The First Necessity of Life.
THE first necessity of life is air to breathe; and the best way and the safest way to prevent disease is to breathe fresh, natural air, and plenty of it, all our life. This, no doubt, in the present day, is an impossibility, because man is a social being, and the precept, "Love thy neighbor as thyself," is implanted in his constitution. I mean that so much of the happiness and health of each individual depends on the habits, practices, and opinions of the society in which he lives, that he cannot reap the full benefit of his own advancement until similar principles have been embraced and realized in practice by his fellow-men. A moment's thought will be sufficient to convince of this truth. While some draught-dreading hypochondriac insists on having every inlet of fresh air closed, other persons will be compelled to breathe the same contaminated, unrefreshing atmosphere; for breathe we must. Respiration is the first sign of independent life, and the incessant rise and fall of the chest continues to remind us that life exists. The process of breathing enables the blood to clear away the old rubbish of the fabric piece by piece, and put down new life-giving materials. Air, pure in quality and large in quantity, is necessary to keep us in health. How much I wish I could see this important lesson carried out practically to a larger extent. Our dwellings should be so constructed at all times as to admit a supply of fresh air, and an outlet should be provided for the escape of the deteriorated air. There is no room to doubt that many diseases are caused and favored through constantly neglecting to admit this great and good physician into our homes. Without air no animal or vegetable could exist. For want of a due supply of it, the mind and body of man suffer; headache, faintness, weariness, craving for stimulants, and colds may all be produced by breathing air which has been rendered impure. Some persons examine the heavens, others the earth, others the creatures that live upon the earth, and they may all gain a great amount of knowledge by their examinations; but to "know thyself" is more important than all; for though a man gain the whole world, and possess not health of body and mind, it profiteth him nothing.—House and Home.