,a ,,lecture ,,on ,,the ,,preservation  
,,of ,,health4  ,,by ,t4 ,,garnett1     
,m4,d4 ,professor of ,natural           
,philosophy and ,chemistry in the ,royal
 ,institution of ,great ,britain c4     
,,second ,,edition4  ,figure       ,such
 the reward of rude and sober life2     
,of labour such4 ,by health the         
peasant's toil      ,is well repaid2 if 
exercise were pain      ,indeed1 and    
temperance pain4          ,armstrong4   
,,london3 ,,printed ,,for ,t4 ,,cadell1 
,,junior1 ,,and ,w4 ,,davies1 ,,strand4 
#ahjj4 7,r4 ,,noble1 ,printer1 ,old     
,bailey47  ,to ,,erasmus ,,darwin1      
,m4,d4  ,dear ,sir1  ,,the first edition
 of this pamphlet having been introduced
 to the world under the sanction of your
 name1 ,i take the liberty of prefixing 
it to the second2 and am happy in having
 another public opportunity of          
expressing my thanks for the high       
gratification and instruction which ,i  
have received from the perusal of your  
medical and philosophical works4  ,i am1

 ,dear ,sir1 ,with much esteem1 ,your   
very obedient servant1  ,,tho4          
,,garnett4  ,royal ,institution1 ,april 
#hth1 #ahjj4  ,,preface4  ,most medical 
gentlemen will1 it is supposed1 agree   
that the greater part of the numerous   
train of diseases to which their        
patients are subject1 have been brought 
on by improper conduct and imprudence4  
,that this conduct often proceeds from  
ignorance of its bad effects1 may be    
presumed2 for though it cannot be denied
 that some persons are perfectly        
regardless with respect to their health1
 yet the great mass of mankind are too  
sensible of the enjoyment and loss of   
this greatest of blessings1 to run      
headlong into danger with their eyes    
open4  ,it was with the hope of making  
the laws of life more generally known1  
and better understood1 and from thence  
deducing such rules for the preservation
 of health1 as would be evident to every
 capacity1 that the author was induced  
to deliver this lecture4 ,it has been   

honoured with the attention of numerous 
audiences1 in some of the most populous 
towns in ,england1 where it has         
generally been read for the benefit of  
charitable institutions4  ,the author   
flatters himself1 that besides the      
benefit produced by his humble          
endeavours to serve these institutions1 
those endeavours have not totally failed
 in the grand object of preserving      
health2 and with the hope that the      
influence of the precepts here given1   
may be farther extended1 he has         
concurred in the ideas of those who have
 advised the publication of this        
lecture4  ,it is to be feared1 that     
notwithstanding all which can be done1  
disease will continue to be a heavy tax1
 which civilized society must pay for   
its comforts2 and the valetudinarian    
will often be tempted to envy the savage
 the strength and soundness of his      
constitution4 ,much however may be done 
towards the prevention of a number of   
diseases4 ,if this lecture should       

contribute to the attainment of so      
desirable an end1 it will afford the    
highest gratification to the author4    
,the first part of the lecture is the   
substance of an essay which was read by 
the author before the ,royal ,medical   
,society of ,edinburgh1 intended as a   
defence of the general principles of the
 system of ,dr4 ,brown1 whose pupil he  
then was4 ,it was1 according to custom1 
transcribed into the books of the       
society1 and the public have now an     
opportunity of judging how far ,dr4     
,girtanner1 in his first essay published
 in the ,journal de ,physique1 about two
 years after1 in which he gives the     
theory as his own1 without the least    
acknowledgment to the much injured and  
unfortunate author of the ,elementa     
,medicinae1 has borrowed from this      
essay4  ,in public lectures1 novelty is 
not to be expected1 the principal object
 of the lecturer being to place in a    
proper point of view1 what has been     
before discovered4 ,the author has      

therefore freely availed himself of the 
labours of others1 particularly of the  
popular publications of ,dr4 ,beddoes1  
which he takes this opportunity of      
acknowledging4  ,this lecture is        
published almost verbatim as it was     
delivered4 ,on this account the         
experiments mentioned are not minutely  
described1 the reader being supposed to 
see them performed4  99 99 99 99 99  ,a 
,,lecture1 c4  ,,the greatest blessing  
we enjoy is health1 without it1 wealth1 
honors1 and every other consideration1  
would be insipid1 and even irksome2 the 
preservation of this state therefore1   
naturally concerns us all4 ,in this     
lecture1 ,i shall not attempt to teach  
you to become your own physicians1 for  
when the barriers of health are once    
broken down1 and disease has established
 itself1 it requires the deepest        
attention1 and an accurate acquaintance 
with the extensive science of medicine1 
to combat it2 to attain this knowledge  
demands the labour of years4 ,but1 a    

majority of the diseases to which we are
 subject1 are the effects of our own    
ignorance or imprudence1 and it is often
 very easy to prevent them2 mere        
precepts however1 have seldom much      
effect1 unless the reasoning upon them  
be rendered evident2 on this account1 ,i
 shall first endeavour1 in as plain and 
easy a manner as possible1 to explain to
 you the laws by which life is governed2
 and when we see in what health         
consists1 we shall be better enabled to 
take such methods as may preserve it4   
,health is the easy and pleasant        
exercise of all the functions of the    
body and mind2 and disease consists in  
the uneasy and disproportioned exercise 
of all1 or some of the functions4  ,when
 dead matter acts upon dead matter1 the 
only effects we perceive are mechanical1
 or chemical2 for though there may      
appear to be other kinds of attraction1 
or repulsion1 such as electric and      
magnetic1 yet these come under the head 
of mechanical attraction1 as producing  

motion2 we may therefore lay it down as 
a law1 that when dead1 or inanimate     
bodies act upon each other1 no other    
than mechanical1 or chemical effects are
 produced2 that is1 either motion1 or   
the decomposition1 and new combination  
of their parts4 ,if one ball strike     
another1 it communicates to it a certain
 quantity of motion1 this is called     
mechanical action2 and if a quantity of 
salt1 or sugar1 be put into water1 the  
particles of the salt or sugar will     
separate from each other1 and join      
themselves to the particles of the      
water2 the salt and water in these      
instances1 are said to act on each other
 chemically2 and in all cases whatever1 
in which inanimate1 or dead bodies act  
on each other1 the effects produced are1
 motion1 or chemical attraction4  ,but1 
when dead matter acts on those bodies   
which we call living1 the effects are   
much different2 let us take for example 
a very simple instance4--,snakes1 at    
least some species of them1 pass the    

winter in a torpid state1 which has all 
the appearance of death2 now heat1 if   
applied to dead matter1 will only       
produce motion1 or chemical combination2
 but if it be applied to the snake1 let 
us see what will be the consequence2 the
 reptile first begins to move1 and opens
 its eyes and mouth2 when the heat has  
been applied for some time1 it crawls   
about in search of food1 and performs   
all the functions of life4 ,here then1  
dead matter1 when applied to a living   
body1 produces living functions2 for if 
the heat had not been applied1 the snake
 would have continued senseless1 and    
apparently lifeless4 ,in more perfect   
animals1 the effects produced by the    
action of dead matter on them1 are more 
numerous1 and are different in different
 living systems1 but are in general the 
following--sense and motion in almost   
all animals1 and in many the power of   
thinking1 and other affections of the   
mind4 ,the powers1 or dead matters1     
which are applied1 and which produce    

these functions1 are chiefly1 heat1     
food1 and air4 ,the proof that these    
powers do produce the living functions1 
is in my opinion a very convincing one1 
namely1 that when their actions are     
suspended1 the living functions cease2  
take away1 for instance1 heat1 air1 and 
food from animals1 and they soon become 
dead matter1 and it is not necessary    
that an animal should be deprived of all
 these to put a stop to the living      
functions2 if any one of them be taken  
away1 the body sooner or later becomes  
dead matter3 it is found by experience1 
that if a man be deprived of air1 he    
dies in about three or four minutes2 for
 instance1 if he be immersed under      
water2 if he be deprived of heat1 or in 
other words1 exposed to a very severe   
degree of cold1 he likewise soon dies2  
or if he be deprived of food1 his death 
is equally certain1 though more slow4   
,it is sufficiently evident then1 that  
the living functions are owing to the   
action of these external powers upon the

