Human health; or, The influence of atmosphere and locality; change of air and climate; seasons; food; clothing; bathing and mineral springs; exercise; sleep; corporeal and intellectual pursuits, [etc.] on healthy man; constituting elements of hygiène

Front matter

HANDBOUND AT THE

'ASH'* m u

15 HUMAN HEALTH:

Preface

made a part of his elementary education, to which he saw others attach importance.” “ In my own instance,” Dr. Combe adds, “ it was only when entering upon practice, that I had first occasion to feel, and to ob¬ serve the evils arising from the ignorance which prevails in society in regard to it.”

The Author has subjected the first edition of this work to a complete revision, and has endeavoured to notice, in this edition, the recent re¬ searches of distinguished hygienists. He has had a twofold object in view, as he had in preparing the first edition, — to produce a work which might serve the student as an accompaniment to the observations on Hygiene, that are made in Lectures on the Institutes of Medicine — and one which might equally enable the general reader to understand the nature of the action of various influences on human health, and assist him in adopting such means as may tend to its preservation. Hence the Author has avoided introducing technicalities, except where they appeared to him to be indispensable, or strongly indicated.

ROBLEY DUNGLISON.

Section I

Influence of the atmosphere, and of local characteristics on the salubrity of different places. — Atmospheric air — always constituted alike — pres¬ sure of the atmosphere — range of the barometer — effects of augmented density — pressure in mines unattended with danger— effects of dimi¬ nished density, especially when suddenly experienced — effects of the air at great heights above the surface of the earth — height of the ba¬ rometer at different elevations — errors on the subject of animal and ve¬ getable existence at great elevations — effects of elevated temperature on human health — effects of diminished temperature - Page 13

Section II

Hygrometric state of the atmosphere — effect of the degree of dryness of the air on the cutaneous, and pulmonary transpirations— mode in which the air acts as an irritant to wounded and burnt surfaces — moist air a bet¬ ter vehicle for animal, vegetable or mineral exhalations — atmospheric vicissitudes frequently the source of disease — Russian vapour bath — vicissitudes from cold to heat the source of disease — atmospheric vi¬ cissitudes necessary to full mental and corporeal development — effect of light, and of electricity on the functions 38

IV

CONTENTS.

Section III

Changes in the air by respiration — black hole at Calcutta — black assize of Oxford, &c. — effects of carbonic acid gas — carburetted hydrogen — sulphuretted hydrogen — animal and vegetable exhalations — endemic, epidemic, and other influences — malaria— its nature not known — does not arise from vegetable putrefaction singly — nor from animal putre¬ faction singly — nor from aqueous decomposition singly — nor from all these combined — conflicting opinions upon the subject — nature of the emanations, that cause other endemic diseases, likewise unknown — our ignorance of the origin of epidemic, and contagious disease 58

SECTION IT.

Powerful influence of locality on man — comparative salubrity of different soils — comparative mortality of different countries — mortality and lon¬ gevity of the counties of England and Wales — mortality, and longevity not always in a like ratio — longevity in different counties of Virginia — insalubrity of great towns — comparative mortality of different cities — the human species, especially the young, require a pure air — great im¬ provement in the value of life — salutary effects of change of air — ef¬ fect of winds — action of the heavenly bodies on man - 95

Section V

Effect of the seasons — comparative mortality amongst adults and chil¬ dren — winter residence for the consumptive — France and Italy — Madeira — Canaries — the Azores — Bahamas — Bermudas — West In¬ dies — Havanna — Vera Cruz— Cumana — Peru — Chili, &c. — Effects of a Sea voyage — climate of Florida, &c. — Saint-Augustine, &c. — compa¬ rative merits of seaside and inland situations — due succession of sea¬ sons necessary for full mental and corporeal development — effects of unseasonable weather - - - - - 137

CONTENTS.

V

Section I

Difference between the elements of animal and vegetable bodies, not great — definition of aliments — digestive apparatus of an animal indi¬ cates its food — natural food of man — sketch of the physiology of di¬ gestion — singular case of fistulous opening into the stomach, with ex¬ periments — classification of aliments — fibrin — albumen — gelatin — osmazome — fat and oil — fecula — mucilage — sugar — terms nutritious and digestible not convertible — proper digestive texture of food 179

Section II

Animal aliments — quadrupeds — character of their meats according to age, sex, food, climate and season, fatness or leanness, incipient putrefac¬ tion, mode of slaughtering, &e. — birds ; white fleshed, dark fleshed, aquatic and rapacious — effect of feeding, or killing, &c. — reptiles-— fish — ichthyophagi — fancied evils of a fish diet— -fondness of the an¬ cients for fish — poisonous fish — esteemed parts of fish— -effects of feed¬ ing, castration, age, season, crimping, &c. — shell fish — Crustacea — in¬ sects - - 204

Section III

Milk — various kinds — frangipane — cream — butter— cheese — buttermilk — eggs — vegetable aliments — congenerous vegetables possess similar virtuesf — arinaceous vegetables — bread— maccaroni— vermicelli — buck¬ wheat — millet — cassava flour — potato — rice — Indian corn — sago — ta¬ pioca, &c. — leguminous vegetables — peas, beans, &c. — different kinds of kernels — potherbs — beet, carrot, parsnip, radish, leek, lettuce, cu cumbers, cabbage, & c. — mushrooms— fruits — preserved fruits 236

VI

CONTENTS.

