Defective and improper clothing.–Injury to health may be caused either by the clothes being inadequate to defend the wearer from the cold, or from sudden changes in the weather, by their impeding the free motions of the limbs, or by their compressing or binding too firmly some part of the body.
The influence of cold.–Disease is produced by exposure to the night air or inclement weather, after being heated in crowded apartments, or by exercise, as dancing, &c. In the poorer and impoverished classes, cold, during winter, is a continued and fruitful source of suffering and disease.
Intense application of the mind.–Alternate rest and activity, as well of the body as of the mind, are essential to the support of health. Long continued mental application, whether to study or the cares of business, wears out the system, and exhausts the powers of life even more rapidly than protracted manual labour.
Giving way to the passions.–Experience fully proves that nothing contributes more effectually to guard the system from disease, and to prolong lite, than a calm and contented state of mind. In cultivating a peaceful and virtuous disposition, a man not only insures his happiness but promotes his health also.
Heart-Burn, Acidity of Stomach, Water Brash.–These arc some of the symptoms of indigestion. Ascertain whether the stomach does not suffer most in this way, after eating particular items of animal food, such as dried and salted meats and fish; and vegetables, such as salads, radishes, tomatoes, cabbage, and even potatoes. If no fault is found from these causes, let the inquiry next be made into drinks, and whether the accidental omission of a favourite beverage has not given relief. Has fresh bread or hot toast been habitually used with plenty of butler? and if so, has stale bread ever been substituted in its place? Is the complainer a smoker or user of tobacco in any way? If so, he ought to abandon entirely the use of this weed. Disturbed state of digestion coming on during the regular and moderate use of proper food, the next question is, does the skin perform its duty? Is it properly covered with clothes? are the feet kept dry and warm? are the pores kept free by regular ablution and friction?
Indigestion or Dyspepsia, which includes the forementioned disorders, and numerous others, as well of the stomach as of the heart, is shown by irregular palpitation; of the lungs, by asthmatic breathing; of the brain, by head-ache, ill-nature, and strange fantasies. Here the dyspeptic must ask of him or herself the same questions as in the preceding paragraph, with the additional ones respecting regular daily exercise in the open air, regular hours of sleep, early to bed and early to rise, mastery of the passions, and an especial avoidance of anxious cares, envy, or jealousy.
Bilious disorders.–If a person is bilious, it is generally owing to errors in regimen. Let these be reformed, and the complaints will cease. But if a person would be always bilious, let him be often taking calomel, or blue pill, or active purges. Lee’s antibilious, &c., and he will certainly succeed; the soundest liver will not be proof against such remedies for bile.
Costiveness.–Accidental or occasional costiveness may readily be rendered habitual by oft swallowing purgative medicines; the proposed cure will, when persisted in, inevitably bring on the disease. If this latter, by time or imprudence, has become habitual, the only safe and effectual mode of relief will be in a suitable regimen; still trying to get the proper food–mild mucilaginous and saccharine substances of the vegetable, and plain, not too much cocked, meats, among the animal kingdom. Add to this, suitable ablution, frictions of the skin, and out-door exercise and labour, and the cure will be complete.
Wakefulnes.–The cure for this is not in laudanum and opium, which, much used, constitutes a habit as pernicious to health and morals as drinking ardent spirits. If something must be swallowed before going to bed, to procure sleep, let it he half a pint of hot water: mind! as hot as it can be sipped. But the true cure will be by omitting tea or coffee, whichever has been used, in the evening; by taking plenty of exercise in the open air; working at something to produce a little fatigue; and finally, rising early in the morning, whether inclined to do so or not. Be up by times; sleep not during the day; and retiring in good time to bed, there is no danger but you will sleep soundly during the night.
Nervousness, low spirits, sick head-ache.The causes are, bad habits, false indulgences. Leave them off, and the cure will be complete. Neglect this advice, and you may be physicked until you are a shadow, and your pockets empty, and you will still be, if a female, hysterical; if a male subject, hypochondriacal–miserable yourself, and the cause of misery to others.
TOAST AND WATER.
An infusion of toasted bread in water, is one of the most salutary drinks that can be taken by the sick and valetudinary. A distinguished physician says, five or six cups of this water, with or without sugar, were more refreshing, and sooner took off any fatigue or uneasiness, than any strong wine, strong ale, small beer, warmed coffee or tea (for he tried them all), or any other liquor that he knew of.
It is seldom that toast and water is properly made, if we therefore think it proper to furnish our readers with the following recipe:
Take a slice of fine and stale loaf bread, cut very thin (as thin as toast is ever cut), and let it be carefully toasted on both sides, until it be completely browned all over, but not blackened or burned in any way; put this into a common deep stone or china jug, and pour over it, from the tea-kettle, as much clear boiling water as you wish to make into drink. Much depends on the water being actually in a boiling state. Cover the pitcher with a saucer or plate, and let the drink become quite cold. It is then fit to be used: the fresher made, the better, and of course the more agreeable.
In dyspepsia, and a disordered state of the bowels, toast and water ought to be the habitual drink.
TIGHT DRESSING–CORSETS.
The only rational form of dress is that which protects the wearer from the vicissitudes and inclemency of the weather, and allows to the limbs their natural movements, and to all the parts and organs of the system the free performance of their appropriate functions. Every kind and article of dress which has a contrary effect, is absolutely injurious to health, and ought at once to be abandoned.
The motions of the body, as well as its erect position, depend upon the action of numerous masses of flesh, endowed with the properly of active contraction, and denominated muscles. The perfection with which these perform their office in either of the above respects, is always in proportion to their strength or tone, and their freedom from every artificial restraint. Now it is an invariable rule, that if constant pressure be made on any set of muscles, by means of a tight dress or a bandage, they will soon diminish in size, and consequently lose both their power of supporting the body in its natural position, and their ability to produce the easy and natural, or in other words, graceful movements of those parts to which they belong. This is strongly exemplified by the stale of a limb that has been confined by the necessary dressings in consequence of a fracture, or by those impostors who in many of the European cities, bandage firmly their legs or arms until they are diminished frequently to one half their natural size, for the purpose of exciting commiseration and extorting alms, or of avoiding military duty. An unequivocal condemnation should be pronounced, therefore, on all those kinds of dress