 body4 ,what ,i have here said1 is not  
confined to animals1 but the living     
functions of vegetables are likewise    
caused by the action of dead matter upon
 them4 ,the dead matters1 which by their
 action produce these functions1 are    
principally heat1 moisture1 light1 and  
air4 ,it clearly follows therefore1 from
 what ,i have said1 that living bodies  
must have some property different from  
dead matter1 which renders them capable 
of being acted upon by these external   
powers1 so as to produce the living     
functions2 for if they had not1 the only
 effects which these powers could       
produce1 would be mechanical1 or        
chemical4 ,though we know not exactly in
 what this property consists1 or in what
 manner it is acted on1 yet we see1 that
 when bodies are possessed of it1 they  
become capable of being acted upon by   
external powers1 and thus the living    
functions are produced2 we shall        
therefore call this property            
excitability1 and in using this term it 

is necessary to mention1 that ,i mean   
only to express a fact1 without the     
least intention of pointing out the     
nature of that property which           
distinguishes living from dead matter1  
and in this we have the example of the  
great ,newton1 who called the property  
which causes bodies in certain          
situations to approach each other1      
gravitation1 without in the least       
hinting at its nature2 yet1 though he   
knew not what gravitation was1 he       
investigated the laws by which bodies   
were acted on by it1 in the same manner1
 though we are ignorant of excitability1
 or the nature of that property which   
distinguishes living from dead matter1  
we can investigate the laws by which    
dead matter acts on living bodies       
through this medium4 ,we know not what  
magnetic attraction is1 and yet we can  
investigate its laws2 the same holds    
good with regard to electricity2 if we  
ever should attain a knowledge of the   
nature of this property1 it would make  

no alteration in the laws which we had  
before discovered4  ,i shall now proceed
 to the investigation of the laws by    
which the excitability is acted on2 but 
,i must first define some terms which it
 will be necessary to use1 to avoid     
circumlocution1 and at the same time to 
give us more distinct ideas on the      
subject4  ,when the excitability is in  
such a state as to be very susceptible  
of the action of external powers1 ,i    
shall call it abundant1 or accumulated2 
but when it is found not very capable of
 receiving their action1 ,i shall say1  
it is deficient1 or exhausted4 ,i would 
not wish however1 to have it thought1   
that by these terms ,i mean in the least
 to hint at the nature of excitability1 
nor that it is really one while         
increased1 and at another diminished in 
quantity1 for the abstract question is  
in no shape considered2 we know not     
whether the excitability1 or the vital  
principle1 depends on a particular      
arrangement of matter1 or from whatever 

cause it may originate2 by the terms    
here used1 ,i mean only to say1 that the
 excitability is easily acted on when ,i
 call it abundant1 or accumulated2 at   
other times the living body is with more
 difficulty excited1 and then ,i say1   
the vital principle is deficient1 or    
exhausted4  ,the laws by which external 
powers act on living bodies1 will1 on a 
careful examination1 be found to be the 
following--  ,first1 when the powerful  
action of the exciting powers ceases for
 some time1 the excitability            
accumulates1 or becomes more capable of 
receiving their action1 and is more     
powerfully affected by them4  ,if we    
examine separately the different        
exciting powers1 which act on the body1 
we shall find abundant confirmation of  
this law4 ,let us first consider ,light2
 if a person be kept in darkness for    
some time1 and be then brought into a   
room in which there is only an ordinary 
degree of light1 it will be almost too  
oppressive for him1 and appear          

excessively bright2 and if he have been 
kept for a considerable time in a very  
dark place1 the sensation will be very  
painful4 ,in this case1 while the       
retina1 or optic nerve1 was deprived of 
light1 its excitability accumulated1 or 
became more easily affected by light2   
for if a person goes out of one room1   
into another which has an equal degree  
of light1 he will feel no effect4 ,you  
may convince yourselves of this law by a
 very simple experiment--shut your eyes1
 and cover them for a minute or two with
 your hand1 and endeavour not to think  
of the light1 or of what you are doing2 
then open them1 and the day-light will  
for a short time appear brighter4 ,if   
you look attentively at a window1 for   
about two minutes1 and then cast your   
eyes upon a sheet of white paper1 the   
shape of the window-frames will be      
perfectly visible upon the paper2 those 
parts which express the wood-work1      
appearing brighter than the other parts4
 ,the parts of the optic nerve on which 

the image of the frame falls1 are       
covered by the wood-work from the action
 of the light2 the excitability of these
 portions of the nerve will therefore   
accumulate1 and the parts of the paper  
which fall upon them1 must of course    
appear brighter4 ,if a person be brought
 out of a dark room where he has been   
confined1 into a field covered with     
snow1 when the sun shines1 it has been  
known to affect him so much1 as to      
deprive him of sight altogether4  ,let  
us next consider what happens with      
respect to heat2 if heat be for some    
time abstracted1 the excitability       
accumulates2 or in other words1 if the  
body be for some time exposed to cold1  
it is more liable to be affected by     
heat1 afterwards applied2 of this also  
you may be convinced by an easy         
experiment--put one of your hands into  
cold water1 and then put both into water
 which is considerably warm2 the hand   
which has been in cold water1 will feel 
much warmer than the other4 ,if you     

handle some snow with one hand1 while   
you keep the other in your bosom1 that  
it may be of the same heat as the body1 
and then bring both within the same     
distance of the fire1 the heat will     
affect the cold hand infinitely more    
than the warm one4 ,this is a           
circumstance of the utmost importance1  
and ought always to be carefully        
attended to4 ,when a person has been    
exposed to a severe degree of cold for  
some time1 he ought to be cautious how  
he comes near a fire1 for his           
excitability will be so much            
accumulated1 that the heat will act     
violently2 often producing a great      
degree of inflammation1 and even        
sometimes mortification4 ,we may by the 
way observe1 that this is a very common 
cause of chilblains1 and other          
inflammations4 ,when the hands1 or any  
other parts of the body have been       
exposed to violent cold1 they ought     
first to be put into cold water1 or even
 rubbed with the snow1 and exposed to   

warmth in the gentlest manner possible4 
,exactly the same takes place with      
respect to food1 if a person have for   
some time been deprived of food1 or have
 taken it in small quantity1 whether it 
be meat or drink2 or if he have taken it
 of a less stimulating quality1 he will 
find1 that when he returns to his       
ordinary mode of living1 it will have   
more effect upon him than before he     
lived abstemiously4  ,persons who have  
been shut up in a coal-work from the    
falling in of the pit1 and have had     
nothing to eat for two or three days1   
have been as much intoxicated by a bason
 of broth1 as a person in common        
circumstances with two or three bottles 
of wine2 and we all know that           
spirituous1 or vinous liquors affect the
 head more in the morning1 than after   
dinner4  ,this circumstance was         
particularly evident among the poor     
sailors who were in the boat with       
,captain ,bligh after the mutiny4 ,the  
captain was sent by government to convey

 some plants of the bread-fruit tree    
from ,otaheite1 to the ,west-,indies2   
soon after he left ,otaheite1 the crew  
mutinied1 and put the captain and most  
of the officers1 with some of the men1  
on board the ship's boat1 with a very   
short allowance of provisions1 and      
particularly of liquors1 for they had   
only six quarts of rum1 and six bottles 
of wine1 for nineteen people1 who were  
driven by storms about the south-sea1   
exposed to wet and cold all the time1   
for nearly a month2 each man was allowed
 only a tea-spoon full of rum a-day1 but
 this tea-spoon full refreshed the poor 
men1 benumbed as they were with cold1   
and faint with hunger1 more than twenty 
times the quantity would have done those
 who were warm1 and well fed2 and had it
 not been for the spirit having such    
power to act upon men1 in their         
condition1 they never could have        
outlived the hardships they experienced4
 ,all these facts1 and many others which
 might be brought1 establish beyond a   

