of a free circulation of the contained fluid, and a free circulation of the blood Boston, is an essential element of health. Name. Washington, sys San Francisco, 575 275,000 585 400,000 1,000 6,000 1,000 10,000 1,000 8,000 1,000 7,000 Cincinnati, The lungs always begin to fail at the top, just under the collar bone. In examining persons after death from consumption, the lungs will be found decayed at the top, three times out of four. In process of taking air into the lungs, the lower portion is first distended, as in filling a bladder, and the upper part last. In the ordinary breathing of those who are most of the time in the house, only the lower portion of the lungs is filled with air, as the breath is not drawn in with sufficient force to fill the upper part, hence this upper part is soon attacked with consumption. Therefore, whatever course of life is pursued which promotes full and deep inspirations, most promotes the arrest and cure of consumptive disease. And, as in the event of disease, the lungs do not take in as much air as is needed for the wants of the system, what is breathed should be the purest possible, and that is out-door air; therefore those who are out of doors most, whether day or night, hot or cold, stand the best chance of getting well; in fact, there is no hope of warding off consumption that is threatened, much less of curing it, without a free employment of out-door activities for a great part of every day. A consumptive who "camps out," even in winter, is far more likely to get well than one who remains in- hand-in-hand. doors, keeping his room at the same degree of temperature all the time. It may be of interest to know the elevation and population in round numbers of some of the principal cities of the Union: There is another reason. In flat localities all the accumulations of dirt and filth on the surface are rained upon, are dissolved, and the water is saturated with them. This water sinks into the ground a few feet, and there Population. remains. It is this water which sup200,000 plies the wells, which is mixed with 1,000,000 our food and swallowed into our stom750,000 achs by the gallon every day. It is 425,000 not any wonder that the inhabitants of Europe have discarded the use of water entirely as a drink. To have pure water, the source of it should be higher than the town, and if in the country, higher than any of the dwellings in the neighborhood; and yet, in most cases, the "spring" or the well has to be gone down to, is almost always at the bottom of the hill, or other elevation. In respect to the selection of a site for a family residence, especially in cities, it should either be on a sandy soil or on a natural hill, never over a filling. As this must be done, there should be a system of drain-pipes to carry the water abundantly and rapidly away. Many a family mansion has been built with the accumulations of the savings of half a life-time, to make the graves of half the household in a few months, from neglect of the precautions for thorough draining and a proper water supply for drinking and cooking. In a ward in Brooklyn, with a population of about ten thousand, with natural drainage, elevation, and a sandy soil besides, only one and a half persons in the thousand died of consumption; in the adjoining ward, more than three times as many for, each thousand; more than three times as many died of consumption who were living for the most part on flat land, on soil saturated with dampness. In a city ward, elevated and well drained, two and a half persons out of each thousand died of zymotic diseases -that is, of maladies arising from bad air and bad water, from uncleanliness generally. In two other wards built mainly on flat land, some of it filled in, four times as many died of zymotic diseases that is, ten out of each thousand. These are facts which should be kept before the mind of all who select new houses, or localities for new houses, in which they expect to reside with their families as long as they can. The neglect of these things has given rise to the observation very generally made: "He built a house only to move into it and die." BURYING ALIVE. While in Munich last year, we drove out to the graveyard. On entering the gateway a crowd of persons were looking through a closed folding door on the left, the upper part being of glass. The first glance showed the greatest profusion of flowers, mostly white. A nearer view presented a large room with a passage in the centre extending from the door to the opposite wall. On either side there were dead persons in their shrouds, of every age, size, sex and condition, extended on boards, the heads about two feet higher than the lower extremities. Some had been dead longer than others, hence were in different stages of decomposition. Some looked ghastly with their great hollow sunken eyes; one, a lady of thirty, seemed to be in a deep sleep; the head was turned a little on one side, towards the door, the face so gentle, so similing, and so unlike death, with none of its pallor nor wasting away, that it was almost impossible to feel that the body was really dead. There were perhaps fifty in all, some so covered with flowers that only the face was to be seen. Α further notice discovered a thin wire from the ceiling extending to each hand, the object being that if any one should come to life again, the slightest motion of the fingers would ring a bell to notify the watchers, who were always near at hand day and night. When a body has remained "twice twenty-four hours" it is removed for burial. On the right hand, also, there were other bodies exposed, protected with glass a foot or two distant from the observer. It was noticed that no wires were extended to the hands of infants, for the thoughtful German never does a useless thing or goes