Year: 1879

One cannot take up newspaper with out being confronted with an advertise ment ot some cure or palliation for ner- vous debility. The malady seems to be as prevalent. in the Northern State. at least, as eatarrh or consumption or skin diseases A writer in a recent number of the Attantic finds a prime cause of this universal complaint in the dryness of our American climate, and in the sudden and constant electric changes of the at mosphere consequent upon this dryness. This view is unintentionally perhaps confirmed by another writer in the last issue of the same monthly in an article entitled :. English Skies," which are far less stimulating. far more tranquilizing than our American skies.

 However this may be, our habits of living do not tend toward neutralizing whatever over-stimulating influences our climate exerts upon us. On the contrary, we call to their aid whatever power there is in tea, coffee, alcohol. social excitement, competition, fashion and wealth to spur us On to still greater and greater exertion. In our large

 

 find that there is a limit to exertion, that vacations are necessity. But in rural districts these are unknown. The farm er's wife knows nothing about a vaca- tion. She plods steadily and wearily on from June till June again. The farmer himselfis content to wear out in the rut, so he can pay off the mortgage or ads more acres to his farm. So with the mechanic and the mechanics wife. To add to the hoard laid by for a rainy day, to dress as smartly as their neighbors, to get a new piece of furniture, they forego holidays and vacations. And there are multitudes who wear them selves out in struggling against the tide of adversity which bears them away in spite of all their efforts. In one form or another the search for the Philosophers Stone, the Elixir of Life, the Fountain of Perpetual Youth, continues through the ages. There are those now who really think that there is or may be something one can " take 1" which Twill restore the tissue of wasted nerve, which will bring back brain power, which will give again the health that has been squandered by over-exertion, by going without sleep, by indulgence in stimu- lants, by eXcesses of various sorts, by continuous violations of hygienic laws. But there is no such thing. Wasted health is like wasted time. irrecovcrablc. We build on what is left, but what is gone is gone forever.

 Now flour climate makes us peculiarly nervous and sensitive we should ccr- tainly .counteract this tendency by every means in our power; we should culti- vate whatever will make us less sensi- tive, less nervous; we sh 'uld avoid stimulants and settlements and con. serve by every means within nIr reach our nervous power. There are various ways in which we may do this. Early, regular, sufficient sleep, abundance oI plain. nutritious and weli-cooked food, avoidance of all stimulating beverages. proper adjustment of the clothing to changes in temperature and moisture, habitual indulgence in simple but sat isfying pleasures, avoidance of close, hot rooms at all seasons of the year-these are some of the requisites that make health sure to the well, and restore it or build it up again in those who are sick. These conditions are unfortunately not within the reach of all, but they may be secured by a great many who suffer from the want of them now when their inn portance is fully understood and re- cognized.-Neto York Tribune