Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1921-07-14
How to
Live
s.
Common Sense Comments on
Health, Happiness and
Longevity
By GEORGE r. BUTLER.
A. Nj. M. D.
SUNShIN z.

greater purifier, no better friend to
good health, cleanliness and long life
than sunshine. Sunshine costs moth
ing, IL refreshing. invigorating, llfe-giv-
Ing to both sick and well. People
somehow have got the idea that moth
ing is valuable that does not cost some
thing, and are apt to value all bless
ings by the money value they pre-
sent. 1t Is as well always to bear In
mind that the three greatest blessings
humanity receives-sunlight, pure air
and water-are all free to all they are
everywhere and can be had without
money and without price. II you
would enjoy good health, see that you
have pure air to breathe all the time.
that you receive the direct benefit Of
the sunshine an hour or two every
day, and that you quench your thirst
with nothing but pure water. Houses
should be so built that every room oc-
cupied for living or sleeping purposes
shall receive the full benefit Of direct
sunlight ut some time of the day. The
sleeping rooms should be large and
rOOmy. and. II possible, an eastern ex-
posture to receive the benefit Of the
morning sun. Too many shade trees
too close to the house are an injury
rather than a benefit, and should be
removed II they prevent free access Of
the sunlight to all the rooms. Let In
the sunshine that il struggling with
blinds. shades and awnings, and let It
do Its blessed work Of publication.
Very intimate relations exist be-
tween the sun and digestion. Diges-
ton and assimilation become weak and
imperfect II the man or animal Is not
freely exposed to the direct rays Of
the sun. No plant or animal can d.
gest In the dark. Plant a potato In
your cellar. II there il a little light,
that potato will sprout and try to
grow. But surround 1t with the best
manure, water 1t. do the best for 1t.
only you shall keep II In the dark, It
cannot digest and grow. See how
slender and pale 1t Ia. Now open q
window In another part Of the cellar,
and notice how the poor, hungry thing
will stretch that way. Or give the
stalk little twist, and see how II will
lie down. II can't raise itself again.
No matter how much food and drink
you give 1t. II can't digest. The proc
ess Of digestion. the great function of
assimilation. can't 20 on without sun.
shine. Did you ever notice that grain
growing under trees Is not so large
and does not MI ~ well as that grow
Ing In the open where there IL plenty
Of sunshlnef
The white light Of the sun II most
powerful inhibitory agent for the
growth Of all forms Of microscopic
life. Somehow the actinlc rays Of
white light. the same that cause the
change In the silver salts in photog-
raphy, are able to initiate alterations
In the chemical constituents Of mi
crobes that eventually lead to their
complete destruction. The Improve
ment In heslth among the poor Of our
large cities, as the result Of letting
the light into the tenements, shows
how much good the great solar scav.
enger can accomplish even under un-
favorable circumstances.
Lack OF sunshine tends to mental
depression. II Is astonishing how our
mental condition Is improved; how We
feel more inclined to work and take
outdoor exercise. on sunny days. So
great an authority as DR.. Arnold Lo-
rand. physician to the baths, Carlsbad,
| Austria. says: "Let US be grateful for
every ray Of sunshine. and take advan.
tage Of It. Some ladies avoid the sun,
but It would be wiser to seek II and,
II possible, to expose our whole bodies
to its rays. Let us remove all the
curtains from the rooms In which We
sleep or sit. especially from our work.
room. In the train let us sit on the
sunny side and not draw the curtain
unless we are reading; In short, let VI
seek the sunshine wherever II shines
We shall soon observe how much bet
ter We feel after long sojourn In the
sun. There II no denying that. as q
rule. those who spend much time In thu
sun look better and healthier thar
those who live In dark rooms or Of
hces." Particularly In old age is sun
shine precious, and instinct tells old
people that the sun IL good for them
and they eagerly watch for II to shine
LEARN HOW TO LIVE
One Of the principal BENEFITS derived
from 4 vacation at the seaside Is tn,
comparative freedom one may have Il
dress, which may be adapted to expos
the body to the suns rays
1t n not only the part Of expedienc,
but morally imperative for every on,
to do al that lies In his power to b,
, well. steadily and joyously well
, All men desire happiness. bat fev
| know how to secure II. II h wise I,
seek for interests rather than pleas
J urea
We must learn our limits; We ar
al something. hut not everything. W.
must not expect too much.
Every one n ruled by somebody, an
: | a. A. =