The Colorado statesman., 1909-02-27


in the bsdy without complying with
the laws of its physical organization,
is manifestly ubsurd.
A farmer needs at least twice as
much muscular-energy-giv food as
street car conductor, varying with the
physical work or exercise of each, but
this young man continued to eat about
the same amount and kinds of food
that he had eaten in the country. Now
the system manufactures gastric juice
to digest as much food as the system
requires, not always enough for the
food eaten. Perhaps we can all re-
member a time when we were quite
familiar with sour stomach. When we
were younger and more vigorous, ma
ture responded more promptly, defend
ing herself and warning us of abnor-
NAL conditions, so that we should re-
move the cause. How much more
quickly child or a dog will vomit If
1t eats the wrong food or too much of
the right food than an adult. Is the
sour stomach in the child or the readi-
ness to vomit an Indication of health
or of disease? Does not a farmer
change a horses food as his work
changes?
| have quoted these two cases sub
mitted by interested readers of these
articles to exemplify an important fun
damental principle-that it is often
difficult to distinguish between health
and disease. So important is this
principle, and so fatal are the effects
of Ignorance of it, that / wish to make
1t still clearer, by examples.
few weeks ago l met on the street
a minister with whose work in
small town, near Chicago, l was init
mately acquainted last year. He had
a new charge now, larger, more pros
porous and more harmonious congre
cation.
You are looking much better than
when l saw you last" l said (Which
happened to be true-it never helps
man to tell him he looks sick, even if
it is true).
Well" he said, 81 am feeling bet
ter in every way, except that | have
one trouble that is really becoming
serious; for days l have had constant
diarrhoea, and nothing seems to stop
It,"
That's WELL" l said, for l was ia
miliar with his case preceding his
change of surroundings, and l took
hasty inventory of his condition. He
had been much depressed the preced-
ing year (mental depression often in
duces constipation) and his nutritive
powers, mental and physical, were &C
cordingly reduced, and he had lost in
flesh and accumulated waste in the tis-
sues). Now there was a revival; all
the tissues were expanding and waste
was being eliminated through the
bowels; but more than that, the sys-
TEN was adjusting itself, rapidly, to
more wholesome mental conditions,
and there was, as the engineer says,
some exhaust steam. Should he take
a standard remedy to stop the diar-
hoea?
A woman who had suffered for years
from dyspepsia, accompanied by con-
stipation, went to a large sanitarium
where she had every opportunity for
cure. For while she improved, then
she began to grow steadily worse. She
quit the place, dissatisfied, and went
to private sanitarium in Chicago.
The physician there understood that
painful healing efforts of nature are
often mistaken for signs of disease.
She grew worse" became very sick,
and got well.
What would have been the effect of
curing" that sickness?
A gentleman past middle life was
advised to make some material
changes in his diet, which he did with
decided benefit for several months.
Then he began to go steadily dowS
HILL" as he thought He consulted an
other physician, who saw in his simple
diet the cause of his entire trouble,
gave him a tonic and advised him to
return to his old liberal diet, includ-
ing meat, and now he feels better;-a
result due, chiefly, to improved mental
conditions induced by his friends,
who rejoice with him in the return of
his sanity, The best diet in the world,
with continual worry, will kill any
body, and the prison records of Poland
show that a man can live for so years
on bread and water.
How, then, shall I know whether l
am sick or well?" asks the bewildered
reader.
You are always well, if you really
think so. There is more truth in this
statement than l have space to ex-
plain here, for l am dealing now with
diet, not with suggestion. But let me
briefly state the best course to follow
under all circumstances:
Follow nature. If nature is work
ing in certain direction to bring
about normal conditions of health, CO.
operate with her. especially in thought.
Be careful that you do not misinterpret
her efforts and antagonize her. Don't
he in too great haste to Ston main by