562 THE MOUNTAIN. 



and friction of cavities and their contents, with passivity of 

 voluntary muscles, and the simple fillip of concussion and 

 vibration, or exercise of whole body without use, or active 

 drill of organs in a state of threatened, or actual, disease. 

 On this account horseback exercise has had many advocates 

 in the medical profession, in diseases of the lungs, digestive 

 organs, nervous system, etc. Thus, from stern labor of loins 

 and wrists in the battle of life, to the walk, or sail, or horse- 

 back or carriage ride of the weakened valetudinarian, the 

 preventive power of work, or exercise, over disease, also the 

 curative power in disease, are almost without bounds. 



On the side of the soul, or order of moral and spiritual 

 influences, as hygienic forces, there is a world of great re- 

 sources. 



This closes both segments of the circle man, on the ques- 

 tion of preventing disease, and brings into play all the sur- 

 roundings of the human being, and hence common, familiar 

 things, everyday and hour's experiences, gastronomies, bodily 

 habitudes, manners and customs, work, philosophy, aesthetics, 

 and morals, confirm the great announcement to the body 

 and soul, that physiological and pathological laws preach 

 the gospel of the ten commandments, and the doctrines of 

 Hygeia, the goddess of health. As she represents but one 

 attribute of the divinity who presides over the whole do- 

 main of the healing art, the extent of the resources of that 

 art may be inferred from the representations just made, and so 

 it comes that all nature stands as waiting-maid to the great 

 god who is a " personification of all the healing powers of 

 the world." 



It seems, from this critical rendering of the beautiful 

 evangel of prevention, that the mere mending and patch- 

 ing-up business, the cobbling and darning of humanity, when 

 torn and defective, not to speak of the operation of chunk- 

 ing and daubing the walls of the "house we live in," when 

 worn and dilapidated, are not the only end and function of 

 the "medical art," narrowly limited to the physician ad- 

 ministering drugs. Undoubtedly it is a great and wonder- 



