Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1903-11-26
HOW TO LIVE LONG.

Farmer. Our hearts go out to them la
sympathy for we know from an unusual
~ bitter experience how dark is that
shadow that hangs over home where
one or more members of the family are
sick unto death. There were thirteen
continuous years In the life of the edi-
tor of this paper during which there
was not day in which one or more OF
his Immediate family were not stricken
with consumption, for which then
there was no hope OF q cure and which
ended fatally In every case. This must
be our excuse for saying word now
and then on health topics, than which
none should be of deeper interest TO our
readers.
There is a prevalent and almost uni
vsrsal feeling that sickness or prema-
ture death in the family lie mysteri-
Gus dispensation OF Divine providence.
Preachers 10 conducting funeral sery-
ices frequently describe it in that way
and In one sense their statement 10 cor
rect, for If a sparrow cannot fall TO the
ground without the knowledge and
care of the Ruler of the Universe, GER
tainly no human being can perish from
the earth outside the range OF His
providence, but In another sense 1t is
entirely misleading. Barring accidents
or violence, sickness and premature
death in all cases are the viola.
tion OF the laws OF nature which are the
laws of God. This result may be en-
tirely due TO the ignorance, careless
ness, misfortune, or necessities OF the
Individual, or it may be due to like
conditions In the life Of an ancestor by
reason of which a person has inherited
weak constitution lily fitted to resist
the vicissitudes of life.
A large part of sickness, however, 10
the result of ignorance or the careless.
ness OF the individual himself. Those
who have made study of the lives of
persons who have lived eighty years
or over tell us that there are three or
four features peculiar TO the lives Of
old people. With scarcely an excep-
ton they we're small eaters, especially
after maturity. They lived on simple
food They had large chest measure
in proportion to height and they we're
uniformly of a cheerful and sunny dis
| position. While there was great
variety In their habits In some respects
the above were the general and pre-.
vailing features, not the least oil which
we think Is that of a cheerful disposi-
tion, a tendency to look on the bright
side OF everything and hope for the
very best. Solomon long ago noticed
that "A merry heart doeth good like q
medicine; but a broken spirit drieth
the bones.n
4 The causes of premature death among
both farmers and townsfolk may be
grouped under three or four heads.
First. among city folks might be men.
toned over-eating. A great number Of
men dig their graves with their teeth.
Farmers are less tempted to over-eating
than any other class OF people. An
amount of food which would be merely
normal for a farmer In active work In
the open air would be gorge to per
son of sedentary habits. Farmers as 8
rule, besides, eat much simpler food
| vx.txoh xa..wnx f0a1 ard ssnx.oh I.a4 Ear frrS
than the people in the cities.
i There is not much danger OF q boy
overeating. His digestion is perfec
and the demands OF his system large
He has plenty OF outdoor exercise ans
can digest and assimilate without in
: jury an amount OF food that would b,
dangerous to sickly school boy In tn,
. city or counter jumper in one of tn,
stores. Nevertheless, after the DO!
has attained his full growth and ther,
is no necessity for anything else thai
the food OF support, there 10 constan
temptation for men, even La the coun
try, to eat more than Is good for them
in other words, to demand of the sys
!, tenn that it shall digest and assim
late an amount Of food, the excess o
which must be wasted or stored In tn
: body in the shape of fat to become
. burden Ia the future and possibly
: source of disease.
Strange as 1t may seem, farmers SUI
fer more, In our judgment, from impur
air than do the people of the sam
Q means In the city. The subject OF YER
l tilation il as yet but little understoo
!. on the average farm. Country house
g are for the most part built with th
: idea of securing warmth and with littl
or no provision for ventilation. In tin
2 ber countries where there ID a fireplac
!. and roaring fire Id the fireplace, vel
y tilation Is we'll nigh perfect. The fot
9 air Is taken from the floor. where it
y always found. carried by the draft i
r the chimney, and while there Is gene
tally no direct provision for II