Health Department by Editor

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · Jun 3, 1875

Health Department.

By Editor

"Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth." 3 John 2.

Physical Degeneracy.

WHEN editors, physicians and ministers begin to see the physical degeneracy of our world, and to speak out as they ought on the subject, the people will awake. Too many, we say it in sorrow, do not undertake the business of thinking for themselves. They trust it to their minister, their doctor, or their editor. Hence, the importance that these should be right. But woe to them, if the people get right first.

The subject of physical degeneracy is one of the first importance to the community. There can be no doubt, that the rising generation are not so robust—and not so healthy, as those that have preceded them. The cause, to our mind, is obvious. We have departed from the simple habits, and laid aside too much the athletic exercises of our ancestors. And in proportion as we have so departed, are we visited with debilities and disorders, which weaken and derange the system. Simple diet, and plenty of exercise in the open air, is what nature requires. Deprive her of this, and she deprives you of the energy, elasticity and activity of frame and of mind, for the mind is more or less influenced by the health of the body. We highly appreciate the efforts which some physiologists are making to bring back society to those simple and frugal habits, which can alone insure that vigor and capability to endure hardships, which as a people we ought to possess. The evil is not confined to one

sex—both alike, are guilty of the errors which are bringing about the degeneracy of which we speak, and perhaps the ladies carry things to greater extremes than the gentlemen. At any rate, they are more addicted to tea and coffee intemperance.

What is to become of this world? exclaimed a worthy woman to us not long since. There is not a young girl of my acquaintance, continued she, that is learning to spin or weave, and a great many of them think it a disgrace to be seen at the wash-tub. For my part, I think, said she, the rising generation will be more idle and effeminate than the present, and if they are, the Lord have mercy upon them. We could not help smiling at the good woman's earnest exclamations—but there is too much truth in her remarks.

Why do our bills of mortality show that so many have died who belonged to the middle-aged? Is not one cause, a neglect of that coarse, plain, but substantial diet and clothing, and the industrious habits used and practiced before the American Revolution?

The present system of high living, which is now becoming fashionable, is not such as is dictated by nature, nor is it such as you would prescribe for your horse or for your hog. Why do you not provoke their appetites by all the niceties of cookery, with mixtures of sweet, and salt, and sour, and pepper, and spice, etc., etc. You dare not risk your horse under such treatment. Yet you do risk yourselves, and are anxious to risk yourselves and families under such a regimen. You encourage cooks to vie with each other, in making mixtures of food to please the palate and lure to destruction.

The tyrant fashion prompts to the practice of these follies. There is not moral courage enough to stand against the pressure of public opinion in this respect, although it is bringing misery upon us. One does it, another must, and such has been the blind deference paid to the dictates of this spirit, and so guilty is every one in regard to it, that the stage, the press, and the pulpit, have refrained from attacking it as they ought. But very few have dared to lift up their voices against it, and they have been hissed at, and stigmatized by the names of Graham-ites, cold-waterites, &c., &c.

A vitiated public opinion, backed by intemperance and gluttony, must be stronger and more invincible than Goliah with all his armor. In vain may the gospel be preached—in vain may we remonstrate with a man besotted by gluttony and other species of intemperance. The man is gone, irretrievably gone, there is, there can be no hope, unless we first make a rational man, as it regards diet and regimen—and sound in the principles of temperance in all things.

Are not our temperance societies and papers very much to blame for not occupying the whole grounds? Some give themselves up to appetite? They say that they have but one life to live, and are determined to enjoy that. What sort of enjoyment can a glutton or drunkard have? What sort of enjoyment does an idle spendthrift have? If they will not be reclaimed—if they will hurry on to death, let them die, for the world loses nothing by their death; but when a rational, sane, and good man drops off prematurely, the world sustains a loss indeed.

There might be many other causes mentioned which aid in producing the degeneracy of which we complain. But we have named the principal and chief cause. It is time to pause and look around for the remedy. Look back to our forefathers and practice the simple habits which they did.

Study well-written books on dietetics—make the preservation of your health a religious study. Learn to conquer your passions as you go through this world. All good people have made a duty so to do. I would recommend a total shift of habits from those practiced at the present day, as the only remedy. It is a subject of the first earthly importance, for if health be lost, what of worldly nature can be enjoyed, and even the mind will suffer, when burdened with an en-feebled body. Woman, thou arbiter of Fashion, I call upon you to assist in this reform. Do you wish to be widows? But widows, a greater or less number of you must be, unless there shall be a change of habits of life. This will appear abundantly evident, if you examine the cause and see how many middle aged men have died, who have left families either destitute, or without a guide and protector. And this mortality, I contend, is brought about by foolish and unpardonable indulgence in the fashions of the day.—Health Journal