Health and Beauty

1908

The Practical Guide to Health - Preface

The proverb, "A sound mind in a sound body," repre-sents to some degree the regard the ancient Greeks had for health, and also their conception of the relation that physical well-being sustains to mental vigor.

To-day life has become so changed that the great tendency is to make the physical, mental, and moral health subor-dinate to the acquisition of wealth, and social and political position. As a consequence, the preservation of health has become a secondary consideration.

The writer is of the opinion that the study of physiology should be made a basic principle in all educational effort, and that each individual should regard his 'health as sacredly as his character. Every man is not only the architect of his own character, hut also the custodian of his own health and physical well-being.

Health is the most valuable temporal blessing that any human being can possess, and a knowledge sufficient to under-stand the organism that is so "wonderfully and fearfully made," and to maintain it in health, is far more important than a knowledge of all the arts.

When the health comes to be regarded in this light, the study of physiology is more fascinating than a story. It is a study of vital interest,' and ceases to be a matter of dead bones and dissected organs, repulsive to the esthetic sense. With this in mind, the subjects of anatomy, physi-ology, and hygiene have been presented in simple language, and in the most practical manner, with the effort to avoid all theories and unimportant details. No essential fact of physiology has been omitted, and no effort has been spared to present each fact in harmony with the latest scientific investigations.

This is a progressive age, and the time has passed when the knowledge of how to care for the body can be retained by the few, to be given out as they see fit. There is a grow-ing demand for popular literature on the subject of health.

The writer believes thoroughly that every father and mother should be sufficiently informed in reference to the normal body and its functions, and should possess sufficient knowledge of the common diseases and their treatments, to be able to care for members of the family under ordinary conditions. It is far more important that a mother know how to care for the health of her children than that she be able to teach them music or painting.

The author does not entertain the least idea that this book should take the place of the family physician when the serv-ices of a physician are needed. But there are many condi-tions and circumstances in every home under which a reliable book on health and disease is indispensable, and greatly sup-plements the services of the physician.

Very little is said in this treatise about the use of drugs in the treatment of diseases; for self-drugging and the use of patent medicines can not be too severely condemned. The promiscuous swallowing of medicines for every slight ail-ment, and in order to save a doctor's bill, has caused untold misery in the world. If medicines are necessary, they should he dispensed by a reliable physician.

In the preparation of this volume the author has consulted all the leading standard medical writers, among which men-tion is made of Gray's Anatomy, Gerrish's Anatomy; Anat-omy of the Nervous System, by Baker, Gardinier, Edinger; Physiology, by Landois and Sterling, Hall, Kirk, Thornton; Diseases, by Osler, Pepper, Anders, Strümpell, Brunton, Hyde, Holt, Babcock, Bruce, Tirard; Obstetrics, by Hurst, Davis, American Text-Books; Hydrotherapy, by Kellogg; Dietetics, by Thompson, Yeo, Knight. The writer wishes especially to thank Lea Brothers & Company for the kind permission to use a number of illustrations by Testut from Gerrish's Anatomy.

F.M.R.