to an unnecessary trouble or expense. A child of a year old could not know the reason for the attachment of the wire. But really, as a baby might come to life again as well as older persons, and is sometimes worthy more than an octogenarian, one would think it ought to have some chance of not being smothered in a close coffin. have sometimes been reported, are well All babies begin to kick the moment nigh impossible of occurrence; and any they wake up, and if a wire were attached to their big toes, there would be such a clanking of bell clappers that the drowsiest Dutchman would be waked up in double-quick time. changes of position are more rationally attributed to the various handlings and joltings of the coffin between the time of the lid being finally closed and the deposit in the vault. Sometimes the coffin is taken down a pair of stairs, sometimes narrow, at others winding, making it necessary to elevate one end or turn it to one side; then there is the jolting of the hearse, and in addition, in lowering into the grave, it seldom happens that it is done horizontally, in consequence of the ropes slipping unevenly in different hands. Perhaps the most appreciable and certain sign of actual death is the appearance of black and blue over the abdomen or stomach. This proves mortification and decomposition. Persons dying of cholera or contagious diseases are buried without delay. WINTER WEAR. Although more persons die in summer than in winter, cold weather is particularly fatal to old people, and colds are taken by the people of all ages, which light up the quenchless fires of consumption, and all from the same cause-the want of sufficient and proper clothing. A physician in his student life, accustomed as he is to see great piles of feet, hands and heads from persons of all ages in the dissecting room, looks at the dead from a scientific standpoint, and is almost entirely relieved of that distressfulness which originally persons experience when confronted with the face of death; hence the sight above was deeply interesting, and awakened suggestions of a varied character; among others, the impression of the kindliness of the custom, as if willing to do all that was possible for the slight chance of returning to life. Then, again, it is a kind of break, an interference with that suddenness between being carried from the house and the terrible thump of the first spadeful of earth on the lowered coffin. It seems as if it would be an easing of this to be able to go night and morning to gaze upon the familiar form, face and features of the loved one who so soon is to be seen no more forever. At the same time it seemed that the crowd looking in upon the flowers and the faces of the dead were merely sight-seers, like ourselves. At all events the whole scene has left pleasant memories; the opening living flowers embowering the forms of death, as typifying the spiritual blooming into immortality and eternal life in the beautiful world above, where death can never enter. Inquiries were made of persons of various ages and stations of life if they had ever known the bell to be rung. No one could remember any such occurrence, nor had a restoration The living body is of the same to life ever been heard of within a hun- warmth the year round, whether at the dred years. This should allay the fears tropics or at the poles, being about which some indulge and even cherish of ninety-eight degrees, about one hundred being buried alive, as showing that it is and two under the armpits; a half-dozen of the rarest occurrence possible. The degrees more or less make death pretty indications of a living struggle, from certain in a short time, Hence the change of position of the body which preservation of health and life is inti are warmer It is more All know that woolens than any other material. correct to say that they 'keep us warmer," for their value consists in keeping the heat about the body which comes from or is generated in the body, as they are bad conductors of heat, that is, carry it slowly away; so that woolen garments are not valuable in keeping the cold out, so much as keeping the warmth in. perature of the body, and as in health that temperature is measured by ninetyeight degrees, it should be the study of all to adjust the clothing to that end, always bearing in mind, however, that it is safer to be too warm than too cold. We can bear to be in a room for hours heated up to two hundred, but if kept in an apartment of forty degrees for a very short time, especially if damp, inflammation of the lungs and death in a week will be a very uniform result. mately connected with a uniform tem- stopping still until the carriage has passed, slow their pace, and make a circuit around the end of the vehicle. This requires more steps, but instinct teaches that less exertive power is demanded to keep moving, than by coming to a dead standstill, to set the body in motion again. It is the starting after frequent stoppings which kill our stage and car horses in four years. With only one start in four they would travel farther, and live a year or two longer. Hence, every well-meaning man, in mercy to the horse, should only slow a car when wishing to get off; and ladies, always tender-hearted, should be careful to rather walk a few yards than to stop a car between two blocks. Last winter a Fourth Avenue car, between two crossings at the Methodist Church, was brought to a dead stop' four times, with forty-eight passengers twice counted. Real winter weather about New York city usually makes its advent a few days before Christmas; hence all old as well as all feeble persons should put on their thickest woolen undergarments from top to toe before the holidays. The best material is knitted; woven flannels "full up" by frequent washings, and become hard and