The Royal Road to Health Part 13

The first of these is alcohol, which only serves as fuel, but does not form tissue. Its best friends in the medical profession no longer claim anything for it but a stimulating effect. Its action on the digestive organs (especially the stomach) is disastrous in the extreme. It destroys the appet.i.te, although it temporarily sustains vigor by unnatural excitation.

Without going so far as to say that a man is lost to all sense of decency because he takes an occasional drink, we will say that it is in nowise necessary to the system--that the habit, indulged in to excess, is the most fatal that can be contracted, and that inasmuch as the majority of people have not sufficient will-power to curb their appet.i.tes, the wisest plan is to avoid the use of alcoholic beverages altogether.

The man who is addicted to the excessive use of alcoholic stimulants is over-taxing the vital organs of his body in the most outrageous manner, and although Nature incessantly enters protest against being overworked, he either ignorantly fails to recognize the warnings, or wantonly disregards them. Let us for a few moments consider the work which the heart is called upon to do, and the amount of extra labor imposed upon it by the unwise use of alcohol. The average life of a man is thirty-eight years, and, in a healthy man, the number of heart- beats per minute is seventy, or during an average life, 76,536,740,000. Now, the use of alcohol in anything like an excessive quant.i.ty increases the action of the heart ten beats per minute, making 600 extra beats per hour, 14,400 per day, 482,000 per month, 9,784,000 per year, 195,568,000 in twenty years, and 372,793,000 in a lifetime of thirty-eight years. Or, supposing a man should live fifty years, the number of pulsations of the heart during that period, at the normal rate, would be 917, 239,680. Now, if ten extra beats be added to this, for, say the last twenty-five years, we find that the heart is called upon to make 91,840,000 extra beats. Think of that enormous amount of additional work imposed upon a delicate, complex piece of mechanism like the human heart!

But that is not the worst of it. The heart should rest and sleep when we do. During sleep, the character of the beats is different from what it is during our waking hours--the beats are made singly and deliberately, with a pause between, for the heart is taking its necessary rest, to fit it for its functions on the morrow; but, if we take alcohol into the system before retiring, then the heart works harder during sleep than a healthy man's when he is awake.

Is it any wonder that we hear of so many cases of heart failure? Is it strange that the average duration of human life is steadily and surely growing shorter? Three-score and ten was the average number of years for man to sojourn here, it is now thirty-eight, and will inevitably become still less someday if man persists in wilfully violating the laws that govern his being.

Tea and coffee are substances which neither form tissue nor serve as fuel, and may be banished from the table with decided advantage. Few people realize that the difference between the drinking of alcohol and tea is simply a question of degree. It is true that the consequences of excessive tea drinking are not as severe as those from over-indulgence in ardent spirits, but the pernicious effects of the constant drinking of strong infusions of tea justify us in calling the practice a serious menace to health. Tea leaves contain from 2 to 4 per cent. of caffeine, or theme, which is an alkaloid, and always found in combination with tannin. They also contain a volatile oil, which is the source of the aroma, and in addition possess a sedative quality. Tannin is a powerful astringent, and hence is strongly provocative of constipation. Its action upon the mucous surface of the stomach is highly detrimental to that organ, as it arrests the excretion of the gastric juice by its contractile effect upon the glands. Its constant use will almost invariably result in digestive disturbances, and will certainly aggravate such troubles, if previously existing. It is true that a cup of hot tea is a refreshing beverage, but not more so than a cup of hot milk--in fact, it is the heat that imparts the sense of comfort experienced on drinking it. Children should never be allowed to drink either tea or coffee, as the seeds of a baneful habit may be sown, for in tea, as in dram drinking, it is a habit easily acquired.

The above remarks apply in a less degree to the frequent use of coffee.

The constant use of these substances produce the following results--first, increase of circulation, rise in pulse, a desire to frequently pa.s.s urine, and an exhilaration resembling intoxication. Tea tasters, as is well known, are subject to headache and giddiness, and p.r.o.ne to attacks of paralysis. The votaries of the tea and coffee cup by far outnumber those of Bacchus, so that granting that the drinking of these beverages is a little less severe in its const.i.tutional effects, yet the greater prevalence of the habit renders them equal to alcohol in their destructive effects.

GENERAL SUGGESTIONS.

