Democratic Sentinel, Volume 16, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 October 1892 — THE BODY AND ITS HEALTH. [ARTICLE]

THE BODY AND ITS HEALTH.

Guard Against Cbuay Nights.— It is these chilly nights which delicate people and little children should be fuarded against. The need of light annels and the wisdom of a hygienic regime in diet cannot be insisted upon too strongly, in cases especially of persons in delicate health. The little sufferer in his second summer, who has withstood the torrid heats of July, quite often succumbs to the warm days and cold damp nights of this season. It is such sufden changes in temperature which are always more dangerous to the health than excess of temperature. It is to guard against such changes that light flannels are uecessary. Another cause for the general illnesses prevalent at this season is the decaying vegetation—the debris of the summer’s use, which lies under the heat of the sun, ready to produce dangerous miasma before the time when it snail be thoroughly disinfected by the winter’s frost. It therefore behooves every good housekeeper to pay special attention to her own immediate premise*. Scrupulous cleanliness at this season is demanded as the price of health. These arc slow, lar.y days when everyone feels enervated by the long summer’s heat, and there is quite likely to be some laxity in the management of the kitchen’s surroundings. A sudden influx of flies is very often the first warning to a household that the presoace of a scavenger is needed. It is especially desirable in such case to disinfect all drains and cesspools by the use of some strong disinfectant like chloride of lime, or better still, copperas, if it is an outside drain where the solution will not pass through metal pipes. It is essential also that th* garbage (mil should be kept scrupulously clean by the use of boiling hot suds and soda and water. The use of abuudauoe of a strong solution of soda and water about the sink and in cleansing the pine floors, greasy dishes, and wherever there is any grease which will resist ordinary cleaning, will lighten the labors of this season. If good order prevails in the household, the dishes of tho last meal will bo quickly clearod away and rapidly taken care of. Tho floor will be carefully brushed up after each meal, leaving no little narticles of food to fesfer in the warm, dark air of the houso.

Fivk Minutes’ Exercise.—' There are a good many men who know they need some physicial exercise daily, but who put oil beginning it, from year to year, on account of the time they think it would tnke away from their business hours. Few men seem to be uware that five minutes spent daily or even throe times a week in exercises properly selected for bringing out all tho principal muscles of the body are sufficient to Bet. tho blood coursing freely to the extremities, to stimulate the heart, to massage the bowels, to stir up the liver,to strengthen the limbs, to straighten the shoulders and increase the capacity of the lungs. This is a good deal to claim for five minutes’ exercise and seems to suggest the use of olaborato gymnastic apparatus. It is not too much, as has been proved, and all the apparatus required is an ordinary walking stick. Elaborate systoms of exercise look more promising of results at the first glance, but as they consume time busy men generally drop them after a few trials. Mr. 0. P. Lenhart, physical instructor of the Manhattan Athletic Club, N. Y., is a graduate of a medical college, but abandoned his practice of curing diseases and devoted his energies for the last toft years to the prevention of them by means of physical culture and the proper observance of hygienic rules, recommends the following exercises to busy men on rising in the morning or just before going to bed at night, in order that all the organs of the body may perforin their natural functions;

“Forthc upper part of the arms: Grasp the cane firmly at both ends with the hands and hold it across the chest, letting the middle of the cane rest upon the breast, just under the chin. Drop the hands forward and down to the full length of the arms rapidly and return to position on the chest, accenting the upward movements. Continue this for thirty seconds. Holding the cane as before, push the arms straight above the head, full length, taking long full breaths. Continue this for thirty seconds more. “If the arms are poorly developed this may be repeated after the other exercises are completed. When the arm is doubled up so that the fist is near the shoulder, the biceps ought to measure about two inches more iu circumference than the forearm. “For Hie muscles of the sides: With the arm* at full length above the head and the hands grasping the cane os iu the end of the last exercise, swing from side to side as far as possible; time, thirty seconds. “Here pause and take two long deep breaths of five seconds each. “To strengthen the muscles of the back and rid the abdominal muscles of fat: Holding the cane as in the last posi tioa at arm's length shove the head, bend forward and bring the cane as near the floor as possible without beading the knees or elbows; then swing as far backwards 8* possible without losing yogr balance. Do this briskly for thirty seconds. “This will make a large waist smaller, if persisted in. It is good for lumbago also, and will help those who bend over • desk all day. “To strengthen the forearm: Grasp the cane in the middle with one hand and extend it at arm’s length, on a level with the shoulder. Then twist the cane back and forth, like the spokes of a wheel, for twenty seconds.