Royal R^o a d o / /' LIBRARY UNIVERStf f ftf SANOtfOO The Royal Road to Health OR THE SECRET OF HEALTH WITHOUT DRUGS r BY CHAS. A. TYRRELL, M. D. Founder of Tyrrell's Hygienic Institute. Inventor of the "J. D. L. Cascade. Professor of Hygiene. Ex-President of the Eclectic Medical Society of the City and County of New York. Originator of the Improved System of Physical Exercises, etc. TWO HUNDRED AND SIXTIETH EDITION COMPLETELY REVISED, ENLARGED AND ILLUSTRATED PUBLISHED BY TYRRELL'S HYGIENIC INSTITUTE 134 WEST 65TH STREET, NEW YORK 1920 TO MY WIFE WHOSE ENTHUSIASM, AND UNFLAGGING INTEREST IN ALL MATTERS PERTAINING TO HEALTH IS EXCELLED BY NONE, AND WHO HAS BEEN A FAITHFUL CO^ WORKER IN BUILDING UP THE SYSTEM OF TREATING DISEASE BY HYGIENIC METHODS HEREIN SET FORTH, THIS BOOK IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED COPYRIGHTED, 1907 BY CHARLES A. TYRRELL, M. D. 18 THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS (Viewed from the front ) 1. Esophagus or Gullet. 2. Cardiac end of Stomach. 3. Pyloric end of Stomach. 4. Duodenum. 5. 6. Convolutions of Small Intestines. 7. Caecum. 7* Vermiform appendage of Caecum, called the appendicula vermiformis. 8. Ascending Colon. 9. 10. Transverse Colon. 11. Descending Colon. 12. Sigmoid Flexure, the last curve of the Colon before it terminates in the Rectum. 13. Rectum, the terminal part of the Colon. 14. Anus, posterior opening of the alimen- tary canal, through which the excrements are expelled. 15. 15. Lobes of the Liver, raised and turned back. vi Description of the Diagram 16. Hepatic Duct, which carries the bile from the liver to the Cystic and Common Bile Ducts. 17. Cystic Duct. 18. Gall Bladder. 19. Common Bile Duct. 20. Pancreas, the gland which secretes the pancreatic juice. 21. Pancreatic Duct, entering the Duode- num with the Common Bile Duct. The illustration here given of the Digestive Apparatus of man represents the organs of food digestion, especially the alimentary canal and glands connected therewith, and to the reader of this book, or to any student of an- atomy, it will be found of invaluable service as a reference. The diagram gives a view of the digestive organs from the ventral or front side, a proper study of which cannot fail to impress every intelligent being with the reverential deduction of the Psalmist that we are "fearfully and won- derfully made" PREFACE TO THE TWO HUNDRED AND SIXTIETH EDITION IN presenting to the public the two hundred and sixtieth edition of this work, it is a matter for profound gratification to be able to state that the treatment described in its pages has steadily increased in public favor since its introduction. Tens of thousands of grateful people testify to its efficiency, not only as a remedial process, but better still, as a preventive of disease. Truth must ever prevail, and this treatment being based on natural law (which is unerring) , must achieve the desired result, which is the restoration and preservation of health. This edition has been completely revised and much of it re-written, and while the essential principles remain unchanged, some slight de- partures from previously expressed opinions may be noted ; for in the years that have elapsed vii viii Preface since the first edition saw the light, some not- able advances have been made in rational thera- peutics and dietetics, and no one can afford to lag behind the car of Progress. The arrangement of the book has been still farther altered, by adding another part, mak- ing eight in all, each part being devoted to a special phase of the general subject, thus sim- plifying it, and making its principles easier of application. Quotations have been freely made from articles written during the past three years by the author, in his capacity as editor of "Health," and several new formulas for the treatment of important diseases have been added to those that have appeared in previous editions. While painfully conscious that the critically disposed may find something to condemn in its pages, the work is sent forth with the fervent hope that despite any defects it may possess it may, in the future, as in the past, prove the means of restoring to suffering thousands the possession of their natural and rightful heri- tage health. THE AUTHOE, CONTENTS PART I. THE TRUE CAUSE OF DISEASE. PAGE Health is wealth. Digestion and assimilation ex- plained. Evil effects of the retention of waste. The dangers of faecal impaction. How auto- infection is accomplished. The mysteries of the circulation. Disease shown to be the result of imperfect elimination 13 PART II. RATIONAL HYGIENIC TREATMENT. Nature cures, not the physician. The action of microbes. The cathartic habit. The true action of cathartics explained, and popular suppositions corrected. A correct solution of the difficulty. "Flushing the colon" an ancient practice. Dr. Turner's post mortem experi- ences. Colon distortion illustrated. Objections to the ordinary appliances danger in using the long, flexible catheter. Invention of the "J. B. L. Cascade," and description of it 29 x Contents PART III. HOW TO USE IT. PAGE The complete process of "flushing the colon" ex- plained, step by step, so that even a child might understand it. Objections answered. Advice to users of the treatment 51 PART IV. PRACTICAL HYGIENE. Longevity man's natural heritage. The care of the body absolute cleanliness rare. The function of water in the human organism. Hot water the natural scavenger. The bath. Description of the skin, and its function. Hints on bathing. The wet sheet pack. Importance of fresh air. Interchange of gases in the lungs. Ventilation. Prof. Willard Parker on impure air. The function of the heart. The therapeutic value of sunlight 69 PART V. EXERCISE. Motion is life. Effect of exercise on the fluids of the body. How the tissues are nourished. Ex- ercise for invalids. Complete system of breath- ing exercises for developing the lungs. Im- proved system of physical exercises, calling into play every muscle of the body ensuring harmonious development. Special nerve ex- ercise. How to stand and how to walk. All the above exercises plainly illustrated 91 Contents xi PART VI. THE DIET QUESTION. PAGE The replacement of waste. Appetite and hunger. The evils of gluttony. Vegetarianism versus flesh eating. Diet, a question of latitude. The cause of old age. Cretinism. Danger of earthy matters in food substances. Fruits are ideal foods. The true value of bread. Classification of the ingredients of food substances. Table of proportions. Table of digestive values. Vegetarianism discussed. A mixed diet the most reasonable. How to eat. Liquids at meals. When to eat. The no-breakfast plan. The effects of alcohol, tea and coffee. Im- proper habits of eating. The influence of mind upon digestion. The advantages of regularity. Nature's bookkeeping Ill PART VII. TREATMENT OF DISEASE. Complete formulas of treatment (with dietary rules) for over fifty different diseases, including Con- sumption, Appendicitis, Locomotor Ataxia, Paralysis, Dyspepsia, Pneumonia, Diabetes Mellitus, Uterine troubles, etc. Also all the principal ailments of children 150 MASSAGE, SHEET-PACKS, ETC. Instructions for massage. How to use the stomach bath by three different methods. How to im- xii Contents PAGE provise the Turkish Bath in your own home, without apparatus. How to use the wet-sheet pack. How to care for the "Cascade" 218 PART VIII. SOME HELPFUL SUGGESTIONS. Disease is the result of the operation of natural law don't dread it. Don't treat symptoms ; treat the fundamental cause. Pain is Nature's danger signal. Prevention is better than cure. The elements of prevention. Importance of a knowledge of physiology. The body, the vehicle of expression for the mind. The strenu- ous life. Tear worse than wear. The import- ance of reserve energy. The effect of the mind on the body. The human body as a bank. The importance of a daily balance. Cultivate cheer- fulness. The habit of happiness. The folly of squandering health. Medicine and surgery compared. What children should be taught. The final word.... .. 225 The Royal Road to Health PART I. THE TRUE CAUSE OP DISEASE. Health is such an inestimable blessing, that the individual who shall devise means to pre- serve it, or to restore it, when lost, is deserving of all the thanks and honors that a grateful community can bestow. Unfortunately, there are very few who estimate life at its true value, until they are confronted with the grim de- stroyer, Death. No one can fully appreciate the priceless blessings of health until they feel that it has slipped from their grasp. The oft quoted phrase, "Health is Wealth," is truly a concrete expression of wisdom, for without the former, the latter is well nigh an impossibility. But its interference with the activities of life 13 14 The Royal Road to Health is one of the least evils of sickness, for perfect health is the very salt and spice of life ; without it, existence is "weary, stale, flat and unprofit- able." But let none despair, for it is my purpose to show how those who enjoy the blessing of ro- bust health may preserve it indefinitely, and how those who have lost it may regain it with excess of vigor, and once more feel that life is indeed worth living. The great need of the present day is adequate instruction in physiology and hygiene, that hu- manity may not only know how to secure the restoration of health, when lost, but by atten- tion to physiological and sanitary laws may retain good health indefinitely. The body is the theatre of constant change. The processes of tearing down and building up proceed without intermission during life. During every moment of life waste is being formed by the destruction of tissue, and this effete material must be promptly removed if the individual would en- joy health. Nature has provided adequate means for the removal of these substances which are valueless to the economy, the reten- The True Cause of Disease 15 tion of which obstructs and irritates the com- plex mechanism of the system, the principal avenues for its expulsion being the lungs, the skin, the kidneys, and the intestinal canal. The latter is infinitely more important than the others, since by it the waste products of digestion are expelled. If it fails to promptly fulfill its office, every vital function is interfered with; and in waste is re-absorbed directly into the circula- tion, redepositing in the very fountain of life matter which the system has thrown off as worthless. Should the system be exposed to a chill while in this condition, a congestion of the surface excretory vessels takes place; and practically the whole work of elimination is thrown upon the already hard^worked kidneys, frequently resulting in urasmic poisoning and death. The presence of a grain of sand in a watch will retard its movements, if not arrest them altogether. What, then, must be the result of an accumulation of impurities in the physical system? The finely adjusted balance that is capable of weighing the thousandth part of a 16 The Royal Road to Health grain is carefully protected under a glass cover, for even impalpable dust would clog its move- ments. Reflect, then, upon the amount of fric- tion that must be perpetually going on in the human organism owing to the retention of ef- fete matter ! And since not even the most cun- ning product of man's handiwork can compare with the intricate mechanism of the body, the importance of eliminating the waste becomes manifest. Here, in a nutshell, lies the secret of disease. Let us now consider how the retention of waste affects the system how the deleterious effects are produced. There are three factors at work in this process, mechanical, gaseous and absorptive, the last named being infinitely the most pernicious. We will first consider the mechanical. Nature has beautifully apportioned the space in the abdominal cavity, each part of the viscera having ample room for the performance of its special function, but any abnormal in- crease in size of any part of the contents of the cavity must necessarily create disturbance. Now, when the food leaves the stomach, where The True Cause of Disease 17 it has been churned into a pulpaceous mass, it passes into the duodenum, or second stomach, where it receives an augmentation of liquid material from the liver and pancreas; conse- quently, when it reaches the small intestine, where absorption takes place, it is in a well diluted condition. During its passage through the small intestine, the nutrient portion of the ingesta is abstracted from it by the villi ( small hair-like processes) with which the small in- testine is thickly studded, so that at the end of its journey of about twenty-two feet (if diges- tion is normal), all that is of value to the or- ganism has been appropriated the remainder being refuse. The waste product passes into the colon, or large intestine, and should be promptly expelled. If prompt expulsion does not take place, this is what happens : The fluid portion of this semi-liquid waste is re-absorbed through the walls of the colon directly into the circulation, a percentage of the solids being deposited on the walls of the intestine. This process of accretion goes on from day to day, week to week, month to month, until it not infrequently happens that the colon becomes 18 The Royal Road to Health distended to several times its natural size. In- stances are on record, where these abnormal ac- cumulations of fecal matter in the colon have been mistaken for enlargement of the liver, and even pregnancy. A surgeon in London has a preparation of the colon measuring some twenty inches in circumference, containing three gallons of feecal matter, and even larger accumulations have been reported. The fore- going instances are, of course, exceptional ones, but it is safe to assert that seventy per cent, of the colons of the human family (living under civilized conditions) are impacted, and some of them terribly so. It is impossible to estimate the amount of evil caused by an engorged colon monopolizing two or three times its allotted space in the abdominal cavity, crowding and hampering the other organs in their work. But the effects of direct mechanical pressure are not the only ones. The accumulations in the colon necessarily arrest the free passage of the product of the small intestine, and that, in turn, causes undue retention of food in the stomach, with consequent fermentation; while the irritation, due to pressure on the nerve ter- The True Cause of Disease 19 minals by the distension, and by the encrusted matter adhering to the intestinal wall, is simply incalculable. The effects of gaseous accumulations in the alimentary canal are not thoroughly under- stood at present that is the pathological ef- fects. The more direct effects, as manifested in abdominal distension, and the terrible dis- tress that frequently follows eating, are unfor- tunately, but too well known. The reader does not need to be told that during the decomposi- tion of organic substances, gases are evolved, and no matter where the process goes on, the results are always the same. Owing to the causes previously mentioned, the intestinal canal usually offers special facilities for the production of gases, owing to the retention of partially digested food, in a medium highly favorable to fermentation. But the auto-infection that results from the absorption of the liquid waste into the blood supply is by far the most serious feature. The blood is the life. From it the system obtains all the material for the formation of fresh tis- sue, and it is a practical impossibility for good, 20 The Royal Road to Health healthy structures to be built up from a tainted blood current. This liquid refuse in the colon is composed of substances