Section IV

Condiments; saline, aromatic, and oily — sugar — salt — salt indispensable — vinegar — pickles — verjuice — capers, &c. — aromatic condiments; much used in torrid climes — oily condiments; butter; oil — preparation of food — object of cookery — roasting — broiling — boiling — baking — frying, &c., sauces ----- 266

Section V

Of drinks — physiology of thirst — digestion of liquids — effects of drinking on the digestive function — cold drinks — hot drinks — water: its nutri¬ tive properties; different kinds — mode of rendering potable — juice and infusions of animal and vegetable substances; raspberry and strawberry vinegar — lemonade — toast-water — barley and rice water — gruel — tea — coffee; chocolate — cocoa — whey, soda water - - 280

Section VI

Simple fermented liquors — bad effects of their abuse — wines — their sen¬ sible, and chemical properties — proportion of alcohol in different fer¬ mented liquors — brisk wines — Burgundy wines — claret wines — Oporto wines— Spanish wines — Madeira wines — wines of the Rhine, and Mo¬ selle, — sweet wines — cider — malt liquors — distilled fermented liquors — liqueurs ------ 305

Section VII

Alimentary regimen best adapted for man — evils of too great a quantity of f00(] — proper number of meals — sudden changes of regimen unwhole¬ some — regimen must vary according to different circumstances — best regimen for developing the full powers — training— how practically ef¬ fected — tobacco — history of its introduction— its effects on the func¬ tions — snuffing — smoking — chewing - - - 322

CONTENTS.

VI l

Chapter III. Clothing

Substances used for clothing — wool — silk — hair — down, &c. — influence of the colour, shape, pressure, &c. of vestments — of individual vest¬ ments — particular applications, and precautions — adaptation of clothing to temperature, &c. - 340

Chapter IV. Bathing And Mineral Springs

Ancient baths — different kinds of baths — functions of the cutaneous en¬ velope — effects of bathing on the functions of the skin — cold bath — warm bath — hot bath — tepid bath — sea bathing — manner of bathing — time of bathing — duration of the bath — vapour bath — shower bath — affusion — ablution — douche — footbath — practices accessary to bathing —•flagellation — friction — shampooing — kneading — anointing — mine¬ ral springs - - 358

Chapter V. Exercise

Effect of posture on certain of the functions — shock produced by exer¬ cises — active exercises— -their effects on the functions — exercise should be accompanied with mental amusement — travelling exercise — walking — leaping — running — dancing — the chase — fencing — boxing — wrest¬ ling — singing — declaiming — reading aloud, <fcc. — passive exercise, or gestation — riding in a carriage, litter, palanquin, sedan chair, &c. — — sailing, &c. — exercises of the infant — tossing — rocking, &c, — indo¬ lence, and its evils - 376

Till

CONTENTS.

Chapter VI. Sleep

Objects of’ sleep — evils from protracted watchfulness, and from too much sleep — temperature of the room — state of the bed — position, &c. — proper time for retiring to rest — time to be consumed in sleep — early rising — siesta. - 392

Chapter VII. Corporeal And Mental Occupations

Influence of professions limited to a few circumstances; exposure to vi¬ cissitudes; variations of temperature; mineral and other exhalations, &c. — literary pursuits not often the cause cf disease — head affections ascribed to them — imagination said to act injuriously on the body — du¬ ration of life amongst authors — bad effects of too early application — necessity of health for the full exercise of the intellect — intense mental

j

excitement injurious — effects of emotions, when inordinate 405

Appendix

Deposition involving questions regarding the effect of draining a mala¬ rious soil — table of the mean temperature, &c., of the seasons, in dif¬ ferent places in America, Europe, &c. — tables of the temperature of St. Augustine, &c. during certain months — mean temperature, &c. of corresponding months in certain winter retreats — temperature, &c. of Campeche, and of Santa Cruz — table of the comparative digestibility of different alimentary substances - - - 431

HUMAN HEALTH.

The human body is composed of various organs, differing essen¬ tially from each other in their anatomical conformation, and in the functions which they have to execute. When all these functions are harmoniously performed, health is the result; but if anyone or more experiences aberration, disease is induced. This aberration is in¬ deed itself a state of disease.

The object of Hygiene is to inquire into the circumstances that may promote health or give rise to such aberration; or, in other words, into the influence of physical, and moral agents on healthy man; and thence to deduce the best means for preserving health, and for developing all the healthful energy of which the functions are capable.