The record-union., 1899-04-16
PRIZE HEALTH RULES.

lie age mas not DetL utuCleHl ia
research for means of extending human
life, for the preservation of health and
the prevention of disease. No other
century has made such rapid strides in
those directions Sanitary science has
achieved advances all but amazing
when contemplation is had OF what has
been accomplished in home and NUM-
cipal sanitation, in preventive medicine
and in safe guarding life and health.
But in the meantime a hundred or more
sets of rules have been given with great
servance of which are supposed to
greatly enhance mans chances in the
struggle for existence and the enjoy
ment of life while it lasts. Many of
these have much virtue, but the mass
of them have come and gone without
making much impression upon the
habits of mankind.
Perhaps the very latest of these
spring from an offer made by Partisan
enterprise in 1897 offering prizes for
the best code of hygienic rules not to
ton Of mental and bodily health. We
have now the result of the competition.
The winner is DR.. Decornet of Ferte-
sur-Aube, who won over 500 selected
competitors. The rules translated for
the London Lancet" are the following:
1. General Hygiene: Rise early, go
to bed early, and in the meantime keep
yourself occupied. 2. Respiratory Hy
giene: Water and bread sustain life,
but pure air and sunlight are indispen-
sable for health. 3. Gastrointestinal
Hygiene: Frugality and sobriety are
the best elixir for a long life. f. Epi-
dernal Hygiene: Cleanliness preserves
from rust; the best-kept machines last
longest. 5. Sleep Hygiene: A suff-
cheney Of rest repairs and strengthens;
too much rest weakens and makes soft.
3. Clothes Hygiene: He is well
clothed who keeps his body sufficiently
warm, safeguarding it from all abrupt
changes of temperature while at the
same time maintaining perfect freedom
Of motion. Z. House Hygiene: A
house that is clean and cheerful makes
happy home. s. Moral Hygiene: The
mind reposes and resumes it's edge by
means of relaxation and amusement,
but excess opens the door to the pas
sions and these attract the vices. 8.
Intellectual Hygiene: Gaiety conduces.
to love of life and love of life is the
half of health; on the other hand, sad
ness and gloom help on old age. 10.
Professional Hygiene: Is it your brain
that feeds you? Don't allow your arms
and your legs to become ankylosed. Dig
for a livelihood, but don't omit to
burnish your intellect and elevate your
thoughts.
1t will be observed that after all
these cannot be called rules" They
are the brief statement of truths, in
the main familiar to all men, or they
should be- There is not in the list a
single new truth, nor an old one newly
put. But Of course that is not saying
that they may not serve good purpose
by their restatement. But really we fail
to comprehend why a prize should have
been awarded for that which every
sensible person must be assumed to
know.
They may be summed up in the old
and splendid truths-temperanc in all
things, fair rest and sufficient exercise,
refusal to over tax, rationalism in diet,
occupation, enjoyment of plenty of
fresh air and sunlight, cleanliness of
premises and person, cheerfulness and
refusal to worry conserve good health
and long life.
How far will these congratulations
newly stated, serve to quicken OBJ
se~vance of the rules of decent living
among the people? We must confess
that this latest Partisan attempt to do
something wonderful has proved a
failure and that of the race of fools he
who parted with his coin to pay for a
costly prize for the shrewd DR.. Decornet
is among the foremost.