Year: 1871

LIbHE Cdu Dc no uOuDL JndJ JTe OftnCls
pies of health from general intelligence
andcivilization are better understood than
= ting. were formerly, and the mortality of
human life, on the aggregate, diminished.
Although IL might be suspected that the
f0ms of civilization and intelligence


slould compete with the drawback of
pore solid constitutions of our ancestors,


We may live as long, but not so free from


disease. Lewis Cormaro reached nearly
liss hundredth year; Black Hawk the
Indian Chief, quite survived it, and both
OF these, but for their conformity to the
laws of health, would never have seen
nifty. We are naturally led to inquire into
the principles which lead to good health,
and long life. Is it abstemiousness? Is it
pure air, and abundant exeEeise? I'm
doubtedly these are anxilaries, but the
foundation lays in the ability to manage
ourselves as the engineer his locomotive
before him. The different constitutions
OF men are to be considered with respect
to the capacity of withstanding the natural
elements. The wetting of foot, the get
ting of cold, is death to one man, with
ne i'll consequence whatever to another
Currents of air endanger the health of an
adult, while TO the robust youth, it is
pleasurable and health promoting. We
saw woman cross Broadway barefoot in
mid-winter, the snow and mud reaching to
the ankles; she was accustomed to it; but
for that and constitution able to bear it,
she might be an invalid A gentleman
fell upon the pavement of street, recelv-
ing slight wound at the time, not par
ticularly noticeable, but the bruise grew
worse, and ended in his death. We find
soldiers in battle, brave and stalwart, stand
IN defiance of the sword and cannon, but
the epidemic sweeps them away among the
flrst. The want of care on the part of
man, the want of knowledge of his con-
stitutional powers and idiosyncrasies, are
the two great principles embodied in the
above, and such as may be the means of
his attainment of health. A new hat is
none the better of being banged about,
nor is sound constitution for being
abused


+ 1t is reiterated constantly in our ears.
the more conVincingly, and with feelings
of continued admiration, that we are "fear-
fully and wonderfully made"


Isaac Watts, the piOus hymnologist, has
modernized the sentiment with emphasis.
Strange that harp of thousand strings
should keep in tune so long" Perhaps
the human mechanism is as fair a sample
OF consummate skill, as the creation of
world. 1t SHOWS in all its parts an adap-
tatiOn to run with perfection, and medical
men have expressed themselves, that with
tolerable care, life may reach a hundred
years.


We are of the opinion that the majority
OF deaths arise from persistent careless
ness. Persons have often noticed that the
invalid for years lives longer than the
habitually well. The invalid has learned
to care for himself nursing nature, while
the other knows nothing of this.


The time is approaching when general
knowledge of the principles of health will
do more for the preservation and cure of
disease, than physic that time, however,
is not near. The physician only knows
the extent of that want of knowledge.
Our best informed citizens, learned in lit
erature, our intelligent mechanics and
artisans, and farmers, and the public gen.
orally, seem to know less of these prin-
ciples regulating the health than they
know upon any subject of interest When
1t understood that the duty of the doc
TOR is to remove disease, it ought to be also
known, that it is the duty of the patient 10
prevent 1t. Health lectures are necessary
In all schools and academies, before the
clergy and the bar. They would result in
removing the tendency of disease, by the
restoration OF the people to a healthier ac-
uVlty and'usefulness. Do we find many
over forty-five who have not some chronic
complaint? Are we not familiar with the
constant cry, My head aches" 81 have
neuralgia so bad, -" My stomach feels aw-
full" There is not the slightest apology
for these ailments. A life of suffering is
often endured, which might be one of sun.
shine and happiness. We feel perfectly
safe in saying, that one looking at the ex-
perience of most persons hearing their
grieyous utterances, both day and night,
would conclude that the human frame was
made to run imperfectly. There is moth.
ing of this kind. A pain or an ache is
the work of the creature, not the Creator
We have our own health, and pretty much
our own life in our hands. We may be-
come happy or miserable, very much as
we choose, In early life the force and
vigor of youth keeps disease at bay, but
without proper care and knowledge how
to govern ourselves, we shall surely suffer
in adult age. Where youth has its natural
advantage in this respect, it is presumed
IN the economy of nature, that the mature
reason of the man may still guide him to
keep that health his youth has built up,
but If he fails to exercise this reasonable
care, he must expect to all all his life, die
prematurely, and he ought to- Woods
Household Magazine.