doubt the truth of the law ,i have      
mentioned1 namely1 that when the        
powerful action of the exciting powers  
ceases for some time1 the excitability  
accumulates1 or becomes more capable of 
receiving their actions4  ,the second   
law is1 that when the exciting powers   
have acted with violence1 or for a      
considerable time1 the excitability     
becomes exhausted1 or less fit to be    
acted on1 and this we shall be able to  
prove by a similar induction4 ,let us   
take the effects of light upon the eye2 
when it has acted violently for some    
time upon the optic nerve1 it diminishes
 the excitability of that nerve1 and    
renders it incapable of being affected  
by a quantity of light that would at    
other times affect it4 ,when you have   
been walking out in the snow1 if you    
come into your room1 you will scarcely  
be able to see any thing for some       
minutes4 ,look stedfastly at a candle   
for a minute or two1 and you will with  
difficulty discern the letters of a     

book1 which you were before reading     
distinctly2 and if you happen to cast   
your eyes upon the sun1 you will not see
 any thing distinctly for some time     
afterwards4  ,let us next consider the  
matter of heat3 suppose water to be     
heated lukewarm1 if you put one hand    
into it1 it will feel warm2 if you now  
put the other hand into water1 heated   
for instance to #abj degrees or #acj    
degrees1 and keep it there some time1 we
 will say1 two minutes2 if then you take
 it out1 and put it into the lukewarm   
water1 that water will feel cold1 though
 still it will seem warm to the other   
hand2 for1 the hand which had been in   
the heated water1 has had its           
excitability exhausted by the           
application of heat4 ,before you go into
 a warm bath1 the temperature of the air
 may seem warm and agreeable to you1 but
 after you have remained for some time  
in a bath that is rather hot1 when you  
come out1 you feel the air uncommonly   
cool and chilling4  ,let us now examine 

the effects of substances taken into the
 stomach2 and as the effects of         
spirituous1 and vinous liquors1 are a   
little more remarkable than food1 we    
shall make our observations upon them4  
,a person who is unaccustomed to drink  
these liquors1 will be intoxicated by a 
quantity that will produce no effect    
upon one who has been for some time     
accustomed to take them2 and when a     
person has used himself to these        
stimulants for some time1 the ordinary  
powers which in common support life1    
will not have their proper effects upon 
him1 because his excitability has been  
in some measure exhausted by the        
stimulants4  ,the same holds good with  
respect to tobacco and opium2 a person  
accustomed to take opium will not be    
affected by a quantity that would       
completely intoxicate one not used to   
it2 because the excitability has been so
 far exhausted by the use of that drug1 
that it cannot be acted on by a small   
quantity4  ,these facts1 with           

innumerable others1 which will easily   
suggest themselves to you1 prove the    
truth of our second proposition1 namely1
 that when the exciting powers have     
acted violently1 or for a considerable  
time1 the excitability is exhausted1 or 
less fit to be acted on4  ,this         
exhaustion of the excitability1 may1    
however1 be either finite1 or temporary2
 we see animals1 while the exciting     
powers continue to act1 at first appear 
in their greatest vigour1 then gradually
 decay1 and at last come into that      
state1 in which1 from the long continued
 action of the exciting powers1 the     
excitability is entirely exhausted1 and 
death takes place4  ,we likewise see    
plants in the spring1 while the exciting
 powers have acted on them1 moderately1 
and for a short time1 arrayed in their  
verdant robes1 and adorned with flowers 
of many mingling hues2 but1 as the      
exciting powers which support the life  
of the plant1 continue to be applied1   
and some of them1 for instance heat1 as 

the summer advances become increased1   
they first lose their verdure1 then grow
 brown1 and at the end of summer cease  
to live2 because their excitability is  
exhausted by the long continued action  
of the exciting powers2 and this does   
not happen merely in consequence of the 
heat of summer decreasing1 for they grow
 brown and die1 even in a greater degree
 of heat than that which in spring made 
them grow luxuriantly4  ,these are      
examples of the finite1 or irreparable  
exhaustion of the excitability1 but we  
find also1 that it may be exhausted for 
a time1 and accumulated again4 ,though  
the eye has been so dazzled by the      
splendour of light1 that it cannot see  
an object moderately illuminated1 yet1  
if it be shut for some time1 the        
excitability of the optic nerve         
accumulates again1 and we are again     
capable of seeing with an ordinary      
light4  ,we find1 that we are not always
 equally capable of performing the      
functions of life4 ,when we have been   

engaged in any exertion1 either mental  
or corporeal1 for some hours only1 we   
find ourselves fatigued1 and unfit to   
pursue our labours much longer2 if in   
this state1 several of the exciting     
powers1 particularly light and noise1 be
 withdrawn2 and if we are laid in a     
posture which does not require much     
muscular exertion1 we soon fall into    
that state which nature intended for the
 accumulation of the excitability1 and  
which we call ,sleep4 ,in this state1   
many of the exciting powers cannot act  
upon us1 unless applied with some       
violence1 for we are insensible to their
 moderate action4 ,a moderate light1 or 
a moderate noise1 does not affect us1   
and the power of thinking1 which        
exhausts the excitability very much1 is 
in a great measure suspended4 ,when the 
action of these powers has been         
suspended for six or eight hours1 the   
excitability is again capable of being  
acted on1 and we rise fresh1 and        
vigorous1 and fit to engage in our      

occupations4  ,sleep then1 is the method
 which nature has provided to repair the
 exhausted constitution1 and restore the
 vital energy2 without its refreshing   
aid1 our worn-out habits would scarcely 
be able to drag on a few days1 or at    
most a few weeks1 before the vital      
spring was quite run down2 how properly 
therefore has the great poet of nature  
called sleep the chief nourisher in     
life's feast4--       ',sleep1 that     
knits up the ravell'd sleeve of care1   
'the death of each day's life1 sore     
labour's bath1      'balm of hurt minds1
 great ,nature's second course1         
'chief nourisher in life's feast4'      
,from the internal sensations often     
excited1 it is natural to conclude that 
the nerves of sense are not torpid      
during sleep2 but that they are only    
precluded from the perception of        
external objects1 by the external organs
 being rendered unfit to transmit to    
them the impulses of bodies1 during the 
suspension of the power of volition2    

thus1 the eye-lids are closed in sleep1 
to prevent the impulse of the light from
 acting on the optic nerve2 and it is   
very probable that the drum of the ear  
is not stretched2 it is likewise        
probable that something similar happens 
to the external apparatus of all our    
organs of sense1 which may make them    
unfit for their office of perception    
during sleep4  ,the more violently the  
exciting powers have acted1 the sooner  
is sleep brought on2 because the        
excitability is sooner exhausted1 and   
therefore1 sooner requires the means of 
renewing it2 and on the contrary1 the   
more weakly the exciting powers have    
acted1 the less is a person inclined to 
sleep4 ,instances of the first are1     
excess of exercise1 strong liquors1 or  
study1 and of the latter1 an under      
proportion of these4  ,a person who has 
been daily accustomed to much exercise1 
whether mental or corporeal1 if he omit 
it1 will find little or no inclination  
to sleep2 he may however be made to     

sleep by taking a little diffusible     
stimulus2 for instance1 a little warm   
punch1 or opium3 these act entirely by  
exhausting the excitability to that     
degree which is compatible with sleep2  
and when their stimulant effect is over1
 the person soon falls into that state4 
,but though the excitability may have   
been sufficiently exhausted1 and the    
action of the external powers           
considerably moderated1 yet there are   
some things within ourselves1 which     
stimulate violently1 and prevent sleep2 
such as pain1 thirst1 and strong        
passions and emotions of the mind4      
,these all tend to drive away sleep1 but
 it may be induced1 by withdrawing the  
mind from these impressions2            
particularly from uneasy emotions1 and  
employing it on something which makes a 
less impression2 sleep1 in such cases1  
is frequently brought on by listening to
 the humming of bees1 #a or the         
murmuring of a rivulet2 by employing the
 mind on subjects which do not require  