for which the system has no further use it has rejected them; consequently they are foreign bodies, and as such, are the equiva- lent of poisons. The colon, in this condition, is a perfect hot-bed for the breeding of all kinds of poisonous germs, and the action of cathartics aggravates the condition by filling the pouched portions of the colon with a foul liquid which facilitates the absorption of the ptomaines and leucomaines through the mucous coat of the in- testine. It is known now, that as much as three- fourths of this foul putrid substance may be ab- sorbed, carrying into the system poisonous germs and excrementitious matter. Dr. Mur- chison states, "that a circulation is constantly taking place between the fluid contents of the bowel and the blood, the existence of which even now, is too little heeded." And Dr. Parker says, "It is now known, that in varying degrees there is a constant transit of fluid from the blood into the alimentary canal, and as rapid absorption, It is also stated on reliable au- The True Cause of Disease 21 thority, "that every portion of the blood may, and possibly does, pass several times into the alimentary canal in twenty -four hours." Prof. Metchinkoff stated in a lecture at Paris: "Particularly injurious are the microbes of the large intestines. Thence, they penetrate into the blood and impair it alike by their presence and the products they yield ptomaines, alka- loids, etc. The auto intoxication of the organ- ism and poisoning through microbes is an estab- lished fact." Having shown that the average colon is a fertile breeding ground for all kinds of poison- ous germs, and that they are conveyed into the circulation by the interchange of fluids in that organ, it may be interesting to explain how these germs are conveyed to, and deposited in the various organs of the body. We have in our bodies a system of canals called arteries and veins, having their head at the heart, which is the main pump that keeps the blood in motion. The arterial circulation con- sists of those channels which convey the blood supposed pure blood away from the heart to the different parts of the body, loaded with the 22 The Royal Road to Health life-giving principle of sustenance, invigora- tion and heat, while the veins or venous circu- lation conveys to the heart and lungs the impure blood, often loaded with disease-breeding germs. Now, in the blood, as it courses through our bodies, are myriads of little vessels called cor- puscles; these are what give the blood a red color. There are also a smaller number of white corpuscles, that are known as phagocytes, whose mission is to destroy micro-organisms that are prejudicial to life. In order that you may know their use, I, for convenience sake and to make my meaning better understood, will call them little war vessels, loaded with soldiers. These vessels and their little warriors are continually sailing through our bodies, hunting for germs of disease, that they catch and destroy. Now, suppose we take a violent cold, thus closing the pores of the skin, and that at the same time the colon is engorged, two of the most important outlets for the filth and de- cayed matter of our bodies are closed up for the life of our bodies is one continual process of The True Cause of Disease 23 building anew and tearing down; these two most important sewers are now closed. These little vessels now have their hands full, catch- ing disease-bearing germs that nature cannot throw out through the colon or pores of the skin both being closed and we call this con- dition of things fever. The white corpuscle has but two dumping places now, the lungs or kidneys. Suppose that in the colon are the bacilli of consumption, and they are absorbed into the circulation. Ordinarily the white cor- puscles would be able to destroy them, but now they are so overworked that the tubercular germ lands in the lung tissue alive and well, ready to commence his work of destruction and death. The person develops a hacking cough, and finally goes to the doctor, and he, if he knows his business, probably finds tuberculosis well established. Typhoid fever has its nursery in the intestine, and gets possession of the citadel of life in the same way as any other germ or contagious disease. What a terrible battle there must be going on in us between our life-preservers and the germs of disease. Is is any wonder that people die of prema- 24 The Royal Road to Health ture old age, of apoplexy, paralysis, dropsy, consumption, and the thousand and one mala- dies that scourge humanity? And it is not un- reasonable to pour a few grains of diluted drugs into the stomach to purify the blood even granting for the sake of argument that such a purpose could be accomplished by that means when occupying nearly one-half of the ab- dominal cavity is an engorged intestine reeking with filth almost as foul as carrion, and which is being steadily absorbed into the circulation? It may be asked, why has not this discovery been made before ? In the first place, the colon has had but scant attention paid to it in the dissecting room. Its importance was not real- ized the circulatory and nervous systems re- ceiving the lion's share of attention. In the second place, in holding post-mortems the or- gan was avoided, cut off, if in the way, and thrown into the slop bucket. It was known to be always full, but no one ever asked whether or not it was natural in its fullness of faecal matter, and as a result, probably the profession knows the least about this important organ of any in the human body. It is not natural that The True Cause of Disease 25 this scent bag of filth should always be full of putrid matter. But, inasmuch as this is so, is it not a great detriment to our health to carry this mass of filth around with us, from day to day, from week to week, and from year to year absorbing its poison back into the circulation? The muscular fibres of the intestines are cir- cular and longitudinal. In the large intestine the longitudinal fibres are shorter than the tube itself, which length permits the formation of loculi (cavities). These become the seat of fffical accumulations, only too often unnoticed by the physician. It is undoubtedly a fact that the loculi of the colon contain small faecal ac- cumulations extending over weeks, months, or even years. Their presence produces symptoms varying all the way from a little catarrhal irri- tation up to the most diverse, and in some in- stances serious, reflex disturbances. When the loculi only are filled, the main channel of the colon is undisturbed. The most common parts of the colon to be- come enlarged are the sigmoid flexure and the ca3cum (see diagram in beginning of book) , but accumulations may occur in any part of the 26 The Royal Road to Health colon. The ascending colon is much more often filled in life than we are lead to believe ; indeed, it may be said that chronic accumulations are of tener to be found in the ascending than in the descending colon. This is due partly to the fact that the contents of the colon have to rise in opposition to gravity, and partly to the semi- paralyzed condition of the muscular coat of the colon through inactivity. When the accumula- tions are large, the increased weight of the colon tends to displace it; and if in the transverse colon, that portion may be depressed, even into the pelvis. The mass may be so enormous as to press upon any organ located in the abdomen, inter- fering with its functions; thus we may have pressure on the liver that arrests the flow of bile; or, upon the urinary organs, crippling their functions. Of course, such excessive accumulations oc- cur only exceptionally, and it is not to these that attention is particularly drawn, because when they are so excessive, any physician can detect them by palpation (touch). It is to the minor accumulations particularly, The True Cause of Disease 27 that I wish to draw attention the accumula- tions that we see in the majority of patients who visit our offices. Such patients assure us that the bowels move daily, but the color of their complexions, and the condition of their tongues, are enough to assure us that they are the victims of costiveness. Daily movements of the bowels are no sign that the colon is not impacted; in fact, the worst cases of costiveness that we ever see are those in which daily movements of the bowels occur. The diagnosis of f ascal accumulations is facilitated by inquiring as to the color of the daily discharges. A black or a very dark green color almost always indicates that the faeces are ancient. Prompt discharge of food refuse is indicated by more or less yellow color. Such patients have digestive fermentations to torment them, resulting in flatulent disten- sion which encroaches on the cavity of the chest, which in severe cases may cause short and rapid breathing, irregular heart action, dis- turbed circulation in the brain, with vertigo and headache. An over-distended csecum, or sig- moid flexure, from pressure, may produce 28 The Royal Road to Health dropsy, numbness, or cramps in the right or left lower extremity. The reports of the post-mortem examination of the colons of hundreds of subjects reveals a series of horrors more weird and ghastly than were ever penned by Eugene Sue, or Emile Zola. The mind shrinks in dismay at the ap- palling revelations, and shudders at the possi- bility of the "human form divine" becoming such a peripatetic charnel house. Is it any wonder that the average human system, being thus saturated with impurities, should succumb to the first exciting cause? Is it not, in fact, a greater marvel that the rate of mortality is not even higher than at present? Rational Hygienic Treatment 2d PART II. RATIONAL HYGIENIC TREATMENT. Nature, and Nature only, can effect a cure. Fresh air, sunlight, pure water, diet and ex- ercise are the great curative agents provided by Nature, and all that the physician can do, no matter to what school he belongs, is to remove as far as possible all existing impediments, and to see that the hygienic conditions are made as favorable as possible. For the rest, Nature, the marvellous builder, will, in her own mysterious way, build up fresh tissue, and, slowly but surely, repair the ravages made by disease. Whether for the preservation of health, or the treatment of disease, when present, the chief thing is to cleanse the colon. It is use- less to attempt to get rid of the effects while the cause is present. If the principal drain in a dwelling becomes choked, what is the consequence? The noxious 30 The Royal Road to Health and pestilent gases generated by the accumu- lated filth having no outlet, are forced back into the building, poisoning the atmosphere, and breeding contagion among the inhabitants. Deodorizing and disinfecting will simply be a waste of time and material, until the drain is cleared. The colon is the main drain of the human body, and if it be necessary, for sanitary reasons, to keep the house drains clean, how vitally important is it to keep the main outlet of the physical system free from obstructions. Or, to use another homely illustration, when your coal stove has been run continuously for a long time, as a natural result it becomes clogged with cinders and ashes, causing the fire to burn badly. You encourage it with fresh fuel, rake it and shake it but without avail the accumulations of debris 'are too great. You remove a portion, but its place is taken by more substance from above. At length you resort to the measure you should have employed at first you "dump the grate" and start a fresh fire. The moral is obvious ; dump the grate of the human system in other words, empty the colon. Rational Hygienic Treatment 31 It has been previously shown that an im- pacted colon is neither more nor less than a prolific hot-bed for the wholesale breeding of disease germs microbes those infinitesimal organisms which science has demonstrated to be the cause of many phases of disease, or rather, the toxins (poisons) they produce, cause disease. Of course, there are harmless micro-organisms as well as hurtful ones; in fact, a large proportion of them are beneficial rather than otherwise; but some of them (nota- bly the tubercle bacillus) are so intimately asso- ciated with disease that it is next to impossible to doubt their responsibility. Microbes breed in fermentation; conse- quently, every particle of undigested food re- maining in the stomach or intestines becomes an ideal nursery for their propagation. It has been demonstrated that food that has been sub- jected to the action of the gastric juice decom- poses far more rapidly than that which has not hence, with imperfect digestion, fermenta- tion quickly takes place. If microbes are now introduced into the system, either by contact with sick persons, inhaling impure air in 32 The Royal Road to Health crowded public buildings, or breathing in the dust on ill-kept streets, there is danger ahead; for if the recipient is not in a sound, physical condition, the microbes (finding congenial lodgment), multiply with the most marvellous rapidity, permeating every portion of the tis- sue causing, in fact, DECOMPOSITION WHILE STILL ALIVE. Every particle of animal or vegetable matter, even if only a single grain in weight, by ex- posure to the air, putrefies,, breeds, and attracts to itself thousands of microbes, and becomes a center of infection. Thus, in a piece of street dirt containing organic matter, we may find' upon examination, the germs of typhoid fever, diphtheria, scarlet fever, or consumption. When this piece of dirt is dried by the sun and pulverized by horses' hoofs and the wheels of vehicles, the particles of dirt are caught up by the wind, and sent whirling through the air, to be drawn into the lungs by those within reach. Of course, every one who breathes in the mi- crobes of some particular disease does not catch it, or we should soon all be dead, but those who have not the resisting power of sound Rational Hygienic Treatment 33 bodies to kill these germs before they have time to set up their peculiar inflammation, are apt to realize the evil effects, a week, a month, or even a year afterwards. It is evident then that to cure disease we must get rid of all fermentation in the system, and thus prevent the further breeding of mi- crobes; and to prevent disease we must get the system into such a sound, healthy condition that disease germs cannot obtain a lodgment in it. Now, this can only be accomplished by thor- oughly cleansing the colon, and keeping it absolutely clean, thus preventing further con- tamination of the blood current the fountain of life. The intelligent reader, recognizing the ab- solute correctness of the foregoing proposition, will naturally ask, "Can such a thing be accom- plished, and how?" We beg to assure the reader, most emphatically, that it can, but not by the means usually employed. It is perfectly plain that the cleansing process cannot be effected by cathartics, for at the best, they only afford temporary relief (witness the growth of 34 The Royal Road to Health the cathartic habit) , while on an impacted mass such as is commonly present in the colon, the influence they can exert is practically nil. The common experience of those afflicted with con- stipation is, that they commence with a laxative, gradually increasing the quantity and fre- quency of the dose, until it fails to act at all. Then the resort to a cathartic, with a similar experience, when it is exchanged for a more powerful one, and then for another still more powerful, until at last, it becomes impossible to move the bowels without a powerful dose. That this is no overdrawn picture many of my readers will bear witness, and my brother practitioners can amply