CHAPTER XIV 

 HYGIENE OF DIGESTION 



419. Is Good Health " Catching " ? A wit once said that 

 if he had been consulted at the creation of the world, he 

 would have made good health " catching " instead of dis- 

 ease. Observations show that happiness, industry, health, 

 faith, and other of the strong elements that make up life, are 

 more contagious than misery, idleness, sickness, worry, 

 and the other weak elements that tend to destroy life. 

 Fear causes a tightening of the muscles and a waste of 

 energy, as well as oppressed breathing and a lack of oxy- 

 gen. Courage brings calm, full breathing which purifies 

 the blood, and a steady and economical use of the muscles 

 which saves the vital energy. A brave and cheerful 

 visitor can inspire an ailing friend and assist in his re- 

 covery. A happy, unselfish teacher or pupil can dispel 

 worry or gloom, and impart strength and increased power 

 for work to the whole school. The body tends to health 

 and not to disease. The dyspeptics that we see have been 

 able to break down their health only after long-continued 

 attacks upon it, and outrages many times repeated. Fresh 

 air brings health, and forces its way into the home to 

 bring it, but the dyspeptic made every attempt to keep it 

 out. Sunshine brings health, but he shut himself up in a 

 stuffy ill-lighted office, a slave to dollars or to fame. He 

 curtained the sunshine out from the home to protect the 

 carpets and hangings from fading. Exercise brings health, 

 but the promptings to stir about, to walk, to run, or to work 



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