much exertion1 nor produce too much     
commotion2 such as counting to a        
thousand1 or counting drops of water    
which fall slowly4  ,it sometimes       
happens1 as has been well observed by   
,dr4 ,franklin1 that an uneasy heat of  
the skin1 from a want of perspiration1  
occasioned by the heat of the           
bed-cloaths1 will prevent sleep2 in this
 case1 he recommends a method1 which ,i 
believe will often succeed--namely1 to  
get up and walk about the room till you 
are considerably cooled2 when you get   
into bed again1 the heat of the skin    
will be diminished1 and perspiration    
become more free1 and you will probably 
sleep in a very few minutes4 #b  ,by    
induction we have discovered two of the 
principal laws by which living bodies   
are governed2 the first is1 that when   
the ordinary powers which support life  
have been suspended1 or their action    
lessened for a time1 the excitability1  
or vital principle accumulates1 or      
becomes more fit to receive their       

actions2 and secondly1 when these powers
 have been acted upon violently1 or for 
a considerable time1 the excitability is
 exhausted1 or becomes less fit to      
receive their actions4 ,there are       
therefore three states in which living  
bodies exist4--  ,first1 a state of     
accumulated excitability4  ,second1 a   
state of exhausted excitability4        
,third1 when it is in such a state as to
 produce the strongest and most healthy 
actions1 when acted upon by the external
 powers4  ,from what ,i have said1 it   
must appear1 that life is a forced      
state1 depending on the action of       
external powers upon the excitability2  
and that1 by their continued action1 if 
they are properly regulated1 the        
excitability will be gradually and      
insensibly exhausted2 and life will be  
resigned into the hands of him who gave 
it1 without a struggle1 and without a   
groan4  ,we see then1 that nature       
operates in supporting the living part  
of the creation1 by laws as simple and  

beautiful as those by which the         
inanimate world is governed4 ,in the    
latter we see the order and harmony     
which is observed by the planets1 and   
their satellites1 in their revolution   
round the great source of heat and      
light4            '-----,all combin'd   
'and ruled unerring1 by that single     
power      'which draws the stone       
projected1 to the ground4'  ,in the     
animated part of the creation1 we       
observe those beautiful phenomena which 
are exhibited by an almost infinite     
variety of individuals1 all depending   
upon one simple law1 the action of the  
exciting powers on the excitability4  ,i
 cannot express my admiration of the    
wisdom of the creator better than in the
 words of ,thomson4       ',o unprofuse 
magnificence divine6      ',o wisdom    
truly perfect6 thus to call      'from a
 few causes1 such a scheme of things2   
'effects so various1 beautiful1 and     
great4'  ,life then1 or those functions 
which we call living1 are the effects of

 certain exciting powers1 acting on the 
excitability1 or property distinguishing
 living from dead matter4 ,when those   
effects1 namely1 the functions1 flow    
easily1 pleasantly1 and completely1 from
 the action of the exciting powers1 they
 indicate that state which we call      
,health4  ,i have detained you a long   
time on this subject1 but it is of      
importance to make you acquainted with  
these laws2 for it is from a knowledge  
of them1 that the rules for preserving  
health must be deduced2 and having      
rendered them1 as ,i hope1 intelligible 
to you1 ,i shall proceed to point out   
such necessary cautions for your        
conduct1 as are easily deduced from     
them2 and which experience confirms2 and
 ,i shall follow an arrangement in the  
consideration of the subject1 which     
naturally presents itself to us4 ,the   
chief exciting powers which act upon us 
are1 air and food2 these ,i shall       
respectively consider1 and afterwards   
make a few remarks on exercise4  ,the   

air is the main-spring in the animal    
machine2 the source of heat and         
activity1 without which our blood would 
soon become a black and stagnant mass1  
and life would soon stop4  ,it is now   
known1 that only a part of atmospheric  
air1 is necessary for respiration3 the  
atmosphere near the surface of the      
earth1 consists of two kinds of air2    
one1 which is highly proper for         
respiration1 and combustion1 and in     
which1 an animal immersed1 will live    
much longer than in the same quantity of
 common air2 and one1 which is perfectly
 improper for supporting respiration1 or
 combustion1 for an instant4  ,the first
 of these airs1 has been called vital   
air1 from its property of supporting    
life1 and constitutes about one fourth  
of the atmosphere4 #c ,the other1 from  
its property of destroying life1 is     
called azote1 and forms of course the   
remaining three fourths of the          
atmosphere4  ,these two airs may be     
separated from each other by various    

methods4 ,if a candle be inclosed in a  
given quantity of atmospheric air1 it   
will burn only for a certain time1 and  
then be extinguished2 and from the      
rising of the water in the vessel in    
which it is inclosed1 it is evident that
 a quantity of air has been absorbed4   
,what has been absorbed is the vital    
air1 and what remains1 the azote1 which 
is incapable of supporting flame4 ,if an
 animal be immersed in a given quantity 
of common air1 it will live only a      
certain time2 at the end of this time1  
the air will be found diminished1 about 
one fourth being extracted from it1 and 
the remainder will neither support flame
 nor animal life2 this experiment might 
easily be made1 but it seems a piece of 
unnecessary cruelty4  ,by similar       
experiments to those ,i have mentioned1 
we get the azote pure2 here is some1 in 
which a candle has burnt out1 and in    
which nothing but azote1 or the impure  
part of the atmosphere is left4 #d ,i   
shall plunge a lighted match into it1   

and you see it is instantly             
extinguished4  ,some metals1 and        
particularly manganese1 when exposed to 
the atmosphere1 attract the vital air   
from it1 without touching the azote2 and
 it may be procured from these metals by
 the application of heat1 in very great 
purity4 ,here is a bottle of that kind  
of air1 which ,i have expelled by heat  
from manganese2 ,i shall plunge a taper 
into it1 and you will perceive that it  
burns with great brilliancy4 ,an animal 
shut up in it1 would live about four    
times as long as if shut up in an equal 
quantity of atmospheric air4  ,if ,i    
take three parts of azote1 and one of   
vital air1 ,i shall form a compound     
which is similar to the atmosphere1 and 
which is the mixture best suited to     
support the health of the body2 for if  
there were a much greater proportion of 
vital air1 it would act too powerfully  
upon the system1 and bring on           
inflammatory diseases2 it would likewise
 by its stimulus exhaust the            

excitability1 and bring us sooner to    
death2 and in the same manner that a    
candle burns brighter in vital air1 and 
would therefore be sooner exhausted1 so 
would the flame of life be sooner burnt 
out4  ,on the contrary1 if the          
atmosphere contained a much less        
proportion of vital air1 it would not   
stimulate the body sufficiently2 the    
excitability would morbidly accumulate1 
and diseases of debility would occur4   
,combustion1 putrefaction1 and the      
breathing of animals1 are processes     
which are continually diminishing the   
quantity of vital air contained in the  
atmosphere2 and if the all-wise author  
of nature had not provided for its      
continual re-production1 the atmosphere 
would in all probability have long since
 become too impure to support life2 but 
this is guarded against in a most       
beautiful manner4  ,water is not a      
simple element1 as has been supposed1   
but is composed of vital air1 and a     
particular kind of air which is called  

inflammable2 the same that is used to   
fill balloons4 ,it has been found by    
experiment1 that one hundred pounds of  
water1 are composed of eighty-five      
pounds of vital air1 and fifteen of     
inflammable air4 #e  ,water may be      
decompounded by a variety of means1 and 
its component parts separated from each 
other4  ,vegetables effect this         
decomposition2 they absorb water1 and   
decompose it in their glands2 and taking
 the inflammable air for their          
nourishment1 breathe out the vital air  
in a state of very great purity2 this   
may be ascertained by a very easy       
experiment4  ,this vital air is received
 by animals into their lungs1 gives them
 their heat1 and communicates a red     
colour to their blood2 when animals die 
for want of vital air1 their blood is   
always found black4  ,from what ,i have 
said1 it is evident1 that in large and  
populous towns1 where combustion and    
respiration are continually performed on
 a large scale1 the air must be much    