corroborate the state- ment, for they fully recognize the vital im- portance of removing the waste from the sys- tem. The pity of it is that they still persist in employing such a crude and ineffective method. And yet there is a simple and effective method of dealing with this trouble ; of remov- ing the accumulations, no matter how large they may be; of thoroughly cleansing and purifying that important organ, the colon, Rational Hygienic Treatment 35 without the least demand upon the vital forces, and that is by Washing It Out. In plain English, the preservation and restoration of health depends entirely upon cleanliness, especially internal cleanliness^ and to attain that condition which we are told is next to godliness, there is nothing equal to water especially "hot water," which is the great scavenger of Nature. Strange, that such an obviously common- sense proceeding should not be universal, is it not? This method of internal purification is in reality of ancient origin, as we have it on good authority that it was practised by the ancient Egyptians, who, it is believed, acquired their knowledge from observing a bird called the Ibis, a species of snipe. The food of this bird, gathered on the banks of the Nile, was of a very constipating character, and it was ob- served, by the earliest naturalists, to suck up the water of the river and using its long bill for a syringe, inject it into its anus, thus relieving 36 The Royal Road to Health itself. Pliny says this habit of the Ibis first suggested the use of clysters to the ancient Egyptian doctors, known to be the first medical practitioners of any nation, not excepting the Chinese. [See Naturalis Historia, Lib. VIII., Dap. 41, Hague 1518.] Another writer, viz., Christianus Langius, says that this bird, when attacked with consti- pation at some distance from the river, and not able to fly from weakness, would be seen to crawl to the water's edge with drooping wings and there take its rectal treatment, when, in a few minutes, it would fly away in full vigor of regained strength. The following experience from the pen of Dr. H. T. Turner, of Washington, affords in- contestable proof that the colon is the seat of disease, and his testimony should be read with extreme care. It is no fanciful, theoretical statement, but the ghastly revelation of an appalling reality. While reading his state- ment, the reader will do well to refer to the engraving, representing the digestive appara- tus, at the commencement of this book, as it will greatly facilitate his comprehension of the matter. Rational Hygienic Treatment 37 "In 1880 I lost a patient with inflammation of the bowels, and requested of the friends the privilege of holding a post-mortem examina- tion, as I was satisfied that there was some foreign substance in or near the Ileo-coecal valve, or in that apparently useless appendage, the Appendicula Vermif ormis. ( See explana- tion of engraving. ) "The autopsy developed a quantity of grape seed and popcorn, filling the lower enlarged pouch of the colon and the opening into the Appendix. This, from the mortified and blackened condition of the colon alone, indi- cated that my diagnosis was correct. I opened the colon throughout its entire length of five feet, and found it filled with faecal matter en- crusted on its walls and into the folds of the colon, in many places dry and hard as slate, and so completely obstructing the passage of the bowels as to throw him into violent colic (as his friends stated) , sometimes as often as twice a month, for years, and that powerful doses of physic was his only relief; that all the doctors had agreed that it was bilious colic. I observed that this encrusted matter was evidently of long 38 The Royal Road to Health standing, the result of years of accumulation, and although the remote cause, not the immedi- ate cause of his death. The sigmoid-flexure (see engraving) , or bend in the colon on the left side, was especially full, and distended to double its natural size, filling the gut uni- formly, with a small hole the size of one's little finger through the center, through which the recent faecal matter passed. In the lower part of the sigmoid-flexure, just before descending to form the rectum, and in the left hand upper corner of the colon as it turns toward the right, were pockets eaten out of the hardened fscal matter, in which were eggs of worms and quite a quantity of maggots, which had eaten into the sensitive mucous membrane, causing serious inflammation of the colon and its adjacent parts, and, as recent investigation has estab- lished as a fact, were the cause of his hemor- rhoids, or piles, which I learned were of years' standing. The whole length of the colon was in a state of chronic inflammation; still this man considered himself well and healthy until the unfortunate eating of the grape seed and popcorn, and had no trouble in getting his Rational Hygienic Treatment 39 life insured in one of the best companies in America. "I have been thus explicit in this description, from the fact that recent investigation has de- veloped the fact that in the discovery described above, I have found but a prototype of at least seven-tenths of the human family in civilized life the real cause of all diseases of the human body, excepting the grape seed and popcorn. That I had found the fountain of premature old age and death, for, as surprising as it may seem, out of 284 cases of autopsies held of late on the colon (they representing in their death nearly all the diseases known to our climate), but twenty-eight colons were found to be free from hardened, adhered matter, and in their normal healthy state, and that the 256 were all more or less as described above, except, per- haps, the grape seeds and popcorn. In many of them the colon was distended to double its natural size throughout its whole length, with a small hole through the center, and as far as could be learned, these last cases spoken of had regular evacuations of the bowels each day." 40 The Royal Road to Health The question is often asked, and naturally so, why this unnatural accumulation is in the colon? The horse and ox promptly obey the call of nature ; they know no time or place, and are blessed with clean colons. So are the natives of Africa. But the demands of civilized life insist upon a time and place. Business, eti- quette, opportunity, and a thousand and one excuses stand continually in the way, and nature's call is put off to a more convenient season. How many people are not presentable to themselves or friends, owing to the putrid smell of their bodies, so that in polite society strong colognes and other perfumes are used. Show me a woman who girds her waist with corsets or any tight clothing, and I will warrant you that she can never enjoy perfect health. The special reason for this is, that the lacing comes immediately where the transverse colon crosses her body. Now, if the sigmoid-flexure becomes loaded, because of its folding upon itself, how much more will the transverse colon become clogged if unnaturally folded upon it- self by compression from each side folding it, Rational Hygienic Treatment 41 as demonstrated in some instances, almost double the whole length, into two extra elbows, where it, if natural, is straight (see engraving on next page) . Many reasons have been given by physiologists and humanitarians why it is injurious for women to lace, but this reason outweighs them all. Wear the clothing loose, clean out the colon and heal it up, and life will be a continual blessing; for, if the main sewer of the body is closed or clogged, nature has but three other outlets ; the capillaries or pores of the skin, the lungs in exhalation, or the kid- neys. If the colon is clogged, the penned-up acid permeations of the stomach and duodenum will have to seek other outlets, which is indi- cated by the putrid smell of the body and a foul breath, with finally dyspepsia, and what is usually termed biliousness, torpid liver, etc. The condition of the colon (the physiological sewer) in the average adult having been dem- onstrated, does it need any argument to con- vince the intelligent thinker that the most rational and practical manner of dealing with this hot-bed of filth and breeding place of dis- ease is to wash it out? 42 The Royal Road to Health Rational Hygienic Treatment 43 With me, it has passed beyond the theoretical stage, for I have in my office fully 15,000 letters from grateful patients who have used this process, under my direction, with the most astounding results ; scarcely a disease known to humanity, but has been relieved, and in ninety- five per cent, of cases, cures effected; while tens of thousands of gratifying messages have reached me from time to time ; nor is the testi- money in its favor confined to the laity, for hundreds of physicians (including some of the most prominent authorities) testify to the wonderfully beneficial results achieved by its use. We now come to the most important feature of the subject the means for putting it into practice, for it will readily be admitted that such an admirable and common-sense method of treatment should have the most perfect means procurable for its application, but until the present time the available means have re- mained crude and undeveloped. The more effective method of irrigating the colon is the "J. B. L. Cascade," a mechanical appliance invented and perfected by me, which 44 The Royal Road to Health completely rids the process of injection of all its objectional features, and enables young and old, weak and strong, to use the treatment without the possibility of danger. It achieves the desired result far more effectively than any other known apparatus, with the least possible inconvenience to the patient, and yet so gently and easily that the operation, so far from being distressing or disagreeable, becomes a positive gratification. The letters "J. B. L." are the initials of the words Joy, Beauty, Life, which aptly indicate its purpose and effects, for we confidently claim that its use will infallibly confer these three great blessings, it being the one safe and sana- tive method of regaining and preserving health. Without health there is no joy in life, and perfect beauty cannot possibly exist, while with health life becomes indeed worth living. One of the gravest objections to all the hith- erto existing appliances is the construction of the nozzle, or tube, that is inserted in the body, and through which the water is conveyed. These are all (without exception) made with an aperature in the end, or extreme tip, the Rational Hygienic Treatment 45 consequence being that a small jet of water is continuously directed upon one spot in the delicate and sensitive mucous membrane. With water at the necessary temperature this is a source of grave danger, and likely to result in serious injury. For little slits occur in the rectal lining, in which fascal matter lodges, ultimately forming what are known as pockets, causing, first, irritation, then inflammation, and, finally, "proctitis" chronic inflammation of the intestinal canal. The best authorities agree in condemning the direct jet, while rectal specialists regard it as one of their chief aids to income. With these facts in view, the construction of my "injection point," or entering tube, engaged the special attention, finally, with the result that a most successful means of overcoming this dangerous objection has been provided. Instead of the opening in the end, the tip is made absolutely solid, so that the impact of the entering water is not felt at all, while it is provided with six rows of perforations on the sides, through which the water is evenly dif- fused over the walls of the rectum, which is a 46 The Royal Road to Health most desirable thing in cases of hemorrhoids or rectal inflammations. It is also so constructed that the natural constriction of the sphincter muscles holds it firmly in position in the rectum, and while affording the water free passage into the colon, it prevents the escape of the fluid externally, thus rendering soiled garments im- possible. But the simplicity of the operation is one of its chief advantages, for the patient sits upon the appliance in ease and comfort while re- ceiving the cleansing stream, and by following the directions the time occupied in the operation need not exceed fifteen minutes. The faucet is considered by experts as a most valuable fea- ture, on account of the "dome" portion, which accurately fits the natural arch formed by the limbs when the body is in the seated position. Many people are accustomed to use the bulb and fountain syringes in a reclining position, and some physicians recommend the patient to kneel in the bath tub, with the body bent well forward ; an irksome, disagreeable position and quite unnecessary. The theory^ is, that the water will flow into the body by gravitation, Rational Hygienic Treatment 47 but they overlook the fact that the ascending and descending portions of the colon, being parallel in the body, the water, while flowing readily into the descending portions, would have to flow uphill in the ascending portions and by the time it reached there, the force would be exhausted. The weight of the body furnishes greater force, which is proportioned to the size and bulk of the patient, but is not perceptible to him, on account of the solid construction of the tip of the "injection point," while the steady, uniform pressure exerted serves to distend the walls of the colon and thus liberate adherent matter. The great majority of people, however, use these crude appliances while seated over a ves- sel, which is decidedly injurious. By reference to the diagram of the digestive organs it will be seen that the "descending colon," that portion which terminates in the rectum, is larger than either of the other divisions of that organ. In fact, its capacity (in the average adult) is about three pints, equivalent to three pounds. Now this weight, in a flexible organ like the colon, must cause a sagging down, exerting a serious 48 The Royal Road to Health strain upon its attachments to the abdominal wall, and by its pressure upon the sphincters will induce prolapse of the rectum. That is one reason why so many people find it almost im- possible to receive enough water to make the treatment successful. When a physician, or trained nurse, is administering a high enema, it is a common practice to hold a folded towel against the rectum, to guard against this pres- sure and its possible results. The "dome" portion of the faucet (previously referred to) affords the desired support, automatically and effectually prevents any prolapse; while the handle of the faucet, projecting forward, be- tween the limbs, may be manipulated with the greatest ease in controlling the flow of water; and, being seated on a warm cushion, the pa- tient experiences a pleasant, soothing sensation, which completely allays any nervousness. Moreover, realizing the immense advantage to be obtained by attacking the germs of dis- ease in their chief breeding place, I have, after much patient experiment, found a marvellous healing and strengthening combination of rem- edies, absolutely harmless to human beings, Rational Hygienic Treatment 49 but certain death to all germs. This Antiseptic Tonic is merely added to the water used in this remedial process. It completely and speedily destroys the germs of disease. Although so potent in its action upon micro-organic life, it is perfectly harmless, even though a hundred times the necessary quantity should be forced into the intestinal canal. But the Antiseptic Tonic is not alone a germ destroyer, for it pos- sesses admirable tonic properties, which act upon the muscular coat of the