How to take care of Number One : addressed to young men.

Date:
[between 1850 and 1859?]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: How to take care of Number One : addressed to young men. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    11/36 (page 9)
    essays and sermons ; or the Great Lawgiver of the Jews would not have laid down such injunctions concerning ablution. Therefore I say to you, wash 1 But cleanliness is needed not only for the outside of the person. The body may be defiled inwardly as well as outwardly ; if we cram it with too much food, or if the food be of bad quality, or if we pour fever-breeding liquors into it. If we defile the body in either of these ways, we produce the same effects on the system, as we do by suffering the body to be foul externally— The lawgiver, Moses, laid down certain rules con- cerning food, as well as he did concerning cleanliness, directing the Hebrew people what they should eat, and what they should not eat, and why ?—because he knew that the gross indulgence of certain kinds of food, would produce disease, plague and pestilence. But we take little care in these matters, and devour all things that come in our way. In eating, therefore, take care that your food is simple, untainted, and of good quality, and be careful not to take too much even of that simple kind.^ Most persons eat twice as much as is really necessary, and cram themselves with all sorts of mixtures, which are sure to generate poisons. I say then to my reader, take especial care of the way in which you treat that good old friend of yours—The Stomach. I know he will bear a good deal, and does accommodate himself wonderfully to the whims and fancies of his tormentors, being naturally of a generous disposition; but you may provoke him too far, and that milk of human kindness which he possesses, may be turned into an humour so acrid and poisonous, as to destroy not only your happiness and comfort, but your very life. Therefore, be careful of your diet, my friends; be careful of what you put into the body, and of the ♦ See tract on The Yalue of Good Food.