One of the causes that conduce to digestive disturbances is that of solitary eating. Owing to the strenuousness of modern city life, many people, of both s.e.xes, are compelled to practice the most rigid economy, which, in a large proportion of cases, involves what is known as "light housekeeping," or preparing a part, if not all of their meals over a gas jet in their room. In the case of the male housekeeper, this generally means that when he seats himself to eat he places his book or paper in front of him, to beguile the time; the consequence being that he not only calls the blood away from the stomach, where it is needed, but, engrossed in his reading, he masticates imperfectly, or suddenly coming to himself, he finds that he has been so intent on his reading that his food has become cold, whereupon he devours it in haste. Women are not such great sinners in this respect as men; but are equally culpable in another direction. It is a pretty well-known fact that a woman would just as soon not eat at all as to eat alone, and as a result frequently deprives herself of the necessary amount of nutrition. In fact, she impairs her digestion by not giving it sufficient work to do, while the man ruins his by spasmodically overtaxing it. For the above reasons, the boarding house (much as it leaves to be desired) is preferable as an abiding place for hundreds of men and women who are too busy by day and too tired at night to pay proper attention to the physical needs of the system.

Companionship at meals is a most desirable thing, especially if it is congenial, and light, cheerful conversation, with a little hilarity intermingled, is an excellent aid to digestion.

This is, no doubt, due to mental influence. The whole of the alimentary process is under the control of the nervous system, which has its seat in the brain, consequently, a cheerful mental att.i.tude favors digestion. It is well known that a fit of anger may temporarily stop digestion. The mind exerts such a vast influence over every function that it is impossible to set bounds to it. We are the creatures of habit. We eat so many times a day, from sheer force of habit. We habituate ourselves to partake of articles of food against which, at first, the senses rebel, by the same force; but it is left wholly to mans reasoning powers whether his habits shall be cultivated according to the needs of the system. If they are, perfect nutrition will be established; if they are not, he is worse off than the animal who knows only to follow the instincts of the original habits of the species. A man can exercise his will power to partake of a diet which his taste had not been able to appreciate, yet no will power can ever provide good nutrition out of a diet against which taste constantly rebels. Consciousness of the digestive organs is an offense to them.

The more a man is conscious of his stomach, the less will be its capacity for performing good service; therefore, a dyspeptic should never attempt to follow a course of experimental dietetics with himself, for if he watches his stomach after his carefully selected meal, to see how it will serve him, he will always find abnormal symptoms. It is never wise to expect anything but good results from anything which has been allowed to pa.s.s beyond the palate, for that is Nature's infallible safeguard, its province being to reject every objectionable thing.

We would again remind the reader that one of the most important offices of the lungs is to promote the movement of the blood and lymph currents throughout the body. Active respiration a.s.sists all forms of lymph absorption, but gives special aid to the absorption of food substances from the stomach and intestines, because these particular lymph vessels are situated so close to the chest cavity that they are more directly under the influence of the suction action of the chest.

A few minutes spent in vigorous deep breathing exercise after each meal is one of the best means of remedying the sense of heaviness and weight of which so many complain after eating.

Thus we see that deep breathing, by favoring absorption, promotes the nourishment of the body will a.s.sist in building tissue, in fact.

Oxygen is a vital necessity for the body, and it is necessary to absorb a large quant.i.ty for the actual needs of the system, while all absorbed over the quant.i.ty means added nutrition. Now, deep, or diaphragmatic breathing, infallibly increases the lung capacity, so that the possibility for absorption of oxygen is increased, and health and strength promoted. Deep breathing is as necessary for the proper absorption and a.s.similation of nutrition as the selection of a well- balanced diet. It has saved thousands of lives, and is a factor in promoting health that cannot be disregarded.

"Order is Heaven's first law," and nowhere is this law better exemplified than in the human body. Order, or regularity, is an essential for success in human affairs--moral, mental, or physical; but especially in the latter. The successful conduct of large business organizations is only possible by regularity in the performance of every detail of duty.

If this be so when only physical results are involved, how much more so is it where vital interests are at stake? The human body is a wonderfully complex piece of mechanism, and if left to itself or rather to natural guidance, its manifold functions are performed with unfailing regularity; and regularity in function means health-- irregularity, disease.

Mark the rhythmic regularity of respiration, or of the heart's contractions! Long continued regularity begets habit, which is a form of automatism; hence the necessity of regularity in action along fixed lines, and in consonance with physiological law, that good habits only may be formed.

Good habits are absolutely essential to health, which is equivalent to saying that regularity in living is an imperative necessity to that end. Regularity in rising and retiring; regularity in eating and drinking; regularity in exercise, all are equally important.

Not only does this regularity of conduct conduce to the attainment and maintenance of perfect health, but it enables the individual to accomplish more within the limits of the day, partly by economizing time, and partly by the added vigor due to improved health.

First, regularity in the hours of rising and retiring, namely, regulating the minimum period to be devoted to sleep. There is much conflict of opinion as to the amount of sleep necessary for the average adult. We have in mind an old saying which runs as follows: "Six hours' sleep for a man, seven for a woman, and eight for a fool."