colon and speed- ily restores it to its normal condition. Defecation, or the expulsion of waste sub- stance fro mthe bowel, is accompanied by the contraction of the circular fibres of the said muscular coat, but when constipation has ex- isted for any length of time, the accumulated matter adhering to the walls of the colon ren- ders that organ partially, if not wholly rigid, hence the difficulty of evacuation; consequent- ly, through disuse, the muscles become to a certain extent atrophied, and require stimula- tion to resume their natural function even after the colon has been cleansed. It is largely owing to the use of this Antiseptic Tonic that the 50 The Royal Road to Health "Cascade Treatment" has been so successful in cases of obstinate constipation, as by its use the intestine speedily regains tone and power, and the parts are strengthened and healed. Inflammation is reduced, proctitis and hemorr- hoids are benefited, and itching of the anus and rectum are overcome. I unhesitatingly assert that if the colon be regularly cleansed and disinfected by this means, any bacilli or bacteria that may have obtained a lodgment in the system will be quickly destroyed and expelled it cannot be otherwise. And once the germs of disease are destroyed and their chief breeding place kept clean by this simple process, and the re-absorption of poisonous liquid waste into the system thus prevented, Nature, the great physician, will speedily assert itself and effect a restoration to health. NOTE. If the water is not readily expelled do not attempt to force It out by straining. Instead, flatten in the abdomen by forcibly contracting the abdominal muscles. How to Use It 51 PART III. How TO USE IT. Having endeavored to show the true nature of disease, the rational method of treating jt, and the superiority of the "Cascade" over all previously existing methods for carrying the treatment into effect, it may be well to explain the actual manner of using the "Cascade." Having thoroughly cleansed the reservoir, the faucet should be shut off and a level tea- spoonful of the Antiseptic Tonic dissolved in a little warm water in a cup or glass and poured into the reservoir, which should then be com- pletely filled with water as hot as the hand can comfortably bear ; not to simply dip the fingers in and withdraw them, but so that you can im- merse the hand and allow it to remain without discomfort. If tested with a thermometer the water should be from 100 to 105 degrees Fahr. Hot water is the best solvent for impacted 52 The Royal Road to Health fsecal matter, and, on the other hand, water below the temperature of the body may some- times cause pain. It is necessary that the reservoir should be absolutely full to insure the exclusion of air, as its presence is likely to prevent the proper reception of the water. For this reason it is advisable to solicit the bowels before taking the treatment, as, if even no fecal matter is expelled, pent-up gases are frequently liberated. The reservoir having been filled as directed, the "Cascade" should be laid down and the "injection point" screwed in. It is then ready for use. Being all ready, the stick of rectal soap should be dipped in water to moisten it inserted in the rectum and withdrawn. This is simply to lubricate the passage and facilitate the admission of the "injection point." Then, standing in front of the seat on which the "Cascade" is lying (as if preparing to sit down), pass the left hand between the lower limbs and grasp the handle of the faucet, to guide the "injection point" into the rectum, and then carefully sit down upon the "Cas- How to Use It. 53 cade." When the "injection point" has been completely introduced and you are comfort- ably seated, relax the muscles and allow the whole weight of the body to rest freely on the "Cascade," and turn on the faucet, partially at first, then, after a few seconds, turn it on fully and you will readily receive the water. The most convenient place to use the "Cas- cade" is in the bathroom, placing it on the closet seat, or any firm seat, such as a wooden-seated chair. But take care to have a vessel at hand in which to discharge the contents of the bowel. As soon as the faucet is turned on and the water begins to flow into the body, proceed with the following movements : Commencing in the right groin, stroke firmly but gently, right across the pelvis, or lower edge of the abdomen, to the left groin, then directly upward with the hands to a point just above the umbilicus, or navel, then straight across the body and down to the right groin. These movements are di- rectly over and along the course of the colon, and if they are made gently but firmly, the water will be assisted on its course. A study of the diagram of the digestive apparatus at 54 The Royal Road to Health the commencement of the book will be of great assistance in enabling you to understand the reason for and the method of these movements. It sometimes happens that after a small quantity of water has been injected there is a strong desire to expel it, which is sometimes due to nervousness, induced by the novelty of the operation. If this be so, shut off the faucet at once and resist the inclination, when, in a few moments, the desire will have passed away, then turn on the faucet again. Be sure to allow the full weight of the body to rest on the "Cas- cade," and have no fear. It is the weight of the body itself that furnishes the motive power, and to ease up the pressure defeats the object. As soon as all the water has entered that you feel it possible to receive, turn off the faucet, rise from the "Cascade," sit over the closet, or vessel, and allow the contents of the bowel to escape. At the same time repeat the stroking movement previously described, but this time reverse it, commencing in the right groin, up, across and down to the left groin. These move- ments have a three-fold object: they assist the water in its passage backward and forward, How to Use It 55 thus shortening the time of the treatment ; they force along the accumulated matter in the colon with the current of water, and help to dislodge adherent matter from the walls of the colon. As we proceed on the assumption that the colon is more or less impacted (which experi- ence shows), we do not anticipate that more than two quarts will be received at the first treatment, but as the accumulations are re- moved by successive treatments, the capacity of the colon is increased, so that at the end of the second week enough should be received to completely fill the colon. The amount of water varies, of course, with the bulk of the individual, but the capacity of the colon, in the average well-grown adult, is about four quarts, but even in the case of a person below the average size, it may safely be assumed that three quarts of water are really necessary for a successful treatment. Whenever pain is present during the treat- ment it is usually due to one of two things: either the water has not been sufficiently hot, or the reservoir has not been completely filled, but, if in spite of these precautions, pain should 56 The Royal Road to Health be present, it will be found advisable, after a small quantity of water has been injected (say from a pint to a quart) to shut off the faucet, rise from the "Cascade" and expel it; then, upon returning to the "Cascade," it will usually be found that the cleansing of the lower por- tions of the bowel has removed the trouble. The same method of procedure holds good when there is any difficulty in injecting the water. In cases where pain is persistent, even although all precautions are taken (although such are extremely rare), a decoction of anise seed, made by steeping a tablespoonful of the seed in a pint of boiling water, added to the water used for flushing (omitting the Antiseptic Tonic), will act as an anodyne on the intes- tine, and completely subdue the pain. The frequency with which the treatment is used will depend upon the nature of the trouble and the length of time it has existed. In the great majority of cases it is recommended to be used as follows when commencing the treat- ment: The first week use it every night; the second week every alternate night; after that use it twice a week, or as occasion seems to How to Use It 57 demand it. For the simple preservation of health, twice a week will be found amply suf- ficient. After using the "Cascade" it will be found extremely beneficial to inject from a half pint to a pint of cool water and retain it. This will be found not only a valuable rectal tonic, but an excellent diuretic as well, as it will pass off by way of the kidneys, cleansing and purifying those organs. The "Cascade" should not be used within three hours after eating a full meal, as, if both the stomach and transverse colon are distended at the same time they press upon each other, and the stomach, being the more sensitive of the two, nausea is likely to be produced; but although (with the above proviso) the treat- ment can be used with benefit at any period during the twenty-four hours, yet, just be- fore retiring at night is by far the best time to take it, for several reasons. Firstly, it is usually the most convenient time for the ma- jority of people. Secondly, it invariably in- duces a good night's rest; for no sleeping po- tion can equal its effects in that direction. Thirdly, night is Nature's repairing season, 58 The Royal Road to Health when she is busy making good the ravages of the day replacing the waste by building fresh tissue and by putting the system into a cleanly condition and purfying the blood current; at that season you are co-operating with Na- ture and may confidently expect, and will un- doubtedly secure, the best results. After using the "Cascade" it is quite pos- sible that there may not be a movement of the bowels until late the following day. This must not be considered as evidence of constipation, but simply a lack of matter to discharge. In a perfectly natural condition of existence there should be at least two movements of the bowels during the day, but it must be remembered that the human system has acquired bad ha- bits, and it will require some time before per- fect conditions are re-established. If, how- ever, from a half pint to a pint of hot water is sipped in the morning, a half hour before breakfast, it will stimulate the bowels to action, even though the "Cascade" had been used the night before, while its cleansing effect upon the stomach will assist the digestive functions in a marked degree. How to Use It 59 It may be accepted as a truism that success invariably excites envy, therefore, it is but rea- sonable that the astounding results that have attended this method of treatment should have aroused a certain amount of antagonism. The hardy individual who dares to propose a new departure in the method of treating disease must be prepared to hear his theories ridiculed, his system denounced, and, possibly, his motives impugned. Consequently, it is not surprising that the "Cascade Treatment" has some ob- jections urged against it. The first objection I am confronted with is, "it is not natural." I willingly concede that point, and will add that neither is an obstructed and engorged colon natural. We are living (in a large measure) an arti- ficial life. In his barbaric state man obeyed the calls of nature without regard to time or place, and it is safe to assert that under those conditions an obstructed colon was an un- known quantity. But in deference to the de- mands of civilized life we disregard Nature's calls and defer the response until a convenient 60 The Royal Road to Health opportunity presents itself, and for this viola- tion of natural law a penalty is inflicted. An obstructed colon, therefore, being itself unnnatural, man is obviously justified in using the brains that Nature has endowed him with to cleanse it. An artificial limb is unnatural, but would the same objection hold good that because a man has had the misfortune to suffer amputation, he must, therefore, limp through life on crutches, rather than use the mechani- cal substitute that man's ingenuity has devised? Common sense teaches us, and experience has amply confirmed the teaching, that flush- ing is not only the easiest, but the most effec- tual means of accomplishing this purpose ; and it is unmistakably the most harmless, inasmuch as we use Nature's most simple and effective cleansing agency in the process pure water. Sickness is in itself unnatural, and until the system can be restored to its natural condi- tion reason plainly shows us that we must co- operate with Nature and assist in removing these impurities from the system, a task which our disregard of her warnings has prevented her from accomplishing. Cathartics simply How to Use It 61 excite the excretory processes, and stimulate Nature to a violent effort to expel them, the unnatural exertion being followed by a feel- ing of languor, for all purgative action is de- bilitating. Flushing, on the contrary, acts di- rectly on the accumulated matter in the colon (which cathartics never do), and, instead of causing an unnatural excitation of any of the natural processes, it induces a calm, restful feel- ing and a sense of profound relief. "It is a debilitating practice," the objectors urge. Here, again, I join issue. I am in a position to prove a decided negative. I have the evidence of thousands of people to the contrary people who have tested the treatment, and, setting aside the weight of testimony, even the most prejudiced mind must admit, that actual, personal experience is more to be relied on than unsupported theory. Dr. Forrest said that his patients who had used the treatment for months, and even years, had steadily gained in strength and flesh all the time. Another favorite objection is that "it causes the intestines to become weakened and depend- 62 The Royal Road to Health ent upon this unnatural method." To this I reply that it is a well-known fact that at least fifty per cent, of people in civilized (?) com- munities are slaves to the purgative habit, the system refusing to fulfil its functions without this unnatural excitation ; therefore, if depend- ence must be placed in something, we should unhesitatingly give the preference to water, as against cathartics, but the whole weight of evi- dence shows that the objection has no founda- tion in fact. On this subject Dr. Forrest said: "Flush- ing the colon does not cause a weakening of the intestines. When this procedure is no longer necessary, owing to restored health, the intes- tines have also been restored and improved in tone and will carry on their functions unaided." Dr. Stevens, who has used the treatment upon himself and patients for over twenty years, says that it in no wise interferes in his case with the normal movement of the bowels. To test it in this respect he has frequently dis- continued its use for a week, with the result of a regular movement, as soon as enough faecal matter had accumulated to demand it. How to Use It 63 He recommends flushing every two or three days as a preventive of disease. For over twenty years he has practiced flushing upon himself as a precaution, and, although now be- tween seventy and eighty years old, since be- ginning its use he has never known a day of sickness. It is contended by some people, including a percentage of physicians (who should know better) , that the frequent use of this treatment will so stretch the colon that it will remain per- manently distended. This argument is so to- tally opposed to physiological law, to say noth- ing of experience and common sense, that it is almost laughable. The veriest tyro in the mat- ter of exercise knows that exercise develops a muscle; that repeated