The semi-weekly messenger., 1901-07-12
HEALTH AND IT'S ABUSES.


physically strong man, six feet high,
weight 24O pounds, but the sun was
too strong for the strong man. He
was but fifty-nine and is said to have
looked the very picture Of health and
robustness, with perfect sleep and ap-
petite and digestion but he died. He is
said to have been very careless Of him
self, to- have needlessly exposed him
self. The Philadelphia Ledger discuss
ing the cause of his death, asks
I'VE do not know what the official
diagnosis was: but does it not seem
most probable that the real cause of
his dying twenty years too soon was
that he neglected-no, maltreated is the
better word-that splendid body of his
and wore it out with over work and ir-
regular habits until it reached the
breaking point rather suddenly, as per-
fectly working machines are apt to DO.
John Fiske had an almost unlimited
capital of health and strength. Like
many a man with large financial cap
ital he thought it was inexhaustible
and drew on it recklessly, until at last
he overdrew, and physical bankruptcy
followed
He had unusual notions, it seems, as
to health laws. He held this, and moth
ing could be more absurd, and show
more recklessness of habit:
always in a draft when 1 find
one wear the thinnest clothes 1 can
find, winter and summer, catch cold III
once in three and four years, but not
severely, and prefer to work in cold
room, 55 to 60 degrees. Work the larg-
er part Of each twenty-four hours. and
by day or night indifferently. Scarce
ly ever change word once written,
eat when hungry, rarely taste coHee or
wine or or smoke cigar, but drink
two or three quarts OF beer each DAY
and smoke pipe all the time When at
work
That is enough to undermine con-
stitution of iron soon or late. A draft
is deadly to most people. 1t has killed
it's thousands. Get in one and tarry for
a. half hour or longer. and look out for
q cold or rheumatism in the neck.
back and shoulders. Neglect the body
and pay the penalty. Sleep with the
wind blowing upon you night after
night. Sit at work with low temper
ature and with cold feet. drink impro-
perly. and then look out for death
twenty years ahead Of the time. A
man can not abuse his body without
paying at some time ahead the penalty
due from it, The violation OF the SIM
pie laws of health brings its own pun
ishment, whether it be eating, drink
ing. smoking, or subjecting oneself to
the Fiske regiment of neglect and abuse
Sixty years ago the well-to-do farmers
in Granville, Person, Orange, Guilford
and some other counties used to take
their five and six horse teams and go
out on the heavy roads to haul farm
products to Petersburg and Richmond,
Va, and bring back in turn the mer-
chandise for merchants and goods Tor
farmers who sold their products and
then bought family supplies. But
camping out in mid-winter or In the
cold falls and early spring, brought
forth it's legitimate results, aches and
pains, rheumatisms and neuralgia,
fevers and pneumonias, colds and sore
throat. Strong men can for awhlle
punish nature with seeming immunity,
but the bad results follow if even de-
ferred a score of years. Ffske's case
is illustrative. Do as he did and you
will pay the penalty.
He was a very able writer and most
accomplished scholar. His historical
works are extremely iauded in the
north. but they will hardly compare
with the greatest English historical
works or with some American produc-
tons ae was not accurate as to the
south, and yet he was much praised Tor
this special quality. He was an lnoe-
fatigable worker and accomplished a
vast deal. He was richly endowed by
nature, and his precocity has been Of
ten published 1t is said that he had
mastered Euclid, algebra, trigonometry.
surveying and navigation at IL, ac-
auired a reading knowledge OF Greek.
Latin, German. Spanish, French and
Italian by the time he was Ii, and pass
ed on to Sanscrit and Hebrew at Is. He
failed to take the needed rest and the
proper care and he lies as a-conse-
! auenee in his cerements.