This is somewhat arbitrary, and, moreover, is not in harmony with physiological law. In the first place, no hard and fast rule can be laid down that will cover all cases. Apart from the difference of s.e.x, there are temperamental conditions which vary with every case. We are decidedly of the opinion that eight hours' sleep is necessary for the adult individual. It has been affirmed by some authorities that the more the individual sleeps the longer he will live, which is a perfectly rational claim, in view of the fact that night is Nature's repair time, when she is busy at work replacing the ravages committed by wear and tear during the day. It is a well known fact that nearly all growth takes place during sleep.

Again, it is a fact not generally known that the heart receives no nourishment during the period of contraction, owing to the pressure upon the arteries which supply it with nutriment. It is only during the infinitesimal pause between the contractions that these arteries can carry blood to the heart tissue; hence during sleep the heart- beats differ from those of our waking hours, being fewer in number, and with a more decided pause between. Now, the heart being to the body what the mainspring is to a watch, the necessity of affording it ample time for recuperation becomes apparent.

Having stated that eight hours' sleep is the minimum amount for the individual, the question of regularity presents itself, and this should be understood to refer especially to the time of rising, which, unless the individual is in ill health, should be at 6 A. M. This not only proves invaluable in economizing time, but paves the way for regularity in eating, which we will now consider.

There is much diversity of opinion as to the number of meals that should be eaten during the day, and recently the practice of eating only two meals a day has largely obtained. This, although preferable to the practice of eating four and five meals a day, or of indiscriminate lunching between meals, is yet (we consider) running into the other extreme. Unless an exceedingly hearty breakfast is eaten, the tax upon the vitality before the next meal hour arrives is too severe. Our rule, which we commend to our readers, is as follows: Rise at six, then take your bath, either plunge or sponge bath, followed by ten to fifteen minutes of moderate exercise. This, we will say, occupies until seven; then eat a light meal of juicy fruit, such as oranges, grapes or berries, followed by the perusal of the morning newspaper, or, if you are a student, devote an hour to study. At eight o'clock take your proper breakfast, which should consist of some preparation of wheat (with milk or fruit juice), followed by toast, boiled or poached eggs, and a gla.s.s of milk. Take a light lunch at 1 P. M., and a moderately good dinner at 7 P. M.

If regularity in the hours for meals be strictly observed, and the quant.i.ty and character of the meals carefully considered, the system will rapidly acquire the habit of expecting sustenance at those hours, and regularity, like virtue, will be its own reward.

Next comes the question of exercise. Too little attention is paid to this matter, more especially by those engaged in sedentary occupations; yet it is in the highest degree important that the balance between the mental and physical energies should be maintained.

To preserve this balance while the mind is active and the body untaxed, artificial exercise must be practiced, for physical strength cannot be promoted without some kind of bodily exercise. Unused muscles soon become flabby, as athletes and their trainers well know.

The best time for taking exercise is, as stated above, just after the morning bath, and it is astonishing what results can be obtained from fifteen minutes of intelligently directed exercise each morning. Here, again, regularity will work wonders. It may be a week or two before you will notice any marked improvement in the muscular condition, but you will be amply repaid by the glow of health which pervades the system as the result of stimulated circulation.

Last, but by no means least, comes the matter of solicitation of the bowels. In this case regularity in solicitation will invariably produce regularity in movement The bowels should be solicited every morning, soon after rising, and every night just before retiring. We only wish that we could impress every one of our readers with the importance of this practice, and of the immense benefit of regularity in the pursuance of it. Just as the stomach acquires the habit of expecting food when regularly supplied to it at stated intervals, even so will the bowels respond to solicitation if regularity be persisted in.

Nature is inexorably opposed to caprice. She executes all her processes in an orderly manner, and if not interfered with, with the greatest regularity, and if man will only co-operate with her by strict regularity in the important duties previously mentioned, the result will be a surprise to him in the form of renewed health and vigor. He will have an unclouded mind, and be ready to face the trials of everyday existence with a courage that nothing can daunt.

But Nature demands an accurate accounting. Man thinks but little of the drafts he is continually making upon his vitality, but sooner or later the account will be presented, and payment exacted in full.

There is no such thing as vicarious payment. The debtor must pay in person, and it therefore behooves every man to watch the debit side of his life's ledger, and make a daily balance of his account with Nature.

PART VIII.

TREATMENT OF DISEASE.

HEART DISEASE.