flexion and extension of the arm, for instance, will strengthen the mus- cles of that limb, not cause them to lose their contractibility. All muscle fibres are alike in structure, except that some are voluntary, oth- ers involuntary, but that difference is simply due to the difference in the source of nerve supply. There is no reason that can be shown why the muscles of the colon should lose their elasticity through exercise in centra-distinction to all the other muscles of the body, since they are not subjected to any extraordinary strain, the extreme tension only lasting for a few sec- onds, while as soon as the water commences to escape, relaxation follows, and, in addition, heat acts as a stimulant. The objection does not even merit serious consideration. "It operates against peristalsis," we are told. I deny it, for the energy evinced by the in- testine in expelling the water is proof of in- creased peristaltic vigor, if it is proof of any- thing. And even if it did suspend peristalsis for a few minutes, is it not a fact that other natural functions can be suspended for a much longer period, only to be resumed with un- abated vigor ? Equally absurd, and destitute of foundation, in fact, is the objection frequently advanced tfyat the washing of the interior surface of the colon is injurious; as it washes away the fluid that Nature secretes for the purpose of this lubrication. Where, in the name of common sense, do they get their authority for such a statement? How to Use It 65 Do they not know that such a contention is in direct opposition to physiological law? Does bathing the external surface of the body pre- vent the further excretion of perspiration; or bathing the eyes destroy the functions of the Meibomian glands? Does the drinking of water prevent any further discharge of saliva into the mouth, or of gastric juice into the stomach? If the washing away of a secretion destroyed the power of the secreting gland, human existence would be brief indeed. The truth is, that not one in ten thousand has any practical knowledge of the subject. They may possess a smattering, and in the en- deavor to make it show to advantage, they draw upon their imagination to supply the deficiency. On the other hand, I have been making this subject a constant study for the past twenty years, having had experience in thousands of cases, and therefore, contend that my opinion is of more value than that of the average man whether physician or layman and is at least entitled to respectful consideration. Whether the practice of the treatment is to be persisted in will, of course, depend upon the 66 The Royal Road to Health nature and habits of the patient. If the per- nicious habits that caused the trouble are not abandoned, a constant resort to the treatment will be necessary. If the patient is naturally of a costive habit, and has thoroughly weak- ened his intestines by a reckless and indiscrim- inate use of cathartics, it will require a long persistence in reformed habits before the weak- ened bowels will have gained sufficient strength to fulfil their functions normally. It is advisable for elderly people to use it more or less continuously throughout life, for with advancing years the bowels naturally be- come less active, and this simple process offers a valuable means of assistance to flagging na- ture at the cost of little, if any, exertion; in fact, after a little experience no more will be thought of using the "Cascade" than of taking a meal. I would strictly impress on the minds of those who propose to give this treatment a trial that, like every other undertaking in life, thoroughness and persistence are abso- lutely indispensable to success. No great end was ever yet achieved except by hard work, How to Use It 67 conscientiousness and perseverance, and these three factors are in the highest degree neces- sary to restore health to a system from which it has long been estranged. If a chronic, deep-seated disease can be cured in a year, by a home process, so simple that a child can understand and practise it, the individual so benefited should consider him- self or herself most fortunate; and few will deny that the end in view restoration to health is a full and ample recompense for the thor- ough and persistent effort necessary to attain it. If it were a question of large pecuniary profit to the patient, it is scarcely necessary to say that every nerve would be strained to its utmost tension to bring the coveted prize within his grasp ; yet here the reward is of in- finitely greater value, a prize compared with which riches are as dross in comparison with gold. It is Health, without which the acquisi- tion of Wealth, is well-nigh impossible, and its possession as profitless to the possessor as Dead Sea fruit. "Heaven fights on the side of the strongest battalions," is a military aphorism, and Nature 68 The Royal Road to Health ranges herself on the side of the individual who co-operates with her most faithfully, who, in the struggle for the regaining of health, brings the greatest amount of determination and per- severance to the encounter. Perseverance in the treatment will achieve results that seem little short of miraculous to those accustomed to the "hit or miss" methods that have so long been in use. And, best of all, the benefit attained will be permanent, for the system being thoroughly cleansed, and kept so, nothing but fresh, firm, healthy tissue is formed, so that after a year's conscientious treatment the person practising it will be prac- tically a new being. In dealing with the subject of constipation, which is the most prevalent of all disorders of the body, and is, in fact, the fundamental cause of ninety per cent, of human ills: the impor- tance of drinking freely of water, from one to two hours after eating a meal, cannot be over- estimated, and most essential of all is the glass of water, half an hour before breakfast. If the digestion is faulty, the morning glass should be hot and sipped slowly, Practical Hygiene 69 PART IV. PRACTICAL HYGIENE. There is no reason why any human being should die before eighty at least. With proper care the century mark should be reached in the majority of cases. This may sound like an extravagant assertion, but it is absolutely true. It all depends upon taking care of the human machine. Ask an engineer how long a locomotive would last if drawn at express speed every day, or if left standing idly on a siding! He will tell you that overwork or disuse are fatal to mechanism, so far as its capacity for lasting is concerned. Well, the most finished product of man's handiwork in machinery cannot begin to compare with that wonder- ful, complex piece of mechanism the human body; and if care will prolong the life of the lifeless machine, the veriest dullard can- not fail to perceive that the same rule applies 70 The Royal Road to Health. with ten-fold force to the human organism, which possesses within itself the power of re- cuperation a living machine, every atom of which is being daily replaced as fast as the fric- tion of life disintegrates. If the locomotive were capable of being re- produced in like manner of having the daily waste of substance replaced during rest by proper attention to its needs do you think its owners would ever allow it to wear or rust out ? Would they not bend every energy to prolong its existence indefinitely ? Most assuredly they would. And is the body, the earthly habita- tion of the real man, of less importance to him- self than the creations of his own hands ? Com- mon sense says, "No!" But daily experience shows us that the bulk of humanity are far less careful of the earthly husk that shelters the divine ego than of the machinery that min- isters to their wants. We repeat, there is no reason why man should not live to be a hun- dred, or even more, if only proper care be ex- ercised. The hurry of modern life is fatal to the expectation of longevity, so also is over- indulgence in the pleasures of the table, which Practical Hygiene 71 is one of the besetting sins of the present gen- eration. If from childhood the care of the human body was made the subject of constant instruction, the second generation from now would see such a marked change in the per- sonnel of the race as would astound even the most sanguine. What if a few less dollars were piled on each other? Which is the more to be desired, a perfect, healthful physique, or a full purse ? To preserve the body in health is an easy matter, if the individual will only bring the same thoughtful intelligence to bear on the subject that he does on the ordinary affairs of life. The natural agencies for the preserva- tion of health are, as previously stated, Pure Water, Sunlight, Fresh Air, Diet and Exer- cise. The first three are furnished "without money and without price" by the all- wise Mother, while the two last simply require a slight exertion of will power, tempered with intelligence. Of the quintette of agencies mentioned above, water is one of the most important. Water is the original source of all animal life. From 72 The Royal Road to Health it the earliest species were evolved, and by the natural law of correlation, it continues to be one of the most important factors in sustain- ing existence. Water enters more largely into the composition of all organic substance than the majority of people dream of, and this is notably true of the human body. Few people realize that sixty-six per cent, of their earthly tenement consists of the fluid in which they perform their ablutions, yet such is the fact. This important physiological truth should be carefully laid to heart, for it accentuates the vital necessity of imbibing a sufficient quan- tity of fluid daily to preserve the proportion in the system requisite for health. Water is the only known substance that possesses the power of permeating every cell and fibre of the liv- ing organism, without creating disturbance or irritation. Water is, in fact, an indispensable necessity for physical existence its excess or deficit creating abnormal conditions; but the latter is the more common condition. Being universally present in all the tissues of the body, water is the principal agent in the elim- ination of waste material from the body, ac- Practical Hygiene 73 cording to Nature's plan hence, for the pres- ervation of health, every adult should drink from two to three quarts of water per day, certainly not less than two quarts. One of the remedial factors in the copious use of water in "flushing the colon" is that a liberal per- centage of it is absorbed through the walls of the colon, directly into the circulation, thus increasing the amount in the tissues, and caus- ing more fluid to pass through the kidneys cleansing them. Hot water used as a stomach bath (see de- scription in the appendix at end of book) is a valuable auxiliary in the preservation and restoration of health. By its means the stomach is cleansed of mu- cous accumulations and particles of undigested food, thus enabling it to perform its functions satisfactorily. If, as is often the case (more especially with dyspeptics) undigested food remains in the stomach, it ferments, causing what is known as sour stomach, and is produc- tive of many evils. If we keep the ferment out of the stomach by occasionally washing it, and prevent the generation of foul gases in the 74 The Royal Road to Health colon, by regularly flushing it, the bile wiD effectually prevent any fermentation in the intestines; and with the body in this cleanly condition, sickness is well-nigh impossible. But there are external applications of water, which are equally important for the preservation of health, and first and foremost is the bath. It is a matter of authentic history that the most highly enlightened and prosperous people of the world have been celebrated for their devotion to the bath as a means of securing health and vigor as a means of curing disease, and preventing it, by promoting the activity of the skin. The excavations at Pompeii show the devotion of the people to luxurious bathing. The Romans are famous to this day for the magnificence of their lavatories and the uni- versal use of them by the rich and poor alike. Most people are familiar with the aphorism, "cleanliness is next to godliness," a statement that by implication relegates cleanliness to the second place, but we would transpose this stated sequence of conditions, and assign the premier position to cleanliness; for we con- tend that purity of soul presupposes purity of Practical Hygiene 75 body. It is true that we sometimes find a "jewel in an Ethiop's ear," but it is the excep- tion that proves the rule. But it is not from the moral standpoint that we wish to consider the subject of physical cleanliness, but from the hygienic. How few people there are who are really physically clean ! The outward semblance of cleanliness too frequently poses as the real article. Among the white races of the earth, the English are the greatest devotees of the daily tub, to which custom their ruddy complexions are largely due ; but Japan is pre-eminently in the lead in the matter of daily bathing, for it is doubtful if there could be found in the land of the "little brown people" a single individual who does not bathe the whole body daily, unless physically incapacitated. The skin is such an important excretory or- gan that the importance of keeping its innu- merable infinitesimal outlets free from obstruc- tion cannot be overestimated. As the structure of the skin may not be understood by the aver- age reader, we will briefly describe this wonder- ful depurating organ, that the paramount 76 The Royal Road to Health importance of its functions may be properly appreciated. The skin consists of two layers, the derma, or true skin, and the epidermis, or cuticle. It is the principal seat of the sense of touch, and on the surface of the upper layer are the sensi- tive papillae, which receive and respond to im- pressions ; and within, or imbedded beneath it, are organs with special functions, viz., the sweat glands, hair follicles and sebaceous glands. Its value as a means of depuration is incalculable, as by it vast quantities of the aqueous and gaseous refuse matter is conveyed from the body. By the aid of a four diameter magnifying glass applied to the skin of the palm of the hand, the curiously inclined will observe that it is divided into fine ridges, which are punctured regularly with minute holes. These are the mouths of the sweat glands, and generally known as the pores of the skin. Their function is to bring moisture to the surface of the skin ; which is secreted from the blood, and chemical analysis reveals the fact that this moisture is always more or less loaded with worn-out and effete matter. It is estimated Practical Hygiene 77 that there are 8,800 of these glands in each square inch of skin, and that their total length, in an ordinary person, if placed end to end, would be ten miles. Then there are the seba- ceous, or cil glands, which oil the skin and keep it flexible. Now, as the processes of destruc- tion and upbuilding are perpetually going on in the body, and the skin being one of the prin- cipal avenues by which the refuse is removed, the vital necessity of keeping this organ per- fectly clean becomes apparent at once ; for this refuse matter, if retained in the system, acts as a poison, and furnishes food for disease germs to feed upon. It has been demonstrated by experiment upon dogs from which the hair had been shorn that a coat of varnish applied to the body (thus effectually closing the pores ) , will cause death in a very short while. No better object lesson could be given of the imperative necessity of keeping the skin perfectly clean, if you wish to enjoy