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Health Convention at Battle Creek

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Aug 1, 1871

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 38, No. 7.

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Health Convention at Battle Creek.

By Joseph Harvey Waggoner

A VERY interesting hygienic festival has recently been held in Battle Creek, in the natural grove of the Health Institute grounds. As many even of the readers of the REVIEW are not acquainted with the history and position of this Institute, we will preface our report of the festival with a brief description of the Institute.
The Health Reform Institute was incorporated and opened for the reception of patients in September, 1866. It is located on a beautiful piece of ground in the north-western part of the city of Battle Creek, Michigan. It was founded by the Seventh-day Adventists, whose office of publication is located a short distance south of the Institute. According to its charter, its stock is interest-bearing; but the original design was more benevolent than money-making, and this design is carried out by the Directors, who issue blank forms to stockholders, in executing which they donate to the Institution all dividends that may accrue to them; and most of the stockholders have complied with this arrangement, by which a fund is accumulated, when the Institute is prosperous, enabling it to receive more or less of the worthy poor to be treated at reduced rates.
The people establishing this institution were not wealthy; they had no surplus means to invest in speculations. But being fully aroused to the sufferings of humanity, to the errors of the various systems of drug medication, and having the fullest confidence in the principles of hygiene now being taught and successfully practiced in the Institute, the funds were raised, some by donations direct, but most by the taking of stock with a donation of interest as above stated, with which seven acres of ground were purchased, being then the residence of Judge Graves. Since that time additions have been made to the original building, and by the purchase of others, so that the property now consists of fifteen acres of ground, with eight buildings, including the residences of physicians, having a capacity, when all are brought into use, of accommodating one hundred patients.
The Institute is favorably located in every respect. No State offers advantages superior to those of the State of Michigan. The soil is quick and certain, crops very seldom failing; producing the finest quality of wheat; fruit good and abundant; with timber plenty of every kind; and privileges of water unequaled.
And no part of this State possesses advantages superior to those of Battle Creek. It is noted for the intelligence and enterprise of its citizens, manifested in its general business, its manufactures, and its schools; the largest and best-finished school-house in the State has recently been opened here. The Michigan Central Railroad passing through the city, is an old reliable road, one of the best equipped and best managed in the country, forming with the Great Western of Canada a leading through line between the East and West. The Peninsular, lately opened from Lansing to Battle Creek, is fast being laid to Chicago, which will soon give another through route from East to West by way of the Grand Trunk. And, another line of equal importance to either of these is now under construction, connecting with the Pennsylvania Central by the Pittsburgh and Fort Wayne at Mansfield, Ohio, and from Battle Creek proceeding northward into the pine regions. This will at once give us a shorter route to the seaboard, and bring together the lumber woods of Michigan and the coal fields of Ohio. And with all these advantages we have that of pure, soft water, with an elevated, healthy location, and the most pleasant surroundings.
The system upon which patients are treated in this Institute is known as “hygienic.” “Hygienic,” says Webster, is “that department of medical science which treats of the preservation of health; a system of principles or rules designed for the promotion of health.” It is held by the conductors of this institution that any system of medical practice having in view the recovery of health, which does not also include the preservation of health, or which ignores any of the conditions of health, is radically defective. It must be conceded that all diseases originate in wrong habits or unfavorable conditions, and to cure the disease without correcting the habits or changing the conditions is as impossible as to change a sinner into a Christian without any change of life! Temporary relief may be afforded by a defective system; but more than that cannot be expected. Our appliances include air, water, diet, exercise, rest, &c., but no drugs, or “medicines” in the popular sense of that term.
The Institute is under the management of a Board of Directors, the present Board consisting of the following persons: S. H. King, Orleans, Ionia Co., President; B. Salisbury, Battle Creek, Secretary; D. R. Palmer, Jackson, E. H. Root and S. A. McPherson, Wright, Ottawa Co., D. Carpenter, Battle Creek, and J. F. Carman, Potterville. At the present time there are four physicians connected with it: J. H. Ginley, M. D., Wm. Russell, M. D., Mrs. M. A. Chamberlain, M. D., and Miss P. M. Lamson, M. D. In the Institute are about fifty patients.
The Convention, or festival, was held on the grounds of the Institute on the 27th of July last. There were singing and speaking both before and after noon, and dinner in the recess. The speaking was by Eld. James White and wife of this City, who presented some of the principles of the hygienic system, pointed out some of the errors of prevailing habits and customs, and Mrs. White, in the afternoon, made some forcible remarks on the subject of “Reform Dress,” in which she exposed the follies and wrongs of “fashions.” She appeared upon the stand illustrating her subject with a dress, such as she uniformly wears, reaching not nearer to the ground than eight or nine inches, with pants of the same material falling well on to the shoe. A further illustration by contrast was presented by calling on to the stand two little girls, one dressed as she herself was, and the other dressed in the fashionable mode, dress very short and limbs bare and exposed. Most of those who saw and heard were struck with the neatness and modesty of the dress she advocated, as well as with the force of her remarks and reasons.
Many suppose that hygienists are “starving themselves on bran bread,” suffering for want of meat and other substantial aliment. This error, we think, was effectually removed from the minds of those who attended this Convention and partook of the dinner. For the information of those who were not there, and for all who think that a good dinner cannot be got up without meat or condiments, we give the bill of fare:
1. BREAD, CAKE, &c.—Raised bread, gems, hard biscuit, and buns; fruit cake, sponge cake, apple pie, all made of Graham flour; oatmeal pudding, manioca and rice puddings, with fruit.
2. VEGETABLES.—New ripe potatoes, beans, green and baked, green corn, beets, squash, and peas.
3. FRUIT.—Peaches, apples, prunes, figs, and dates.
4. BERRIES.—Blackberries and whortleberries.
No grease, butter, tea, coffee, pepper, spice, nutmeg, nor ginger, were used in the cookery or on the tables.
The tables were five in number, 128 feet in length, making a total length of 640 feet. At the first sitting about 625, and in all from 700 to 750 partook of the dinner, and there was provision left for a few hundred more!
We have heard only unqualified commendations of the dinner, which we think is a recommendation of the cookery of the Institute. Yet it may be well to notice, that it was an unfavorable season for berries and fruits; good apples and good peaches could not be obtained in great quantities at that time, strawberries and raspberries were just gone, and blackberries but fairly beginning to ripen. Several dishes in common use at the Institute were not produced. And beside this, it will be remembered that the Institute is but young and not very extensive, and a warm dinner could be served to much better advantage to a company of 50 or 100 than to one of 800.
The guests were seated at the table in order, and by professions, as first clergymen, then physicians, lawyers, city officers, &c.
At the close of the exercises, Dr. I. J. Meacham, after a few remarks, offered a resolution of thanks, which was seconded by Hon. Geo. Willard, of the Battle Creek Journal, to those who had furnished the entertainment, and it was passed by a unanimous rising vote.
In concluding these remarks, we would remind the reader that the object of this reform is not merely a good living, though we claim to have the best, nor is it health for merely the sake of being free from pain and enjoying good feeling; but it is health and strength to best accomplish the will of the “Maker of our frames,” and to fulfill his injunction to “present our bodies living sacrifices, holy, acceptable to God.”
J. H. WAGGONER.