There are numerous affections of the heart, divided into two cla.s.ses-- organic and functional, the former being the more serious; but it is safe to say that seventy-five per cent. of cases belong in the latter cla.s.s. The most common, and at the same time most serious, of the organic troubles, are pericarditis (inflammation of the heart- envelope), and valvular insufficiency (imperfect closure of the valves). The functional disturbances are (almost without exception) due to digestive difficulties. In the first cla.s.s, if the case is well advanced and the patient past the meridian of life, recovery is improbable, although life may be considerably prolonged. The second cla.s.s of cases can be cured, with reasonable certainty, by removing the cause.

TREATMENT.

In pericarditis--the symptoms of which are fever and sharp pain under left nipple, radiating to the armpit, use the "Cascade" daily while the condition is acute; the wet sheet should also be employed daily, the temperature varying with the degree of fever. It is usually the sequel of rheumatism. In valvular insufficiency, which is caused by deposits upon the valves of the heart, the symptoms of which are princ.i.p.ally difficulty of respiration, not much pain, but a feeling of uneasiness in the heart region, and a peculiar sound termed "the murmer," to be detected by the stethoscope, the use of the "Cascade"

will sometimes effect wonders. It arrests all further deposition of impurities in the blood, thus preventing any further acc.u.mulation on the valves, while the increased liquidity and purity of the blood enables it to re-absorb the existing deposits and thus restore normal action. Functional difficulties, as stated, chiefly result from digestive troubles, due to fermentation of food in the stomach and the consequent formation of gas, which frequently collects in large quant.i.ties, and by actual pressure impedes the heart's action. The chief symptoms are shortness of breath, palpitation, and great irregularity of the heart's action; sometimes the heart appears to miss a beat altogether. In such cases, a faithful observance of the formula of treatment for dyspepsia (see index) will accomplish surprising results.

ANEMIA.

This is a disease of the blood, characterized by a deficiency of alb.u.men and red corpuscles. It is a disease that more frequently affects women than men; the very young and the very old are most subject to it, and especially, if of a nervous, irritable or hysterical disposition Among the exciting causes are defective hygiene, poor diet, want of, or excessive exercise, grief, or other strong emotions. The symptoms are great pallor, muscular weakness frequent pulse, dizziness, breathlessness on slight exertion and fainting. There is another form of this trouble, known as Essential Anaemia, or Progressive Pernicious Anaemia, which almost invariably terminates in death; while in the first form, or simple anaemia, there is no reason whatever for a fatal result, if treated judiciously.

TREATMENT.

The condition of the blood must be improved, and as the blood is only formed from the food that is eaten, the importance of getting the digestive function into good working order is apparent. Also to supply those elements to the system that the condition of the blood shows to be necessary, all of which can be furnished in properly selected articles of food. The body must be cleansed internally, by means of the "Cascade," using it as frequently as the condition of the patient will permit, without unduly taxing the system. The skin should be kept active by frequent warm or tepid baths, followed by gentle friction with a soft towel. A half pint of hot water should be slowly sipped soon after rising, and no nourishment partaken of for at least half an hour. Gentle exercise should be employed, to promote circulation; or if too weak, subst.i.tute ma.s.sage. Eggs and milk should be freely partaken of. The eggs are preferable raw, beaten in milk, if not, then lightly boiled or poached. Milk should only be taken in quant.i.ties of from two to four ounces at a time. Some good preparation of whole wheat should be partaken of once daily for the benefit of the phosphates contained in it, but iron is the element most, needed, and this is to be obtained in the following articles: first and foremost, spinach, then beets, tomatoes, dark skinned grapes and ditto plums.

Lastly, and most important, is the practice of deep breathing to thoroughly oxygenate the blood.

BLOOD POISONING.

This may arise from various causes, such as the infection of a wound, contact with some irritating vegetable substance like the poison ivy, or by inhaling noxious gases, or handling certain metals, such as copper and lead; but the most common cause is the re-absorption into the blood, through the intestinal walls, of the waste products of the system; in fact, it may be confidently a.s.serted that ninety-nine per cent. of such cases are due to this cause. When it is considered that a virulent poison introduced in the r.e.c.t.u.m has been known to cause death in a rabbit within two minutes, the absorptive character of the walls of the colon may be faintly estimated. True, the toxic substances generated in the body are not so rapid in their action, but they are none the less deadly. It is to this that all skin diseases, together with rheumatism, gout, neuralgia and a host of other troubles, are undoubtedly due.

TREATMENT.

Clean out the human cesspool by frequent use of the "Cascade," thus preventing any further deposition of these impure substances in the blood, and keep it clean by more or less constant use. In acute cases, take frequent Turkish baths, to help elimination by way of the skin, and keep that organ active by frequent warm baths and vigorous friction with a moderately coa.r.s.e towel. Let the diet be plain and moderate, never eating to excess, and drink freely of water, to keep the blood liquid, and practice the habit of breathing deeply, to oxygenate the blood.

CONSUMPTION.