good health. It is an easy matter to keep all these miles of tubing in a perfectly natural and active con- dition, by a strict observance of the funda- 78 The Royal Road to Health mental principle cleanliness. Bathe the body daily, complete immersion, if practicable; if this is not possible, then sponge the body thor- oughly, all over; but if both methods are ren- dered out of the question by circumstances, then adopt the best substitute, namely, vigorous fric- tion with a coarse towel. As to the temperature of the bath, that must, to a great extent, depend upon the conditions of life, and the predisposition and susceptibility of the individual ; but the cold bath should al- ways be employed in preference to the warm bath, when conditions permit. The cold bath is a powerful stimulant to the sympathetic nervous system, and as that is the great regu- lator of nutrition, the value of cold bathing to those afflicted with digestive disturbances will be readily understood, since all the digestive and assimilative processes are quickened by it. The glands of the stomach secrete more hydro- chloric acid on account of this stimulus, and a better quality of gastric juice being thus formed, not only is the digestion improved, but the system is better enabled to resist microbic invasion. The cold bath also stimulates the Practical Hygiene 79 vaso-motor system, which regulates the circu- lation, by contracting and dilating the vessels, and increases the activity of the capillaries, or small blood vessels. It thus increases the re- sisting power of the skin, by enabling it to reheat the surface after a chill, and this is the reason why people who habitually use the cold bath are practically proof against "colds." People employed in sedentary occupations are especially benefited by the cold bath, but should employ a hot bath for three or four minutes beforehand. It is also especially bene- ficial to women, as, being an excellent nerve tonic, it successfully combats all forms of ner- vous weakness, and is an admirable preventa- tive of hysteria. Children under seven years of age do not bear the application of cold water very well, and it is advisable not to use the water at a lower temperature than 70 Fah., and to em- ploy friction constantly while administering it; but after that age the temperature may be gradually lowered. In old age the neutral bath, from 75 to 85 Fahr., will be found the best for general use, accompanied by friction. 80 The Royal Road to Health The bath, to be thoroughly beneficial, should be taken at one of the three following portions of the day : immediately upon rising, about ten o'clock, or just before going to bed. The early morning bath is, however, immeasurably the best, and if cold, will be found a wonderful aid in promoting health and vigor, and being such a necessity, especially in the preservation of health, and the constant practice of it, strongly urged, we append the following useful sug- gestions for guidance : A full meal should not be taken in less than half an hour after bathing. Nor should a bath be taken in less than an hour and a half after eating a full meal. You can bathe with impunity in cold water when the body is perspiring freely, as long as the breathing is not disturbed, nor the body ex- hausted by over-exertion. Never bathe in cool or cold water when the body is cold. First restore warmth by exercise. Always wet the head before taking a plunge bath, and the chest also, if the lungs are weak. In cases of sickness, where it becomes neces- sary to assist Nature in ridding the system of Practical Hygiene 81 impurities through the medium of the sweat glands, the "wet sheet pack" will be found in- valuable. It is usually regarded by those im- perfectly acquainted with its action as simply the chief factor in a sweating process, but it is more than that. Not only does it open up the pores and soften the scales of the skin, but it "draws" the morbid matter from the interior of the body, through the surface to the pores. It is of immense value in all cases of fever, especially bilious fever. It should be born in mind that "flushing the colon" should always precede the use of the "pack." If any one doubts the purifying efficacy of this process he can have a "demonstration strong" by the following experiment: Take any man in apparently fair health, who is not accustomed to daily bathing, but who lives at a first-class hotel, takes a bottle of wine at dinner, a glass of brandy and water occasion- ally, and smokes from three to six cigars per day. Put him in a pack and let him soak one or two hours. On taking him out the intoler- able stench will convince all persons present 82 The Royal Road to Health that his blood and secretions were exceedingly befouled, and that a process of depuration is going on rapidly. Full directions for the use of the pack will be found at the end of this work. It will be necessary to take into consideration the vitality of the patient and regulate the tem- perature of the sheet accordingly. The best time to use it is about ten in the morning, or nine in the evening. The Turkish bath (see last page) is another important factor in treating disease, also the hot foot bath, for all disturbances of the circu- lation, cramps, spasms and affections of the head and throat. Hot fomentations, which draw the blood to the seat of pain, thereby rais- ing the local temperature and affording relief, and wet bandages for warming and cooling purposes will likewise be found valuable aids. Humanity at large has never estimated water at its true value, yet all the gifts in Pandora's fabled box could never equal that one ines- timable boon of the Creator to the human race. Apart from its practical value, there is nothing in all the wide domain of Nature more beauti- Practical Hygiene 83 ful, for in all its myriad forms and conditions it appeals equally to the artistic sense. In the restless ocean, now sleeping tranquilly in opa- line beauty beneath the summer sun, now rising in foam-crested mountainous waves beneath the winter's biting blast, its sublimity awes us. In the mighty river, rolling majestically on its tortuous course, impatient to unite itself with mother ocean, its resistless energy fascinates us. In the gigantic iceberg, with its trans- lucent sides of shimmering green, its weird grandeur enthralls us. In the pearly dew drop, glittering on the trembling leaf, or the hoar frost, sparkling like a wreath of diamonds in the moon's silvery rays ; in the brawling moun- tain torrent, or the gentle brook meandering peacefully through verdant meadows, in the mighty cataract or the feathery cascade, in the downy snowflake, or the iridescent icicle in each and all of its many witching forms it is beautiful beyond compare. But its claims to our admiration rest not alone upon its ever varying beauty. When consumed with thirst, what beverage can equal a draught of pure, cold water? In sickness its value is simply in- 84 The Royal Road to Health calculable especially in fevers; in fact, the famous lines of Sir Walter Scott, in praise of woman, might be justly transposed in favor of water to read thus : "When pain and sickness wring the brow, A health-restoring medium thou." And, if we admire it for its beauty and esteem it as a beverage, how inconceivably should these feelings be intensified by the knowledge that its remedial virtues are in no- wise inferior to its other qualities! The next in importance of the great health agencies is Fresh Air. Perhaps we ought to class it as the most important, for although people have been known to live for days without water, but without air their hours would be quickly numbered. Air is a vital necessity to the human organism, and the fresher the better it cannot be too fresh. The oxygen gas in the air is the vitalizing element. The blood corpuscles, when they enter the lungs through the capillaries, are charged with carbonic acid gas (which is a deadly poison), but when brought into contact with the oxygen, for which they have a wonder- Practical Hygiene 85 ful affinity, they immediately absorb it, after ejecting the carbonic acid gas. The oxygen is at once carried to the heart, and by that marvelous pumping machine sent bounding through the arteries to contribute to the animal heat of the body. When it is taken into account that the lungs of an average sized man contain upwards of six hundred millions of minute air cells, the surface area of which represents many thou- sands of square feet, the danger of exposing such a vast area of delicate tissue to the action of vitiated air can be readily estimated. No matter how nutritious the food may be that is taken into the stomach, no matter how per- fect the processes of digestion and assimilation are, the blood cannot be vitalized without fresh air. It is estimated that the blood is pumped through the lungs at the rate of eight hundred quarts per hour, and that during that period it rids itself of about thirty quarts of carbonic acid gas, and absorbs about the same amount of oxygen. Think for a moment of the mad- ness of obstructing this interchange of elements 86 The Royal Road to Health which is perpetually going on and on which life depends ! It is more especially during the hours of sleep that fresh, pure air is needed, for that is when Nature is busiest, repairing and building up, and calls for larger supplies of oxygen to keep up the internal fires, but her efforts at repair- ing waste are rendered futile if you diminish the supply of the vitalizing element and compel her to use over again the refuse material she has already cast off. In spite of the amount of literature devoted to sanitary matters, it is astonishing how little is understood of the principles of ventilation, and its supreme importance to the general welfare. We do not, of course, refer to venti- lation in its broadest scientific sense, such as the securing of an adequate air supply in large auditoriums, for it is a melancholy fact that even our prominent architects not only display a pitiably deficient grasp of that phase of the sub- ject, but of the simple, yet fundamental prin- ciples of the science, which every intelligent adult should be familiar with. How many heads of families, for instance, can intelligently Practical Hygiene 87 ventilate a sleeping room? It is better to open the window two inches at the bottom, and the same distance at the top, than to have it open for a foot either at the top or bottom only. Considering the length of time that is spent in the sleeping apartment, the paramount import- ance of a constant supply of fresh air is readily perceived. No matter how perfect digestion and assimilation may be, if the blood is not thoroughly oxygenated, the best of foods fail of their intended effect. Even the least fas- tidious would object to drinking water that had been used for washing purposes by others ; yet it is quite as objectionable to breathe air that is charged with the waste products of bodies that may even be diseased. Better let in cold air and put on more bed- clothes, as long as you do not sleep in a draught. Oxygen keeps up the animal heat of the body, and you can really keep warmer in a room with plenty of fresh air than in a close room where the air is vitiated. But in the sick room fresh air is of para- mount importance, not only for the patient, but for the attendants, who are otherwise com- 88 The Royal Road to Health. pelled to inhale the poisonous exhalations from the diseased body. Let no consideration blind you, either in sickness or in health, to the imperative neces- sity of plenty of fresh air. The next great natural agency, and one to which scant attention is paid, compared with its hygienic importance, is Light, but more especially Sunlight. Sunlight is the great health-giving agent. The sun is the great source of life. Its rays stimulate the growth of every living organism, and there is no doubt but they exert a chemical action upon living tissue with which we are as yet but imperfectly acquainted. This fact has been recognized of late years, hence our winter resorts are liberally supplied with sun parlors, in which those in quest of health may enjoy the rejuvenating effect of solar heat without ex- posing themselves to the inclemency of wintry weather. This is a revival of an old Roman custom, for the more opulent of that nation had sun baths on the roofs of their dwellings. Sun- shine is as necessary to robust, vigorous health as either air or water. Then seize the full en- Practical Hygiene 89 joyment of it whenever opportunity offers ! It is a stimulant and tonic that has no superior. For nervous debility and insomnia the treat- ment of all others is rest in sunshine. Draw the bed to the window and let the patient lie in the sun for hours. There is no tonic like it pro- vided the good effects are not neutralized by ill-feeling. To restore a withered arm, a palsied or rheumatic limb, or to bring a case of nervous prostration up speedily, a most efficient part of the treatment would be to expose the limb or the person as many hours to direct sunlight as the day would afford. With weak lungs let the sun fall on the chest for hours. If internal tumor or ulceration is suspected, let the sun burn through the bare skin directly on the point of disease for hours daily. There will be no doubt left in the mind that there is a curative power in the chemical rays of the sun. Women especially need to make systematic trial of the sun's healing and rejuvenating rays. The woman who wants a cheek like a rose should pull her sofa pillows into the window and let the sun blaze first on one cheek and then on the other, and she will gain color war- ranted not to wash off. 90 The Royal Road to Health. Thus it will be seen that the curative proper- ties of sunlight are in nowise overestimated, but in cases of sickness its beneficial action is purely supplementary. The system must first be thoroughly cleansed by "flushing the colon," then, the ground work of improvement being laid, Fresh Air and Sunlight will prove them- selves worthy and efficient colleagues in the task of restoring health. Singly, each is of intrinsic value, but inade- quate to cope with disease single-handed (al- though they may mitigate it), but combined they form a Trinity so powerful that disease can never successfully oppose them, Exercise 91 PART V. E XERCISE . Motion is life. The health of both body and mind depend upon it. Inaction means stagna- tion, a condition fatal to health. Hence the necessity of exercise. As before stated, disuse is as fatal to a piece of machinery as excessive use; in fact, it is far more likely to rust out than to wear out. Activity is essential to life and health, and can never be prejudicial, pro- vided that moderation is observed and the mus- cular system not strained or overworked. There are thousands of miles of minute tub- ing in the human body the arterioles, veins, capillaries and lymphatic vessels. They ramify through every portion of the body tissues, the first carrying the vitalized blood for nourish- ment of the parts, the second returning the im- pure blood, charged with the waste of the struc- tures, the third being the intermediate stage 92 The Royal Road to Haelth between the first and second, while the fourth and last, the lymphatic vessels, collect the sur- plus nutrition and return it to the circulation. In addition the lymphatics assist in the con- veyance of effete matter. Whenever disease germs are present in the system, they first manifest themselves in the lymph, but this fluid, being densely populated with phagocyctes (white blood corpuscles), the micro-organisms are speedily destroyed, if the body is in a healthy, vigorous condition. In view of the vital character of the fluids, activity of motion is indispensable for the best performance of their separate functions, and exercise supplies the desired stimulus. When- ever a muscle is contracted the blood is wholly or partially expelled from it proportionately to the force of the contraction, and in its escape it carries with it the waste material ; but as soon as the muscle is relaxed fresh blood from the arterial supply re-enters the structure, bearing fresh nutrition. By a wise provision of Nature, the amount of nutrition supplied is always in excess of the waste products removed; that is, all things Exercise 93 being equal, so that the more exercise a part is subjected to the more nutrition it receives, This explains the unusual development of cer- tain parts of the body which are called into excessive use in certain occupations. The reason for this is perfectly simple, and may be expressed in two words unequal nutri- tion for the muscles that are unduly exercised appropriate the nutriment that should be equally distributed, so that the neglected mus- cles become weakened and stiff. Hence, any system of exercises designated to develop the body should be so arranged as to call into play every muscle in the individual, thus insuring harmonious development in every direction. Muscular activity has a most beneficial effect upon all the vital processes, digestion, assimi- lation and nutrition. The digestive powers work more briskly to prepare the needed nour- ishment, and the blood circulates more rapidly to carry the material for repair to the parts that need it, so that by moderate physical exercise, judiciously distributed, the whole body is built up and strengthened, and the result is a supple- ness of frame and a clearness of head that makes life indeed worth living. 