The code of health and longevity, or a general view of the rules and principles calculated for the preservation of health, and the attainment of long life / by Sir John Sinclair.

  • Sinclair, John, Sir, 1754-1835.
Date:
1816
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The code of health and longevity, or a general view of the rules and principles calculated for the preservation of health, and the attainment of long life / by Sir John Sinclair. 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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    0. Rules connected with the Jgc and Condition of Qie Individual. It remains to explain those rules winch ought to be adopted, as connected with respiration and purity of air, during, 1. In fancy 5 2. Youth; o. Manhood; 4. Sickness; and, 5. Old Age. 1. Infancy.—Infants, by their pliant and tender fibres, are more sensible of the impressions of air than adults; but, as they must afterwards endure them, they ought to be gradually made hardy by all safe means. Such as have been inured to the injuries of the outward air, and accustomed to a great simplicity of diet, are no more sensible of the injuries of outwrard air than cattle are found to be. Dr. Arbuthnot states his having known some remarkable in- stances of the truth of this observation* * * §. The air of cities is unfriendly to infants and children. The health of every animal is promoted by fresh and pure air; the tolerance of corrupted air, (as that of cities), is the effect of habit, which young animals have not yet acquired. Hie great mortality of children under two years of age, in London, was not entirely owing to the small care of the brood of the necessitous, and of natural children, but to the want of fresh airf; for, in the new streets, where the air is better, the mortality among the children is much less, than in the old parts of the city. To cover children’s faces when they are asleep, is a very bad custom, for they are thereby deprived of fresh air J. 2. Youth.—The lungs of young people in the prime of their age, are very tender; and, being in immediate con- tact with outward air, may be variously affected with its contents and qualities. The choice of air, therefore, is of great importance to those who have any tendency to pulmo- nic complaints. In those of a more advanced age, the lungs are less tender§. It is particularly necessary to attend to the air breathed by young people in school-rooms and nurseries. Such * Arbuthnot on Air, p. 219. f Arbuthnot on Air, p. 208. j Faust’s Catechism, p. 45. In Germany, the children are too often en- tirely covered up when asleep. In this country, the cradle-cover might often be removed with advantage. § Arbuthnot on Air, p. 2U.