On the preservation of health, or, Essays explanatory of the principles to be adopted by those who desire to avoid disease / by Thomas Inman.

  • Inman, Thomas, 1820-1876.
Date:
1871
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: On the preservation of health, or, Essays explanatory of the principles to be adopted by those who desire to avoid disease / by Thomas Inman. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

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    rules seem bizarre, yet they are not adopted without thought and consideration; the mischief about them is, that the obser- vations on which they are founded are insufficient, and the deductions therefrom Ulogical. One man thinks he sees in civilisation the main cause of premature decay, and for himself and his children he imitates the wild beast, and goes as bare of clothing as the laws of the land will let him. Another thinks that as the hon, the lamb, and the elephant eat their meals uncooked, so we, if we wish to emulate their strength, gentleness, and longevity, must eschew roast beef and boiled potatoes. Another, hearing of some wonderful old carp living in a certain pond, thinks that water is wonderfully conducive to the consei-vation of Ufe, diiaks assiduously of that fluid, and sluices himself with the same element at every opportunity. Another, in his or her young days, has read that eai-ly to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy and wealthy and wise, so he buys an alarum to awake himself on every raw cold, day in winter, and sits for hom-s shivex'ing in a cold room, try tag to keep warm by thinking of last night's fii'e. Another has heard that amongst the things which bring men to a prematm-e grave, are good Uving and laziness, so he takes no end of exercise, and prides himself upon never indulging his appetite. One hears that suppers are steps to eternity, and as he wants to stick to time, he avoids them as he would the gentleman with horns and a tail. It would weaiy the reader if I were to tell him all the absurdities which I know have been firmly believed in by men of sense, simply from habits of careless thought. It is assumed as a fact that civilisation shortens life, but no eflfort is made to test the truth of the statement. The reverse is