PHYSIOLOGY. 



CHAPTER I. 

 INTRODUCTION. 



Health. Is it not a splendid thing to be well and 

 strong ? To be full of bounding health ? To " feel one's 

 life in every limb " ? 



Who does not desire to prolong, so far as possible, this 

 condition characteristic of youth ? 



Natural and Artificial Modes of Life. An animal 

 living in a state of nature may keep well and live its 

 natural period of life without knowing anything about the 

 laws of health. But as students or indoor workers, many 

 of us lead a sedentary life ; we are not natural, but often 

 highly artificial, in our mode of living. We move about 

 but little, whereas the animal abounds in motion. We 

 concentrate energy upon mental effort, thus diverting a 

 large share of our sum total of energy away from the pro- 

 cess of nutrition. We often shut ourselves in rooms nearly 

 air-tight. We eat poorly chosen and ill-prepared food. 

 We devour it hastily, often when we are not in fit con- 

 dition to take food. In short, we frequently disobey the 

 laws of Nature. Now, Nature punishes every violation of 

 her laws. She never forgives, never forgets. 