less pure than in the country1 where    
there are few of these causes to        
contaminate the atmosphere1 and where   
vegetables are continually tending to   
render it more pure2 and if it was not  
for the winds which agitate this        
element1 and constantly occasion its    
change of place1 the air of large towns 
would probably soon become unfit for    
respiration4 ,winds bring us the pure   
air of the country1 and take away that  
from which the vital air has been in a  
great measure extracted2 but still1 from
 the immense quantity of fuel which is  
daily burnt1 and the number of people   
breathing in large towns1 the air very  
soon becomes impure4  ,from the greater 
purity of the air in the country1       
proceeds the rosy bloom found in the    
rural cottage1 which we in vain look for
 in the stately palace1 or the splendid 
drawing room4 ,here then are reasons for
 preferring the country1 which no one   
will dispute1 and whenever it can be    
done1 such a situation ought always to  

be chosen in preference to a large town3
 this cannot be better enforced than in 
the words of ,dr4 ,armstrong4--         
',ye1 who amid the feverish world would 
wear      'a body free of pain1 of cares
 a mind2      'fly the rank city1 shun  
its turbid air2      'breathe not the   
chaos of eternal smoke1      'and       
volatile corruption1 from the dead1     
'the dying1 sick'ning1 and the living   
world      'exhaled1 to sully heaven's  
transparent dome      'with dim         
mortality4           ',while yet you    
breathe1 away2 the rural wilds          
'invite2 the mountains call you1 and the
 vales2      'the woods1 the streams1   
and each ambrosial breeze      'that    
fans the ever undulating sky4'  ,but    
there are many whose occupations oblige 
them to reside in large towns2 they1    
therefore1 should make frequent         
excursions into the country1 or to such 
situations as will enable them to enjoy1
 and to breathe air of a little more    
purity4 ,i say enjoy1 for who that has  

been for some time shut up in the town1 
without breathing the pure air of the   
country1 does not feel his spirits      
revived the moment he emerges from the  
azote of the town4 ,let not therefore1  
if possible1 a single day pass1 without 
enjoying1 if but for an hour1 the pure  
air of the country4 ,doing this1 only   
for a short time every day1 would be    
much more effectual than spending whole 
days1 or even weeks in the country1 and 
then returning into the corrupt         
atmosphere of the town2 for when you    
have for a long time breathed an impure 
air1 the excitability becomes so        
morbidly accumulated1 from the want of  
the stimulus of pure air1 that the air  
of the country will have too great an   
effect upon you2 it will frequently1 in 
the course of a day or two1 bring on an 
inflammatory fever1 attended with       
stuffing of the nose1 hoarseness1 a     
great degree of heat1 and dryness of the
 skin1 with other symptoms of a violent 
cold4  ,large towns are the graves of   

the human species2 they would perish in 
a few generations1 if not constantly    
recruited from the country4 ,the        
confined1 putrid air1 which most of     
their inhabitants breathe1 their want of
 natural exercise1 but above all their  
dissipation1 shorten their lives1 and   
ruin their constitutions4  ,children    
particularly1 require a pure air2 every 
circumstance points out the country as  
the proper place for their education2   
the purity of the air1 the variety of   
rustic sports1 the plainness of diet1   
the simplicity and innocence of manners1
 all concur to recommend it4 ,it is a   
melancholy fact1 that above half the    
children born in ,london1 die before    
they are two years old4  ,to shew how   
indispensable fresh air is to children1 
,i shall mention one example which sets 
the fact in the clearest light4 ,in the 
lying-in hospital at ,dublin1 #bidd     
infants1 out of #gfej1 died in the year 
#aghb1 within the first fortnight after 
their birth1 which is nearly every third

 child2 they almost all died in         
convulsions2 many of them foamed at the 
mouth1 their thumbs were drawn into the 
palms of their hands1 their jaws were   
locked1 the face was swelled and looked 
blue1 as though they were choaked4 ,this
 last circumstance led the physicians to
 conclude that the rooms in the hospital
 were too close1 and hence1 that the    
infants had not a sufficient quantity of
 good air to breathe2 they therefore set
 about ventilating them better1 which   
was done very completely4 ,the          
consequence has been1 that not one child
 dies now where three used to die4      
,fewer children indeed die convulsed    
now1 than formerly2 this is because the 
rich learn1 either from books1 or       
conversation with physicians1 how       
necessary fresh air is to life and      
health2 hence they keep their houses    
well aired2 but the poor1 and servants1 
are not made to comprehend this matter  
properly2 and therefore from neglecting 
to open their windows1 and breathing a  

foul1 tainted air1 the greatest part of 
their time1 many disorders are brought  
on1 and others rendered worse than they 
naturally would be4 #f  ,having         
considered the purity of the air1 let us
 next take a view of the changes in     
temperature which it undergoes1 and the 
effects which these have upon the       
constitution4  ,we find the air         
sometimes considerably below the        
freezing point2 nay1 even so much as #bj
 or #cj degrees2 it is then intensely   
cold2 and on the other hand1 the        
thermometer sometimes indicates a great 
degree of heat4 ,we then find ourselves 
much relaxed1 and our constitutions     
exhausted4  ,to understand how this     
happens1 let us consider for a moment   
the nature of heat1 and cold4--,heat is 
one of those stimuli which act upon the 
excitability1 and support life3 for if  
it was totally withdrawn1 we should not 
be able to exist even a few minutes2 and
 cold is only a diminution of heat4     
,when heat is present1 in a proper      

degree1 or the atmosphere is about that 
degree of heat which we call temperate1 
it just gives such a stimulus1 and keeps
 the excitability exhausted to such a   
degree1 as to preserve the body in      
health2 but if it continue for a        
considerable time to be much warmer than
 this temperature1 the consequence must 
be1 from the laws already laid down1 an 
exhaustion of the excitability1 and a   
consequent relaxation and debility2 for1
 when the excitability has been         
exhausted by the violent application of 
heat1 long continued1 the common        
stimulant powers which support life1    
cannot produce a sufficient effect upon 
it1 to give to the body that tone which 
is compatible with health4 ,on the      
contrary1 when the heat of the air falls
 below what we call temperate1 or when  
cold is applied to the body1 from the   
accustomed stimulus of heat being       
diminished1 the excitability must       
accumulate1 or become more liable to be 
affected by the action of the external  

powers4  ,this1 however1 very seldom    
produces bad effects1 unless the        
exciting powers be improperly or quickly
 applied2 for we can bear a considerable
 diminution of heat without any bad     
consequences2 and in all cases ,i hope  
,i shall be able to make it appear1 that
 much more mischief arises from the too 
great action of heat1 than from the     
diminution of it4 ,nature never made any
 country too cold for its inhabitants4  
,in cold climates1 she has made         
exercise1 and even fatigue habitual to  
them1 not only from the necessity of    
their situation1 but from choice2 their 
natural diversions being all of the     
athletic or violent kind4 ,but the      
softness and effeminacy of modern       
manners1 has both deprived us of our    
natural defence against the diseases    
most incident to our climate1 and       
subjected us to all the inconveniencies 
of a warm one4  ,people are afraid of   
going out into the cold air2 but if they
 conduct themselves properly afterwards1

 they will never be in the least danger 
from it4 ,indeed the action of cold1    
unless it be excessive1 never produces  
any bad effects4  ,many of you will1 no 
doubt1 think me here in an error2 but ,i
 hope you will not long entertain that  
opinion4 ,you will say that you have had
 frequent experience to the contrary2   
that you have often gone out into the   
cold air1 and have caught dreadful      
colds4 ,that this is owing to the action
 of cold1 ,i will deny2 nay1 ,i will    
assert1 that if a person go out into air
 which is very cold1 and remain in it   
for a very long time1 he will never     
perceive any symptoms of what is called 
a cold so long as he remains there4  ,a 
common cold is attended with a running  
of the nose1 hoarseness1 and cough1 with
 a considerable degree of feverish heat1
 an dryness of the skin4--,now it is    
universally agreed1 that this disorder  
is an inflammation1 or is of an         
inflammatory nature2 it is an           
inflammation of the smooth1 moist skin  

