry,
that viii insure US the greatest physi-
cal comfort and the longest lease Of
life.