Intemperance and tight lacing considered in relation to the laws of life.

  • Fowler, O. S. (Orson Squire), 1809-1887.
Date:
1852
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Intemperance and tight lacing considered in relation to the laws of life. 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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    PROPOSITION IV.—Balance of 'power constitutes perfection, and with it that obedience to laio which secures enjoyment; whilst bath the excessive and deficient action of any part constitutes imperfection, or that 'fiolation of lato which induces pain,—First, in reference to the several parts of the body. As an organized being, man is composed of three principal classes of organs. 1. The vital temperament or nutritive apparatus, namely, the heart, lungs, blood, digestive apparatus, &c., embracing the entire system of inside organs, which manufacture vital- ity, furnish animal vigour, and re-suppily the brain, nerves and muscles with that vital energy which their eveiy action compels them to expend. 2. The motive apparatus, embracing the bones muscles, sinews, ten- dons, ifec„ which constitute the frame work of the system, give it its size and shape, and produce bodily motion, physical strength, itc., and 8. The brain and nervous system,the exercise of which produces thought, feeling, sensation, talents, memory, &c.* Nearly every form of physi- cal pain and disease is caused mainly by the deficient or excessive action of one or more of these temperaments. If carried far, they hasten death, but when they are all well developed and equally balanced, there will be an abundant supply of vital energy to keep the animal economy in motion, a proportionate supply of pliysical strength, love of exercise, and ability to labour, together with lively sensibilities, intensity of feeling, and power of thought, the result of which will be good health, long life, physical and mental enjoyment in the highest degree of which our nature is susceptible, and a liigh order of natural talent. But on the principle that an overloaded stomach withdraws the strength from the brain and muscles, the predominance or deficiency of either part tends to increase the excess or defect, which augments the evil, being the reverse of what should take place. This exhausts the weaker tempera- ments which go by the board, carrying health, happiness, and life along with them. The best condition of body, the one most favorable to true greatness and a general genius, to balance and consistency of character, and to perfection in every thing, is that in which each temperament is strongly marked, and all about equally balanced. Is there too much of the motive,—there is power, yet but little action, so that the talents lie dor- mant. Does the vital-motive greatly predominate over the mental,— though there may be physical power and enjoyment, there will be too little mental, too much grossness, coarseness and obtuseness of feeling, with too little of the intellectual and too much of the animal. But where the mental greatly preponderates, there will be too much mind for the body, too great sensitiveness, too much intensity of feeling, and that too exquisite, too much sentimentalism and refinement, with a ten- dency to precocity, which induces an early death. These temperaments and their predominance may be amply compared to the several parts of a steam boat. The vital is the wood, water, fire, steam and engine, which produce the propelling power ; the nrotive is the hulk ; the mental the freight and passengers. When the vital pre- dominates, it manufactures more steam, more vital energy, more impulse, more animality than the brain, nerves, and muscle can work off, which produces an overflowing of feeling and passion, a restlessness, a high pressure, and a liability to explode. The lion has a prodigious ^est, and an amount of animal power almost beyond conception, with biR a small brain. Hence with scarcely a hundredth part of his strength, but with well developed brain and nerves, man can accomplish a thousand fold more. Does the osseous and muscular system greatly predominate,— there is too much hulk ; the person will move slowly and feel but little. * For a full description of these temperaments with their accompanying mental qualities, the reader is referred to the chapter on ‘ pysiology, or the Doctrine of the Temperaments,’ in ‘ Fowler’s Practical Phrenology, pp. 10 to 28.