IIYGEIA. 551 



lowest details of his merely animal nature, even to the most 

 forlorn exigencies of his brutehood. 



Hence, it must strike the serious observer, how simple and 

 familiar to the open eye are the greater number of the sources 

 of power of the art of hygiene. Here are no far-off attain- 

 ments in arts and sciences, no recondite abstractions, or spe- 

 cial medical formulae, but commonplace and vulgar things, 

 every-day-by-the-roadside influences on the bodies we have ; 

 what we eat, and especially how fixed up ; the water we drink, 

 as necessary, medicinal ; the air we breathe ; how, when, 

 and where we sleep ; what we wear, and how we wear it ; 

 what we do, and how we do it; to all of which may be 

 added the influences from the side of the soul. And first, a 

 word on the 



BODIES WE HAVE. 



Before the problem of hereditary disease, and hereditary 

 proclivity to certain diseases, the mind stands aghast, espe- 

 cially on the abysmal question of justice and compensation 

 between the Finite and Infinite.* " Sour grapes" have been 

 consumed, and tubercle and cancer, the "children's teeth set 

 on edge," are the crop in this harvest of woe. The bitter 

 results of ignorant and lawless generation realized, what can 

 be done by science and art in this inalienable entailment of 

 despair ? 



The mild goddess offers immense consolation and solace 

 in the habits of a well-regulated life, and in the vast resources 

 of temperance and virtue ; but especially is the result to be 

 achieved by the prevention of the issues of profane genesis 

 in congenital taints, malformations, and infirmities. Shall 

 the end surely come soon, in the ineffable beneficence of the 

 promise, "As I live, saith the Lord, ye shall not have occa- 

 sion any more to use this proverb in Israel." The body, 

 with transmitted adaptation or hereditary tendency to dis- 

 ease, is under the special protection, and belongs to the de- 



* Concerning the origin of evil, optimism of Nature, and "God 

 in Disease," see Benedict Spinoza, William Godwin, and James F. 

 Duncan. 