which lines the nostrils1 and goes down 
the wind-pipe into the lungs2 but as    
cold is only a diminution of heat1 or a 
diminution of a stimulus acting upon the
 body1 it is impossible that such a     
diminution can cause a greater action or
 excitement2 we might as well expect to 
fill a vessel by taking water out of it4
 ,but let us see how a cold1 as it is   
commonly called1 is usually produced4   
,when a person in cold weather goes out 
into the air1 every time he draws in his
 breath1 the cold air passes through his
 nostrils and windpipe into the lungs1  
and in thus diminishing the heat of the 
parts1 allows their excitability to     
accumulate1 and renders them more liable
 to be affected by the succeeding heat4 
,so long as that person continues in the
 cold air1 he feels no bad effects2 but 
if he come into a warm room1 he first   
perceives a glow within his nostrils and
 breast1 as well as all over the surface
 of the body4 ,soon afterwards1 a       
disagreeable dryness and huskiness will 

be felt in the nostrils and breast4 ,by 
and by a short1 dry1 tickling cough     
comes on4 ,he feels a shivering1 which  
makes him draw nearer to the fire1 but  
all to no purpose2 the more he tries to 
heat himself1 the more chill he becomes4
 ,all the mischief is here caused by the
 violent action of the heat on the      
accumulated excitability4 ,for want of a
 knowledge of this law1 these           
disagreeable1 and often dangerous       
complaints are brought on2 when they    
might be avoided with the greatest ease4
  ,when you take a ride into the country
 on a cold day1 you find yourselves very
 cold2 as soon as you go into a house1  
you are invited to come to the fire1 and
 warm yourselves2 and what is still     
worse1 to drink something warm and      
comfortable1 to keep out the cold1 as   
the saying is4 ,the inevitable          
consequence of this1 is1 to bring on the
 complaints which ,i have just          
described1 which might with more        
propriety be called1 heats than colds4  

,but how easily might these complaints  
have been avoided6 ,when you come out of
 a very cold atmosphere1 you should not 
at first go into a room that has a fire 
in it1 or if you cannot avoid that1 you 
should keep for a considerable time at  
as great a distance from the fire as    
possible1 that the accumulated          
excitability may be gradually exhausted1
 by the moderate and gentle action of   
heat2 and then you may bear the heat of 
the fire without any danger3 but1 above 
all1 refrain from taking warm or strong 
liquors while you are cold4 ,if a person
 have his hands or feet exposed to a    
very severe cold1 the excitability of   
those parts will be so much accumulated1
 that if they should be brought suddenly
 near the fire1 a violent inflammation1 
and even a mortification will take      
place1 which has often happened2 or1 at 
any rate1 that inflammation called      
,chilblains will be produced1 from the  
violent action of the heat upon the     
accumulated excitability of those parts2

 but1 if a person so circumstanced1 was 
to put his hands or feet into cold      
water1 very little warmer than the      
atmosphere to which he had been exposed1
 or rub them with snow1 which is not    
often colder than #cb or #cj degrees1   
the morbid excitability will be         
gradually exhausted1 and no bad         
consequences will ensue4  ,when a part  
of the body only has been exposed to the
 action of cold1 and the rest kept      
heated2 if1 for instance1 a person in a 
warm room sits so that a current of air 
coming through a broken pane1 should    
fall upon any part of the body1 that    
part will be soon affected with an      
inflammation1 which is usually called a 
rheumatic inflammation4 ,from what has  
been said1 it will be easy to account   
for this circumstance4 ,the excitability
 of the part is accumulated by the      
diminution of its heat2 but at the same 
time1 the rest of the body and blood is 
warm2 and this warm blood acting upon a 
part where the excitability is          

accumulated1 will cause an inflammation2
 to which1 the more you apply heat1 the 
worse you make it4--,from these         
considerations1 we may lay it down as a 
fact1 and experience supports us in so  
doing1 that you may in general go out of
 warm into cold air without much danger2
 but1 that you can never return suddenly
 from the cold into the warm air with   
perfect impunity4  ,hence1 we may lay   
down the following rule1 which1 if      
strictly observed1 would prevent the    
frequent colds we meet with in winter4  
,when the whole body1 or any part of it1
 is chilled1 bring it to its natural    
feeling and warmth by degrees4  ,but if1
 for want of observing this necessary   
caution1 a cold1 as it is called1 should
 have seized a person1 let us consider  
what is proper to be done4  ,it will1   
from the preceding reasoning1 appear    
very improper to make the room where you
 sit warmer than usual1 to increase the 
quantity of bed-clothes1 to wrap        
yourself up in flannel1 or particularly 

to drink a large quantity of            
barley-water1 gruel1 or tea1 almost     
boiling hot1 by way of diluting1 as it  
is called1 and forcing a perspiration2  
this will infallibly make the disorder  
worse1 in the same manner as confining  
inoculated persons in warm rooms would  
make their small-pox more violent4      
,perhaps there would be scarcely such a 
thing as a bad cold1 if people1 when    
they found it coming on1 were to keep   
cool1 and avoid wine and strong liquors1
 and confine themselves for a short time
 to a simple diet of vegetable food1    
drinking only toast and water4          
,instances are by no means uncommon1    
where a heat of the nostrils1 difficulty
 of breathing1 a short1 tickling cough1 
and other symptoms1 threatening a       
violent cold1 have gone off entirely in 
consequence of this plan being pursued4 
,colds would be much less frequent1 were
 we to take more pains to accommodate   
our dress to the season3 if we were     
warmly clothed in cold weather1 our     

excitability would not be accumulated by
 the action of the cold4 ,if a greater  
proportion of females fall victims to   
this disease1 is it not because1 losing 
sight1 more than men1 of its primary    
purpose1 they regulate their dress      
solely by fantastic ideas of elegance8  
,if happily1 as is observed by ,dr4     
,beddoes1 our regret should recall the  
age of chivalry1 to break the spell of  
fashion would be an atchievement worthy 
the most gallant of our future knights4 
,common sense has always failed in the  
adventure2 and our ladies1 alas6 are    
still compelled1 whenever the           
enchantress waves her wand1 to expose   
themselves half undressed1 to the fogs  
and frosts of our climate4  ,besides the
 effects of the air1 we ought by no     
means to be indifferent with regard to  
what we take into the stomach as food   
and drink2 since these have even a      
greater influence on our health1 than   
the circumstances ,i have already       
mentioned4 ,among the causes which      

excite the body1 and support life1 ,i   
have formerly mentioned food1 or the    
matters taken into the stomach4 ,it is  
from these matters that all the animal  
solids and fluids are formed2 these are 
stimuli1 which if totally withdrawn1 we 
could not exist many days4 ,these       
stimuli are subject to the same laws    
with all the others which act upon the  
body4 ,when they act properly in concert
 with the other powers1 they produce the
 healthy state2 but if they act in an   
undue degree1 whether that action be too
 great or too little1 disease will be   
the consequence4 ,when they act too     
feebly1 the excitability will           
accumulate2 and diseases of debility1   
attended with a very great degree of    
irritability1 will take place3 this has 
been instanced in those who have been   
without food for some time4 ,persons who
 have been shut up in a coal-work by the
 falling-in of the pit1 and have        
consequently been without food for some 
days1 have had their excitability so    

much accumulated1 as to be intoxicated  
with a bason of broth4  ,to this source 
we may attribute many of the diseases   
with which the poor are afflicted2 but  
they are by no means so common as       
diseases of an opposite nature1 which   
arise from a too free use of food4 ,i   
shall confine myself here to the        
consideration of what is more strictly  
called food1 and afterwards consider the
 effects of strong liquors4  ,when we   
take food in too great quantity1 or of  
too nourishing a quality1 it will either
 produce inflammatory diseases1 such as 
pleurisy2 or by exhausting the          
excitability1 it will bring on stomach  
complaints1 gout1 and all the symptoms  
of premature old age4 ,this follows so  
evidently from the laws we have         
investigated1 that it is scarcely       
necessary to say more on the subject2   
and ,i am sure there are few who have   
not seen examples of it4  ,be therefore 
temperate in eating1 and eat only of    
such foods as are the plainest2 and let 

