HYGIENE OF DIGESTION 



with the hands, were repressed until the impulses ceased. 

 When activity was lessened, the appetite for food dimin- 

 ished, but instead of following the prompting of nature, he 

 sprinkled more salt and pepper and other condiments upon 

 the food, that he might eat with an unnatural appetite. 



420. By keeping up these artificial ways for months and 

 years, he at last succeeded in breaking down his health. It 

 took more perseverance to weaken the body than it will 

 take to make it strong again. There must be a return to 

 reasonable ways of living with trust in the inherent ten- 

 dency of the cells to restore soundness when given a 

 chance. If, however, he commits the folly of thinking 

 that months are not needed for recovery, but that disease 

 brought on by months or years of wrong living can be 

 cured in a few days by taking magical drugs and patent 

 medicines, he will probably injure himself still more and 

 lose his chance of recovering sound health. 



421. Environment of Primitive Man. It is believed that 

 the race originally did not dwell in houses, and had few 

 tools or cooking utensils. Man probably first lived in the 

 tropics and subsisted upon the fruits which ripened in the 

 never-ending summer, and, as he migrated to the colder 

 climates, subsisted upon the results of the chase. That 

 individual who refused to peel his apples because, as he 

 said, Adam had no pocket knife, and slept with his windows 

 open because Adam had no house, had a right principle in 

 view. If his teeth were as sound as the teeth of primitive 

 man, and his habit of mastication as thorough, the peeling 

 would be only an aid to digestion. 



422. Man possesses a stomach intended to digest the 

 pure food of the forest, obtained by activity in the open 

 air. If a man eats plain food and leads an active life, his 

 appetite is a perfect guide. If he does not, it is unsafe to 

 trust to the appetite alone, for the reason that he lives 

 under conditions unlike those for which this instinct was 