94 The Royal Road to Health To the invalid it is, of course, idle to talk of active exercise, but there are certain forms of passive exercise accessible to such people. Mas- sage, for instance, which, judiciously adminis- tered, will do for the sick, in a modified degree, what active exercise does for the comparatively well. It will stimulate the circulation in the deeper tissues, and set the various fluids of the body moving in a beneficial manner. There is also a mild form of active exercise which may be practised by those who have the misfortune to be confined to bed, and that is by tensing the muscles ; such as clenching the hands and con- tracting the toes, also by gentle contraction of the arms and legs alternately. But one of the most important factors in quickening and stimulating the movement of the fluids is exercising the lungs, and that can be accomplished with a fair measure of success even by the bed-ridden. Every time the chest cavity is emptied by the expiration of the breath a partial vacuum is created which ex- erts a tremendous suction power. It is one of the principal forces concerned in the return of the venous blood to the heart, but it also exerts Exercise 95 a like effect upon the lymphatic current, hence deep breathing is a valuable exercise for those unable to take any other. In commencing the development of the body by any system of physical culture, the first and most important thing to do is to develop the lungs. Good lungs and good digestion go together. Before food can be assimilated it must undergo oxygenation, which is neither more nor less than chemical combustion. For this oxygen is necessary, which, uniting with the carbon of the food, results in oxidation, and as the amount of oxygen inhaled depends upon the capacity of the lungs, it will readily be seen how much depends upon those organs. We cannot inhale too much oxygen, while we can take too much food ; therefore, the greater the lung capacity the better the digestion, , How to Exorcise tha Lungs, 1. When in the open air, walk erect, head up, chin drawn in, shoulders thrown back, thoroughly inflate the lungs and retain the air for a second or two, then expel it gently, Prac- 96 The Royal Road to Health lice this several times a day, and if your em- ployment keeps you in, make time and go out. 2. The first thing in the morning and the last thing at night, when you have nothing on but your underclothing, stand with your back against the wall and fill the lungs to their ut- Fic. 1. most capacity, then retaining the breath gently tap the chest all over with the open hand. Do this regularly every morning and night, gently at first, but gradually increasing in the length of time for holding the breath and the force of the blows as the lungs grow stronger. 3. Stand upright, heels touching, toes Exercise 97 turned out. Place the hands on the hips as in Fig. 1, the fingers resting on the diaphragm, the thumbs in the soft part of the back. Now, inflate the lungs and force the air down into the lower back part of the lungs, forcing out the thumbs. Do this half a dozen times at first, gradually increasing the number. Wo- men seldom use this part of the lungs tight dresses and corsets prevent them. 4. While in the same position, fill the up- per part of the lungs full, then force the air down into the lower part of the lungs and back again by alternately contracting the upper and lower muscles of the chest. Do this repeatedly, for, besides being a good lung developer, it is an excellent exercise for the liver. 5. Stand erect, as in Fig. 2, the arms hang- ing close by the sides, then slowly raise the arms until they are in the same position as Fig. 2, at the same time gradually taking in a full breath until the lungs are completely filled, then, after holding the breath for a few seconds, gradually lower the arms, at the same time gradually expelling the breath. After doing this a few times while the lungs are 98 The Royal Road to Health full raise and lower the arms several times quickly. 6. Hold the arms straight out (see dotted lines in Fig. 2), then slowly throw them back FIG. 2. Fie. 3. behind you as far as possible, at the same time taking a full breath, then bring them slowly back to the front, as at first, expelling the breath while doing so. Do this several times, then fully inflate the lungs, and while hold- Exercise 99 ing the breath move the arms backward and forward, in the same way, but quickly. It is important to inflate and empty the lungs fully and completely during this exercise. CombiBatiea Lung and Muscle Exercises. 7. First rotate the right arm in a circle, as in dotted lines in Fig. 2, downward in front of you a few times, then reverse the move- ment. Next, thrust the shoulder back as far as it will go and rotate the arm in the same manner. Follow with the left arm in the same manner, then both alternately, but at the same time relax the arms completely, allowing them to become perfectly limp, at the same time filling and emptying the lungs completely. 8. Lie flat on the floor, face downward, with the elbows bent and the palms of the hands flat on the floor by the sides, body fully extended. Then, keeping the body perfectly rigid, raise it up by the muscles of the arms alone, until it only rests on the arms and toes, then lower the body gradually until the chest touches the floor, at the same time exercising 100 The Royal Road to Health the lungs to their fullest extent. This may be practiced on a bed or couch to commence with, and should be taken slowly at first, until it can be done half a dozen times without dis- comfort. 9, Stand as in Fig. 3, fill the lungs com- FIG. 4. pletely and force the air down into the lower part of the lungs, as in Exercise 3. Then, keeping the lower limbs perfectly stiff, with muscles tensed, bend the body forward from the middle of the trunk (see dotted lines in Fig. 3, in front) , and while doing this empty the lungs quickly. Then straighten up again, Exercise 101 at the same time filling the lungs. This should be repeated from 6 to 12 times. Then re- peat the operation, but bending backward in- stead of forward, paying careful attention to the emptying and filling of the lungs. Then, with the lungs full and breath retained, move the body backward and forward quickly sev- eral times. 10. Retaining the same position as in last exercise, move the upper part of the body to the right a few times, then a few times to the left, after each movement returning to the upright position. Then move in the same man- ner from right to left, alternately. By refer- ring to Fig. 4, you will readily understand the nature of these movements, which not only benefit the lungs, but impart grace and sup- pleness to the body. 11. Still retaining the attitude as shown in Fig. 4, press the arms and elbows forward as far as possible, at the same time expel- ling the breath; then press them backward as far as it is possible to force them, at the same time inflating the lungs to their fullest extent. 102 The Royal Road to Health Arm and Finger Exercises. Completely relax the muscles of the fingers and hands, letting the hands hang limply from the wrists, then shake them up and down from side to side, as if cracking a whip. Then ro- tate them from the wrists, as shown in Fig, 5. FIG. 5. These movements should all be made with great rapidity, the hands being rendered as near life- less as possible. Next, with the upper part of the arm held out at a right angle from the body, and the forearm hanging downward, completely relax the muscles of the elbow. Then shake and ro- Exercise 103 tate the whole of the forearm in the same man- ner as described for the hands. Shoulder and Arm Exercises. Allow the arms to hang by the side, now press the shoulder as far back as it will go, then as high as it will go, then forward as FIG. 6. FIG. 7, FIG. 8. far as it will go, and drop it again, then rotate it several times. Do the same with the left, then both together. Strike out with the right hand, tightly clenched, then the left, then both together. Repeat horizontally, right and left, then straight up overhead, then down by the sides. 104 The Royal Road to Health Exercises for the Neck. 14. If Figures 6, 7 and 8 are carefully studied, no explanation will be needed. The principal thing to be observed is to keep the body perfectly rigid and use the muscles of the neck only. It is a most valuable exercise and should be carefully and faithfully prac- ticed. FIG. 9. Hip and Leg Exercises. 15. Assume the position indicated in Fig. 4, but keep all the muscles of the body (with Exercise 105 the exception of the muscles of the hips) per- fectly rigid. Now, without bending the knees, bend the body forward as far as you can sev- eral times, then backward several times, then to each side successively. Make the bending movements several times in each direction, and be careful not to relax the muscles other than those of the hips ; and to conclude the exercise rotate the hips round and round. 1 6. Relax the muscles of the right leg, keep- ing all the other muscles firmly tensed. Then swing the leg from the hip joint, like a pen- dulum, backward and forward, as shown in Fig. 9. Try to do this without support, bal- anced on the one leg, as it materially assists in developing the muscles. Then repeat with the left leg. Next, relax the muscles of the leg from the knee downward, keeping the mus- cles of the thigh rigid, and swing the leg back- ward and forward from the knee only (see dotted lines in Fig. 10) , and increase the num- ber of movements each day, as the muscles gain strength and you gain experience. Figures 11 and 12 illustrate some excellent leg exercises, which bring into play certain 106 The Royal Road to Health FIG. 10. FIG. 11. FIG. 12. muscles which usually receive but little exer- cise, and may be practiced with great ad- vantage. Exercise 107 Ankle and Foot Exercises. 17. Stand upright, holding yourself firmly and stiffly, then raise yourself up and down on your toes. Whole Body Exercises. 1. Raise the arms above the head, along- side the ears, then bring them down with a steady sweep, without bending the knees, until the fingers touch the floor. Be sure to relax the muscles of the neck and allow the head to hang. 2. Place the hands upon the breast and drop the head backward, a little to one side, then bend the body backward as far as pos- sible. 3. Curve the right arm above the head, toward the left shoulder, and allow the weight of the body to rest on the left leg, the right foot being carried slightly outward. Allow the body to hang down as far as possible on the left side, without straining too much. Then reverse the movement. (See Fig. 13.) 108 The Royal Road to Health FIG. 13, Stretching Is quite a luxury, but few people know how to do it. Stand in the position indi- cated in Fig. 14. Then raise yourself on the tips of your toes and try your best to touch the ceiling. You will appreciate this exercise as a relaxation. FIG. Exercise The Art of Standing Properly. 109 Is only imperfectly understood by the ma- jority of people, and yet it is the key to a graceful carriage, an accomplishment that FIG. 15. FIG. 16. FIG. 17. most people desire to possess, especially ladies. Figures 15 and 16 will serve to illustrate what is necessary to acquire this art and to empha- 110 The Royal Road to Health size the difference between the correct and the incorrect methods. In the foregoing list of exercises we have carefully omitted all those requiring apparatus of any kind, selecting only such as can be prac- ticed in the privacy of your own room, with- out assistance from an instructor or parapher- nalia of any kind. Dumb bells, Indian clubs, etc., are valuable after a certain degree of mus- cular improvement has been attained, but when that point is reached we should advise the individual to join a gymnasium and practice further development under a competent in- structor. All the exercises given have been proved of great value in building up the system, and are designed as aids to the preservation of health and the upbuilding of weakly people not to develop trained athletes. These exercises bring into play a number of muscles that are not called into general use, and thus promote har- monious development gf the whole body. The Diet Question. Ill PART VI. THE DIET QUESTION. As we have already stated, the human sys- tem is in a state of constant change. Disin- tegration of tissue is taking place during every moment of existence, and the preservation of health depends upon the prompt elimination of waste material. But the destruction of tis- sue, due to the daily friction of life, must be made good, and this replacement of substance is effected by the food we eat. It becomes a matter of individual importance, therefore, to every individual to consider the question of eating from the rational standpoint. It is a grave mistake to suppose that it is necessary to eat a large quantity of food to become healthy and strong. The system only needs sufficient nourishment to repair the waste that has taken place. Besides, the digestive fluids are not secreted in an indefinite quan- 112 The Royal Road to Health tity, but in proportion to the immediate need. Hence, food taken in excess of requirements, being only partially digested, acts as a foreign substance; i. e., a poison, and in addition un- duly taxes the system to dispose of the unnec- essary waste. Instead of "eating to live," a large propor- tion of people simply "live to eat." But sooner or later Nature exacts the penalty for viola- tion of one of her cardinal laws, which is "tem- perance." An outraged stomach will not al- ways remain quiescent, and when the reaction comes, the offender realizes that "they who sow the wind shall reap the whirlwind." But people may, and do, continually do violence to the stomach, without being glut- tons we refer to the habit, so universally practiced in this country, of bolting the food without properly masticating it. So long as this