The Health Reformer in Neuchatel.
By John Nevins Andrews
In crossing Lake Neuchatel two days since, I was agreeably surprised to see a copy of the Health Reformer in the side pocket of a gentleman’s overcoat. I was the more surprised as he was evidently a European. I learned on entering into conversation with him that he was a native Swiss and that he had lived sixteen years in the United States, but was now returned to Switzerland with the intention of making Neuchatel his home. I soon found that he was deeply interested in the subject of health reform, and that he was familiar with the writings of Graham, Trall, and Jackson, and with the various health periodicals. He gave the decided preference among the latter to the Health Reformer. When he learned that I was interested in the Reformer, he was as much rejoiced as though he had found an old friend. We had a very interesting interview. He is anxious to awaken his friends to the importance of living according to hygienic principles. He wishes me to aid him and I feel interested to do it. He is a man of extensive general information, and very candid in his statements. I hope to interest him in the moral law as fully as he is now interested in the laws of health and in the subject of proper living. Perhaps the readers of the REVIEW may not understand that it is necessarily more difficult to introduce health reform in this country than in the United States. But first it is nearly impossible to procure any graham flour. And what is a more serious difficulty to contend with, the stoves are constructed in such a manner that it is not possible to bake bread of any kind in them. The people depend upon the bakers for bread and take such as they can get. They think that stoves like those in America consume more fuel than they can afford. But I think the real reason to be that this is the kind of stove that they received from their ancestors, and they cannot think of anything better. I can hardly see how we are ever to make any general change from baker’s bread to graham. The gentleman of whom I have spoken procured with much difficulty a small quantity of graham flour, and as he could not bake it, he took it to the baker’s and gave him instructions. The result did not encourage him to repeat the experiment. There is a plenty of water in Neuchatel. Fountains of running water from the mountains behind the city, abound. But the water is all hard. I think there are no good filters for rain water in this country. And as to ventilation, the windows open as doors, so that in cold weather they are not very well fitted to change the air of a room without making the room cold to the feet. These items will serve to illustrate the case. Our friends here are anxious to walk in the light of truth, and are desirous to know the best way in everything. I believe them to possess the spirit of consecration and of sacrifice for God. J. N. ANDREWS. Neuchatel, Switzerland, Oct. 28.