130 TRINIDAD. 



Fatigue of whatever kind, and especially from 10 a.m. to 

 3 p.m., is injurious, and may bring on fever, which generally 

 takes the adynamic form ; but regular exercise is absolutely 

 necessary. Persons who lead a life of general physical inaction 

 soon find that their appetite decreases, whilst their sensibility 

 increases to a morbid extent; they become debilitated, and 

 subject to nervous affections, and, if otherwise of a nervous 

 temperament, highly excitable, and even hypochondriacal. When 

 these individuals come to the determination of regularly taking 

 foot or horse exercise, they gain by degrees a better and more 

 regular appetite ; the nervous symptoms subside, ultimately to 

 disappear. 



Moderation in eating, drinking (as also in the use of stimu- 

 lants), and exercise, form the great secret for preserving health 

 in Trinidad. Two meals per diem are sufficient ; something, 

 however, must be taken early in the morning, such as chocola 

 tea, or coffee, particularly in marshy localities ; neither woul 

 object to chocolate or tea at night after an early dinner. Re 

 larity in the hours of meals is also of paramount importance. 



Attention ought likewise to be paid to clothing, in the 

 materials of » which thick cotton should be preferred to linen ; it 

 answers admirably as an under-shirt. Cotton is no good 

 conductor of caloric, and is particularly useful in retaining per- 

 spiration within proper limits ; it is also preferable to flannel, 

 which is heavy, and irritates the skin. In our climate, indeed, 

 cotton is fully as good a protective as woollens, since in the 

 system is required not so much the preservation of warmth as 

 the prevention of cold ; for it is most essential that perspiration 

 should not be checked. 



The cold bath has for effect to diminish the temperature 

 of the body by a merely physical action; but it is also one 

 of the best cooling agents, as it, at the same time, diminishes 

 the power productive of heat. Cold bathing, therefore, must be 

 nighty beneficial ; but it ought to be of short duration — a few 

 minutes only ; and persons who are in a position to do so should 

 bathe every day, since experience has proved that such practice 

 is an almost sure guarantee of sound good health. 



During sleep perspiration is augmented, though, at the sanu 

 time, the power of producing heat is diminished ; as a conse 

 quence, there is less reaction against physical agents, and i 



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