a proper quantity of vegetable food be  
mixed with animal4 ,if you value the    
preservation of health1 never satiate   
yourselves with eating2 but let it be a 
rule from which you ought never to      
depart1 always to rise from table with  
some remains of appetite3 for1 when the 
stomach is loaded with more food than it
 can easily digest1 a crude and         
unassimilated chyle is taken into the   
blood1 pregnant with diseases4 ,nor is  
the quantity the only object of         
attention2 the quality of the food is to
 be carefully studied2 made dishes1     
enriched with hot sauces1 stimulate     
infinitely more than plain food1 and    
therefore exhaust the excitability1     
bringing on diseases of indirect        
debility2 such as the worst kind of     
gout1 apoplexy1 and paralytic           
complaints4 ,for my part1 says an       
elegant writer1 when ,i behold a        
fashionable table set out in all its    
magnificence1 ,i fancy that ,i see gouts
 and dropsies1 fevers and lethargies1   

with other innumerable distempers1 lying
 in ambuscade among the dishes4 ,let it 
be therefore laid down as a rule by     
those who wish to preserve their health1
 and ,i have nothing to say to those who
 are indifferent on that head1 to make  
their chief repast on one plain dish1   
and trifle with the rest4  ,it is by no 
means uncommon for a medical man to have
 patients1 chiefly among people of      
fashion and fortune1 who complain of    
being hot and restless all night1 and   
having a foul taste in the mouth every  
morning3 on examination it is found1    
that in nineteen cases out of twenty1 it
 has arisen from their having overloaded
 their stomachs1 and at the same time   
neglected to take proper exercise2 for  
it must always be observed1 that more   
may be eaten with safety1 nay1 more is  
even necessary1 when a person takes a   
good deal of exercise4  ,when people    
take little exercise1 and overload their
 stomachs1 there lies within them a     
fermenting mass of undigested aliment2  

and it is not surprizing that this      
should irritate and heat the body during
 the night4 ,this is likewise the       
foundation of stomach complaints1       
flatulencies1 and all other symptoms of 
indigestion2 which more frequently      
proceed from intemperance in eating and 
drinking than any other cause4 ,the     
benefits arising from temperance are set
 in a striking light in the following   
allegory1 which may be found in the     
,adventurer4  ,esculapius1 after his    
deification or admittance among the     
gods1 having revisited his native       
country1 and being one day 7as curiosity
 led him a rambling17 in danger of being
 benighted1 made the best of his way to 
a house he saw at some distance1 where  
he was hospitably received by the master
 of it4 ,cremes1 for that was the       
master's name1 though but a young man1  
was infirm and sickly4 ,of several      
dishes served up to supper1 ,cremes     
observed that his guest ate but of one1 
and that the most simple2 nor could all 

his intreaties prevail upon him to do   
otherwise4 ,he was1 notwithstanding1    
highly delighted with ,esculapius's     
conversation1 in which he observed a    
cheerfulness and knowledge superior to  
any thing he had hitherto met with4     
,the next morning1 ,esculapius took his 
leave1 but not till he had engaged his  
good-natured host to pay him a visit at 
a small villa1 a few miles from thence4 
,cremes came accordingly1 and was most  
kindly received2 but how great was his  
amazement when supper was served up1 to 
see nothing but milk1 honey1 and a few  
roots1 dressed in the plainest1 but     
neatest manner1 to which hunger1        
cheerfulness1 and good sense1 were the  
only sauces4 ,esculapius seemed to eat  
with pleasure1 while ,cremes scarcely   
tasted of them4 ,on which a repast was  
ordered more suitable to the taste of   
our guest4 ,immediately there succeeded 
a banquet composed of the most artful   
dishes that luxury could invent1 with   
great plenty and variety of the richest 

and most intoxicating wines4 ,these too 
were accompanied by damsels of the most 
bewitching beauty4 ,cremes now gave a   
loose to his appetites1 and every thing 
he tasted raised ecstasies beyond what  
he had ever known4 ,during the repast1  
the damsels sung and danced to entertain
 them2 their charms enchanted the       
enraptured guest1 already flushed with  
what he had drank2 his senses were lost 
in ecstatic confusion4 ,every thing     
around him seemed ,elysium1 and he was  
on the point of indulging the most      
boundless freedoms1 when on a sudden    
their beauty1 which was but a vizard1   
fell off1 and discovered forms the most 
hideous and forbidding imaginable4      
,lust1 revenge1 folly1 murder1 meagre   
poverty1 and despair1 now appeared in   
the most odious shapes1 and the place   
instantly became a most dire scene of   
misery and confusion4 ,how often did    
,cremes wish himself far distant from   
such a diabolical company1 and now      
dreaded the fatal consequence which     

threatened him4 ,his blood ran chill at 
his heart1 and joy and rapture were     
perverted to amazement and              
horror6--,when ,esculapius perceived it 
had made a sufficient impression on his 
guest1 he thus addressed him3 ,know1    
,cremes1 it is ,esculapius who has thus 
entertained you1 and what you have      
beheld is a true image of the           
deceitfulness and misery inseparable    
from luxury and intemperance4 ,would you
 be happy1 be temperate3 temperance is  
the parent of health1 virtue1 wisdom1   
plenty1 and every thing that can make   
you happy in this or the world to come4 
,it is indeed the true luxury of life1  
for without it life cannot be enjoyed4  
,this said1 he disappeared1 and left    
,cremes 7instead of an elegant          
apartment7 in an open plain1 full of    
ideas quite different from those he had 
brought with him4  ,on his return home1 
from the most luxurious1 he became one  
of the most temperate men1 by which wise
 method he soon regained health4        

,frugality produced riches1 and from an 
infirm and crazy constitution1 and      
almost ruined estate1 by virtue of this 
infallible elixir1 he became one of the 
happiest men breathing1 and lived to a  
healthy old age1 revered as an oracle   
for his wisdom throughout all ,greece4  
,if temperance be necessary with regard 
to food1 it is still more so with       
respect to strong liquors2 these        
diffusible stimuli1 by quickly          
exhausting the excitability1 soon blast 
the vigour1 and sap the foundation of   
the strongest constitution4 ,their      
immediate effects you know are          
stimulant2 they raise the animal        
spirits1 produce a cheerful state of    
mind1 and if taken in greater quantity1 
cause intoxication1 or that temporary   
derangement of the thinking powers which
 arises from too great a degree of      
excitement3 but let us see what happens 
the next day2 the animal spirits are    
exhausted1 and the person thus situated1
 finds himself languid and enervated to 

a great degree2 for it seems a law of   
the human body1 that the spirits are    
never artificially raised1 without being
 afterwards proportionably depressed2   
and to shew clearly that in this state  
the excitability is exhausted1 the      
ordinary powers which in general support
 life1 will not have their due effect2  
and a person thus situated finds most   
relief the next day1 from taking some of
 the same stimulus which occasioned the 
exhaustion2 because the common exciting 
powers can scarcely act upon his        
exhausted excitability4  ,but though the
 excitability be in this way exhausted1 
it will in the course of a day or two be
 again accumulated1 and it may1 perhaps1
 be suspected that this exhaustion can  
do no harm to the constitution2 but this
 is a premature conclusion1 and quite   
contrary to fact and experience1 as well
 as to reason2 for1 just in the same    
manner that a pendulum1 made to vibrate 
in the arc of a circle1 will never      
return exactly to the same height1 but  

fall a little short of it every time2   
so1 though the excitability may be again
 accumulated1 it never can be brought   
back to what it was before2 and every   
fresh debauch will shorten life1        
probably two or three weeks at least1   
besides debilitating the body1 and      
bringing on a variety of diseases1 with 
premature old age4  ,those who drink    
only a moderate quantity of wine1 so as 
to make them cheerful1 as they call it1 
but not absolutely to intoxicate1 may   
imagine that it will do them no harm4   
,the strong and robust may enjoy the    
pleasures of the bottle and table with  
seeming impunity1 and sometimes for many
 years may not find any bad effects from
 them2 but depend upon it1 if a full    
diet of animal food be every day        
indulged in1 with only a moderate       
portion of wine1 its baneful influence  
will blast the vigour of the strongest  
constitution4  ,while we are eating1    
water is the best beverage4 ,the custom 
of drinking fermented liquors1 and      

