The Health Reform by Jos. Clarke.

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Michigan · Aug 14, 1866

The Health Reform.

By Jos. Clarke.

It is doubtless very gratifying to all true Seventh-day Adventists, to witness the effort now being made in behalf of those who need medical aid and advice, and the praiseworthy efforts of our brethren, to enlighten us who think we are well, as to the means necessary to retain our health and vigor.

In this time of pestilence and disease, we feel truly grateful to our kind heavenly Father, that he has stirred up the hearts and minds of his servants, to instruct us how to live, so as to make the most of this short and fleeting life; how to ward off disease, and escape the empiricism of quacks, and the poisons now flooding the country under the appellation of wonderful restoratives and curatives; life-giving bitters, and pills, and powders of miraculous power, and drugs of every variety.

No doubt the druggist will sell his deadly poisons as freely as ever, and the administrator of his nostrums will follow his usual routine of practice; they will hardly feel the loss of the patronage of a few Seventh-Day Adventists.

But if it were otherwise, and a general reform could take place, and man cease to poison themselves and each other, there would soon be raised as loud an outery as was heard when Paul stopped the demand for the manufactures of Demetrius. Then might we hear it cried aloud, Great is the patent medicine interest; Great is the drug business! Great are our mineral and vegetable poisons! What if the business of the farm and the workshop is occasionally suspended by sickness, or what if there are victims everywhere around us, living and dead, to attest to the injury done by the usual medical practice? Do you not know that by this we get our living, our wealth, our houses and fine trappings? Look at the profits on drugs, profits on patent medicines, etc. Look at the princely fortunes of dealers in these articles. Look at the reputation of the man whose weapons are chiefly the deadliest poisons! Great, great is the medical system of this enlightened age!

But enough; we do not say that all medical science is humbug; but we believe that our Hygienic Reformers hold fast to good and true principles in medical science; they only refuse to be led into error as to the means of restoring lost health, and as to the means of retaining it.

The constitution weakened, can be strengthened by proper habits of exercise, diet, and rest; the stomach distended by oft and full eating, gradually resumes its proper proportions when loaded less heavily, and not so often; the palate perverted by highly stimulating food, becomes natural under the influence of plain food; the appetite once ravenous and greedy, because morbid and unhealthy, becomes moderate and manageable, because the healthy stomach has become natural in its demands; and the head once subject to various ills becomes clear, and knows no more of pain.

It is with pleasure we witness the present effort to provide a home, where the invalid can recruit his wasted health under a natural and sensible course of medical treatment; where no influence of evil, moral or medical, religious or worldly, or social, or empirical, will be brought to bear, but where true religious liberty will prevail.

We like the plan, and the location. We are happy to hear that this Institution is located in a vicinity where there is a good supply of excellent soft water, and pure, bracing air; in country where there are good roads, and beautiful scenery; an industrious, enterprising, intelligent population; pretty villages, well arranged farms, and everything to make such an Institution pleasant and desirable to the invalid; and more than this, tried medical supervision, and a good moral influence in the society of the church of Battle Creek. JOS. CLARKE. Portage, O.