impervious, confining the emanations unhealthily. These should be worn only in the daytime. If persons are very chilly, easily susceptible to cold or subject to night sweats, a thin flannel night gown should be worn next the skin; but persons in moderate or good health should wear muslin; and, in any event, no garment worn during the day should be used at night, but should have a plentiful airing. There is one rule for all-wear sufficient clothing to keep off a feeling of chilliness when about your usual avocations; less than that subjects one to an attack of dangerous pneumonia any day or hour. More than that oppresses. Steadily aim by all possible ways and means to keep off a feeling of chilliness, for then a cold has been taken. ECONOMY OF STRENGTH. In mid-winter the news boys scream out at the top of their voices: "Here's the Herald, Times, Tribune, and World" in July it is condensed to "Morning Papers." This is instinct, adapting the requisite expenditure of strength to the circumstances of the season. None of us walk as fast in Summer as in Winter. When the first cholera was present in New York, the carpenters were noticed, in nailing down floors, to strike but one stroke of the hammer, and rest with the face of the hammer on the floor, instead of three strokes without a pause, as is the case in freezing, cold weather. The old man instinctively lets down the bars, or goes a long way round, instead of springing over at a bound. We get up in the morning with a certain amount of strength, and much may be gained by economizing, in every MOST persons can do more work, way possible, during the day. Very with less fatigue, any day by being a many persons, for want of thought, little thoughtful and more observant of squander a great deal of vital power. the instincts. Look at any dozen men The cook should do all she can sitting crossing a street leading out of Broad- down, as less strength is expended in way while a vehicle is passing before that position than in standing. She them. Very many will, instead of should peel her vegetables, string her beans, wash and wipe her dirty hands ness, or words on the page seem to run in a sitting position. into each other. As long as thirty years ago, it was an interesting sight to see letter-carriers of the London Post Office leave the building with their letters in a long carriage, the man who was to get out first, sitting next the door. It is better under these circumstances to get glasses at once. Putting it off not only does no good, but a positive and speedy injury, as the straining to see distinctly debilitates and permanently injures the nerves of sight. Glasses are usually numbered from one up to twenty or more. First purchase number twenty, and as you observe the symptoms above named, get number eighteen, and so on. When you get to be about sixty, fourteen is usually a good number. Mr. Sullivan, of Illinois, one of the most extensive and successful farmers of the State, required his men to ride to their fields of labor. The clergyman should neither sing nor speak, nor converse above the most ordinary tones until he enters the pulpit, and even then he should save his voice for the The glasses should be near enough to sermon, being careful, however, to re- the eye to almost touch the eye-lashes. member not to make an effort to speak The glasses should be washed every loud, but rather to enunciate dis- morning in cold water, and if needed tinctly, cutting off each word clear and several times during the day, to remove sharp before beginning another. Many the dust, gum and insensible perspiraa good sermon is lost to persons farthest tion from the eye, which condenses from the speaker for want of attention upon the inner surface of the glass, to the fact in acoustics, that the shrill, wiping with clean Irish linen, or soft, small voice is often heard with greater dry buckskin. distinctness than the muttering thunder of a careless speaker. SPECTACLES. THIS is the name given to glasses which assist the eye in secing better. when they are attached to the head; "eye-glasses," when they are worn without any such attachment, to be held by a string or carried in the vest pocket. The glasses should be always carried in the case, or in a pocket in which there is nothing else; for even a newspaper can scratch them, and this rapidly impairs their clearness. The harder the glass, the more valuable the spectacles; because if scratched much, the magnifying power is diminished, and you begin to get a low number, and thus hurry the eye to old age. Brazillian pebbles, for eye-glasses, are the best, because the hardest. Cheap eyeglasses are always either soft or are carelessly matched; hence never buy a pair on the street, but from an established optician. All devices to keep the eyes young are no more than useless, and all patents for that purpose are heartless impositions. There are some useful general rules to prevent the eyes from needing artificial aid prematurely. Spectacles become necessary when you first notice yourself going to the window, instinctively, for a better light. You next find yourself moving the paper farther from your eyes than usual; about the same time you oftener lay it down and begin to wink the eyes, as if to make them clearer, and now and then to shut them for a moment or two for rest. You need glasses if you find yourself placing the candle between your eyes and the object looked at. You then find that if you look steadily at any small thing close at hand the eye Read as little as possible before gets tired, and a dimness or watering is breakfast, for every part of the body manifested, so as to cause indistinct- is then at its weakest from the long Avoid reading before sunrise, after sunset, and by artificial light, or at least do those things as little as possible. |