particularly wine1 during dinner1 is a  
very pernicious one4 ,the idea that it  
assists digestion1 is false2 those who  
are acquainted with chemistry know1 that
 food is hardened1 and rendered less    
digestible by these means1 and the      
stimulus which wine gives to the stomach
 is not necessary1 excepting to those   
who have exhausted the excitability of  
that organ by the excessive use of      
strong liquors4 ,in these4 ,the stomach 
can scarcely be excited to any action   
without the assistance of such a        
stimulus4 ,if food wants diluting1 water
 is the best diluent1 and will prevent  
the rising1 as it is called1 of strong  
food1 much better than wine or spirits4 
,before ,i finish this subject1 ,i shall
 say a few words on the pernicious      
custom of suffering children to drink   
wine1 or other fermented liquors4       
,nothing is more common than to see1    
even very young children come to the    
table after dinner1 to drink a glass of 
wine4 ,the least quantity produces      

violent effects on their accumulated    
excitability1 and by quickly exhausting 
it1 ruins their constitutions through   
life1 and often renders them habitual   
drinkers4  ,i can scarcely help         
attributing in some degree the many     
stomach complaints we meet with1 among  
young people in the present age1 and    
which were unknown to our forefathers1  
to the abominable practice of suffering 
children to drink fermented1 or         
spirituous liquors4 ,you must all have  
observed how soon children are          
intoxicated and inflamed by spirituous  
liquors2 you may judge then1 that if    
these liquors be only a slow poison to  
us1 they are a very quick one to them4  
,a glass of wine1 on account of the     
accumulated excitability of children1   
will have more effect upon them1 than a 
bottle will have upon an adult          
accustomed to drink wine4 ,if therefore1
 the health of a child1 and its         
happiness through life be an object1    
never suffer it to taste fermented1 or  

spirituous liquors1 till it be fifteen  
or sixteen years of age1 unless a little
 wine be necessary as a medicine4  ,it  
now only remains for me to take some    
notice of exercise4 ,of all the various 
methods of preserving health1 and of    
preventing diseases1 which nature has   
suggested1 there is none more           
efficacious than exercise2 it puts the  
fluids all in motion1 strengthens the   
solids1 promotes perspiration1 and      
occasions the decomposition of a larger 
quantity of atmospheric air in the      
lungs4 ,hence1 in order to preserve the 
health of the body1 the author of nature
 has made exercise absolutely necessary 
to the greater part of mankind for      
obtaining the means of existence4--,had 
not exercise been absolutely necessary  
for our well-being1 says the elegant    
,addison1 nature would not have made the
 body so proper for it1 by giving such  
an activity to the limbs1 and such a    
pliancy to every part1 as necessarily   
produce those compressions1 extensions1 

contortions1 dilatations1 and all other 
kinds of motions1 that are necessary for
 the preservation of such a system of   
tubes and glands4--,and that we might   
not want inducement to engage us in such
 exercise of the body as is proper for  
its welfare1 it is so ordered1 that     
nothing valuable can be procured without
 it4 ,not to mention riches and honors1 
even food and raiment are not to be come
 at without the toil of the hands and   
sweat of the brow4 ,providence furnishes
 materials1 but expects that we should  
work them up ourselves4 ,the earth must 
be laboured before it gives its         
increase1 and when it is forced into its
 several products1 how many hands must  
they pass through before they are fit   
for use8 ,manufactures1 trade1 and      
agriculture1 naturally employ more than 
nineteen parts of the species out of    
twenty2 and as for those who are not    
obliged to labour by the condition in   
which they are born1 they are more      
miserable than the rest of mankind1     

unless they indulge themselves in that  
voluntary labour which goes by the name 
of exercise4  ,of all the different     
kinds of exercise1 there is none that   
conduces so much to health as riding2 it
 is not attended with the fatigue of    
walking1 and the free air is more       
enjoyed in this way than by any other   
mode of exercise4 ,where it cannot be   
used1 walking1 or exercise in a         
carriage1 ought to be substituted4  ,the
 best time for taking exercise is before
 dinner1 for the body is then more      
vigorous and alert1 and the mind more   
cheerful1 and better disposed to enjoy  
the pleasure of a ride or walk4         
,exercise after a full meal disturbs    
digestion1 and causes painful sensations
 in the stomach and bowels1 with        
heart-burn1 and acid eructations4  ,but 
whatever mode of exercise you use1 it   
ought not at first to be too violent4   
,dr4 ,armstrong has given us an         
excellent rule--  ',begin with gentle   
toils1 and as your nerves 'grow firm1 to

 hardier1 by just steps aspire4 ',the   
prudent1 even in every moderate walk1   
'at first but saunter1 and by slow      
degrees 'increase their pace4'  ,,the   
,,end4  ,r4 ,,noble4 ,printer1    ,old  
,bailey4  ,,notes4  #a ,hinc tibi1 quae 
semper vicino ab limine sepes ,hyblaeis 
apibus florem depasta salicti1 ,saepe   
levi somnum suadebit inire susurro4     
,,virg4  #b ,may not the heat1 and want 
of perspiration1 depend on an exhausted 
irritability of the subcutaneous        
vessels1 which will be accumulated by   
the method here recommended8  #c ,oxygen
 gas1 according to the new              
,nomenclature4  #d ,the fixed air1 or   
carbonic acid gas1 formed during the    
combustion1 having been separated by    
agitation in contact with lime water4   
#e ,strictly speaking1 water is composed
 of the bases of these airs1 the        
greatest part of the caloric being given
 out on their union4  #f ,where         
manufactures are carried on to a great  
extent1 the air is rendered still worse1

 and every precaution ought to be used  
to preserve the health of the           
inhabitants4 ,places where manufactures 
are carried on1 ought1 therefore1 to be 
constructed in such a manner as to be   
very lofty1 and capable of being easily 
ventilated4 ,night-working is           
undoubtedly a perversion of the laws of 
nature1 renders the constitution feeble1
 and lays a foundation for bad health   
and disease3 for it not only gives no   
time for ventilation1 and in consequence
 the quantity of oxygen becomes more and
 more exhausted2 but the number of      
candles used1 contributes very much to  
contaminate the air4 ,it has been found 
by experiment that a candle contaminates
 more air than a man4 ,by persons who   
are interested in the welfare of the    
succeeding generations1 night-work will 
never be urged1 and it will be right to 
ventilate the manufactories every night1
 as well as during breakfast and dinner4
  99 99 99 99 99  ,lately published1    
,elegantly printed in ,two ,volumes     

,quarto1 and illustrated by a ,map and  
,fifty-two ,plates1 from ,drawings taken
 on the ,spot by ,w4 ,h4 ,watts1 who    
accompanied the ,author in the ,tour1   
,price #bl4 #abs4 #f;d4 in ,boards1     
,,observations on a ,,tour through the  
,,highlands and ,part of the ,,western  
,,isles of ,,scotland1 particularly     
,,staffa and ,,icolmkill3 ,to which are 
added1 a ,description of the ,falls of  
the ,clyde1 of the ,country round       
,moffat1 and an ,analysis of its        
,mineral ,waters4  ,by ,t4 ,,garnett1   
,m4,d4  ,member of the ,royal ,medical1 
,physical1 and ,natural ,history        
,societies of ,edinburgh2 the ,literary 
and ,philosophical ,society of          
,manchester2 the ,medical ,society of   
,london2 the ,royal ,irish ,academy2 and
 ,professor of ,natural ,philosophy and 
,chemistry in the ,royal ,institution of
 ,great ,britain4  ,printed for ,t4     
,cadell1 jun4 and ,w4 ,davies1 ,strand4 
99 99 99 99  ,transcriber's ,notes4     
,the frontispiece contains the following

 text1 and a portrait of the author3    
,engraved by ,j4 ,hopwood1 from a       
picture by ,j4 ,r4 ,smith4 ,,thomas     
,,garnett1 ,m4,d4 ,published ,march     
#beth #ahjj1 by ,cadell  ,davies1       
,strand4  ,in line #bda of this text1   
the word transcribed as too appears as o
 in the original text1 with blank space 
indicating the omission of the first two
 letters of the word4 ,in ,lecture ,,ix 
of ,dr4 ,garnett's ,zoonomia1 where the 
same example of the reaction of the eye 
to light is given1 the word appears as  
too4