iniquitous practice is persisted in, and the equally hurtful one of swallowing large quan- tities of liquids with the meals, and so long as sufficient time is not given the food to di- gest, just so long will you suffer from a dis- ordered stomach., It is a fact that the average The Diet Question 113 American considers eating an unprofitable in- terference with his business, without stopping to weigh the advantages of sound health against the almighty dollar. Strange, is it not, that a race, proverbial for having an eye to the main chance, should fail to recognize the financial wisdom of hus- banding their health, a factor so important in successful business enterprises 1 They might, with advantage, copy the example of John Bull in the matter of eating. The average Englishman regards his meals as a solemn responsibility, and tarries long at the table. The consequence is that with them dyspepsia is the exception and not, as with Americans, the rule. What to eat, when to eat and how to eat are questions more nearly involving the health and happiness of humanity than is generally rec- ognized, What to Eat. From the days of Pythagoras down to the present time it has been a moot question whether a vegetable or meat diet was best for 114 The Royal Royal to Health. man. Each side can present equally strong arguments; each can point to exceptional in- stances of physical development under the dif- ferent methods; each can point to ill results that follow rigid adherence to one method or the other, so that the natural inference would be that a happy mean between the two ex- tremes presents the only rational solution of the question. Even the most rabid partisan of the meat v diet will readily admit that the flesh of ani- mals is not indispensable to existence; while, on the other hand, the fact that the Indians in this country would subsist for months (with- out apparent discomfort) solely upon a diet of "pemmican" (dried buffalo flesh) affords ample proof that a meat diet is not without its advantages. Diet it largely a matter of latitude. The whale blubber diet of the Esquimaux would be impossible at the equator, while the fruit and pulse diet of the tropics would prove to- tally inadequate to support life at the North Pole. Nature always prompts the individual to select the articles of food best adapted to The Diet Question 115 his bodily needs, according to the climatic con- ditions; hence, when a man endeavors to live on the same dietary in the tropics that he has been accustomed to in the temperate zone, di- gestive disturbances are sure to follow. The writer does not claim to be an expert dietitian, but there are few spots on the hab- itable globe that he has not visited ; scarcely an edible article that he has not partaken of; scarcely a known species of human being that he has not eaten with, except the Patagonians and the Esquimaux; so that he is not entirely without experience, and it may be just pos- sible that practical experience thus gained may be as valuable as statistics compiled in an office from data collected from different sources. We often have the Eastern peoples (notably the Japanese and Hindoos) quoted as exam- ples of physical health and endurance, and the adoption of a vegetarian diet urged on those grounds; but these extremists seem to lose sight of the fact that these peoples are the descendants of vegetarians for centuries past; that they have inherited the tastes of their pro- genitors, and have evolved their present phy- 116 The Royal Road to Health. sical condition through a long period of devel- opment along those lines. To say nothing of the impracticability of suddenly converting a nation to the principles of vegetarianism, radi- cal changes abruptly undertaken are always productive of ill effects. It will help us to a proper understanding of the food question to consider right here what causes old age, or, rather, the physical signs of bodily infirmity that almost invariable accom- panies it. We are all familiar with the wrinkled body surface, the shrunken limbs and the stiff- ness of joints that particularly affect the aged, and are so accustomed to regard these outward manifestations of infirmity as inevitable, that few stop to inquire whether it is natural that this should be so. Undoubtedly, these are nat- ural effects, being the result of the operation of natura law, but if mankind lived more in har- money with Nature, these symptoms should not manifest themselves before the age of ninety or a hundred, if even then. What is termed old age is simply ossification (solidification of the tissues), and this is due to the constant deposition in the system of The Diet Question 117 earthy substances. The result of these de- posits bing retained in the system is: that there is an excess of mineral matter in the bone tissue, which renders it brittle, and accounts for the susceptibility to fracture in advanced life; it causes a change in the structure of all the blood vessels, great and small, thickening their walls and thus reducing their calibre and also rendering them brittle. With diminished capacity the blood vessels fail to convey the requisite nutrition to the tissues, and a general lowering of the vitality follows. The capillaries no longer supply the skin with its needed pabu- lum, hence it loses its elasticity and color grows yellow and forms in furrows. The cir- culations being sluggish, the deposition of these earthy substances in the neighborhood of the various joints and the muscular structures is facilitated, and we have the stiffness of joints and muscular pains that usually accompany age. The supply of bood to the brain and nerve sub- stance is curtailed in the same manner, and for lack of sustenance these structures commence to decay, which accounts for diminished mental activity and sensory impressions, As the pro- 118 The Royal Road to Health cess continues there may be almost complete obliteration of the capillaries, while the larger vessels may become so thickened that their capacity is sometimes reduced three-fifths. Then comes death. Then, since old age is due to the cause just described, it follows, as a perfectly logical de- duction, that if we can prevent the introduction of these substances into the system, or even check them, then the duration of life and preservation of function should be proportion- ately prolonged. What are these substances and whence are they obtained ? They consist of carbonate and phosphate of lime, principally, with small quantities of the sulphates of lime and mag- nesia, and a small percentage of other earthy matters. These substances are taken into the system in the food we eat and the water we drink, and it has been estimated that enough lime salts are taken into the system during an average lifetime to form a statue the size of the individual. Of course, the greater part is eliminated by the natural processes, but enough is retained to make ossification a formidable fact. The Diet Question 119 So great is the proportion of mineral sub- stance taken into the system in drinking water that it is safe to assert that, if after maturity was reached, only distilled or other absolutely pure water was partaken of, life would be pro- longed fully ten years. Up to the mature age it would be inadvisable, as the salts are necessary for bone formation. Good filtered rain water, or melted snow, are entirely free from mineral deposits, but if they have stood for any length of time it is advisable to boil them before using, to destroy any organic matter. But it is not in water alone that these per- nicious earthy matters are found. All food substances contain them to a greater or lesser extent. The order in which foods stand in the matter of freedom from earthy impurities is as follows: Fruits, fish, animal flesh (in- cluding eggs ) , vegetables, cereals ; so that the advocates of a strictly vegetable diet find them- selves confronted by the formidable fact that their mainstay is that class of foods that con- tain the largest proportion of those substances that hasten ossification. Ample proof is at hand that a strictly vegetable diet results in 120 The Royal Road to Health what is known as atheroma (chalky deposit), an affection of the arteries. Dr. Winckler, an enthusiastic food reformer, who wrote exten- sively on the subject under the nom de plume of Dr. Alanus, and practised a strict vegetarian diet for some years, was compelled to abandon it, on account of the above disease manifesting itself. Numerous similar cases were observed by Raymond, in a monastery of vegetarian friars, and among the poorer Hindoos, who live almost exclusively on rice, this trouble is of frequent occurrence. The reason of this is obvious. Vegetable food is richer in mineral salts than animal food, and consequently, more are introduced into the blood. There are exceptions, for in- stance, fruits, which are an ideal food, for sev- eral excellent reasons. To commence with, they contain less earthy matter than any other known organic substance ; they contain upward of 70 per cent, of the purest kind of distilled water distilled in Nature's laboratory; and distilled water is an admirable solvent, and is ready for immediate absorption into the blood, and, lastly, the starch of the fruit has, by the The Diet Question 121 sun's action, been converted into glucose, and is practically ready for assimilation. In point of nutritive value, fruits may be classed in order as follows : Dates, figs, bananas, prunes, apples, grapes. Bread has long been known as the "staff of life," and although it forms the main dietary staple for large numbers of people, that does not in any way prove its eligibility as an ar- ticle of food. We have seen that cereals con- tain a very large proportion of inorganic mat- ter (the mineral salts), and wheat is as richly endowed in this respect as any of its fellows. Wheat is rich in heat-producing qualities, which is due to the quantity of starch it contains. Now, this starch must be converted into glu- cose before the system can appropriate it, and as exhaustive experiments have shown that not more than four per cent, of the starch is con- verted by the ptyalin in the saliva, the prin- cipal work of dealing with the starch devolves upon the duodenum, or second stomach, the fluids of the main stomach having no action upon it. Now, this extra and unnecessary work fall- 122 The Royal Road to Health ing upon the duodenum entails a delay in the process of digestion, and a corresponding de- lay in assimilation, so a habit of intestinal in- activity is induced, and the seeds of constipa- tion are sown, because the starchy foods, being slow in giving up their nutritive elements, the refuse is proportionately backward in being eliminated. Fruits, on the contrary, although equally rich in heat producing qualities, yet on account of the previous natural transmutation of starch into glucose, are in a condition for immediate appropriation by the system, and consequently absorption of nutrition and elimi- nation of waste are equally prompt. This partially explains the aperient action of fruits, although there is a chemical reason also. For the reasons above stated, lightly baked bread should never be eaten; it should be toasted thoroughly brown first, by which the first step in the conversion of the starch is accomplished. Nuts are an excellent article of diet, as they contain a large percentage of proteid (muscle- forming) substance, and fats both in a state of almost absolute purity, but are somewhat deficient in starch. To those who feel that they The Diet Question 123 really cannot do without meat, nuts certainly offer the best substitute. There are prepara- tions of nuts on the markets now, called nut- meats, but our advice would be, to eat all nuts without preparation, only being careful to masticate them thoroughly. The peanut is the first in rank for nutritive value, next comes the chestnut, and thrid, the walnut. Our objection to nut-meats applies to all forms of concentrated foods, that is, that they do not give the digestive functions the proper amount of exercise. They do not afford suffi- cient opportunity for mastication, hence the food is not properly insalivated. And, again, in normal conditions, Nature demands a cer- tain amount of bulk, that the digestive organs may have something to contract upon. It is the nature of the muscular structures to grow if exercised, and there is no reason to doubt that the stomach and intestinal muscles respond to this stimulus. Bulk is especially necessary in the intestinal canal, to supply a certain amount of irritative stimulation, for the pur- pose of exciting peristalsis. That is one rea- son why whole wheat bread is preferable to 124 The Royal Road to Health, white, on account of the bran, which not only supplies the bulk, but favors elimination by its irritative action. Before proceeding any further we would call attention to the following table, showing the nutritive ingredients in food substances, and their several functions. The ingredients are classified in four divisions: 1, Proteids; 2, Fats; 3, Starches, or carbo-hydrates; 4, Min- eral matters. This is the main classification; but to enable it to be better understood, we subdivide it as follows : a. Albuminoids: e. g. albumen (white of egg); casein (curd) of milk; myosin, the basis of muscle (lean meat) ; gluten of wheat, etc. b. Gelatinoids: e. g. collagen of tendons; ossein of bones, which yield gelatin or Protein. } glue. (Meats and fish contain very small quantities of so-called "extractives." They include kreatin and allied com- pounds, and are the chief ingredients of beef-tea and meat extract. They contain nitrogen, and hence are com- monly classed with protein.) p at _ / e - g- fat of meat; fat (butter) of milk; olive \ oil; oil of corn, wheat, etc. Carbohydrates. -{ e. g. sugar, starch, cellulose (woody fibre). Mineral Matters ' / e ' * calcium phosphate or phosphate of rs ',t lime; sodium chloride (common salt). In this classification, water is not taken into The Diet Question 125 account, for the reason that it is not a true nutrient, although of vital importance to the body. Now, let us consider what ultimately becomes of these substances how Nature util- izes them in the physical economy. Protein is used to build up the solid tissues of the body, the muscles and tendons. It is also a source of nutrition for brain and nerve substance, and partially serves as fuel. Fats simply form fatty tissue and serve as fuel to maintain the heat of the body, by combustion or oxidation. Carbo-hydrates mainly serve as fuel, owing to the large percentage of carbon they contain, which readily unites with the oxygen. The mineral matters, which are also largely ob- tained from water, are employed in the forma- tion of bone, and are also utilized in the blood and in other ways. Thus we see that each constituent of the food substance fulfills a specific purpose, and the secret of a correct and nutritious diet lies in the selection of such foods as will furnish the proper proportion of each constituent to serve the purpose for which it is designed. Any deviation from this rule must of neces- 126 The Royal Road to Health sity result in digestive disturbance, more or less, and although one or two digressions from the path of correct alimentation may not re- sult in anything worse than a slight incon- venience, yet persistence in dietetic errors will inevitably terminate in physical demoraliza- tion. Authorities differ as to the actual propor- tion the nutritive ingredients should bear to each other in the daily ration; but after com- paring the statements advanced by different food experts, we think the following figures will represent a fair average of the various tables. The reader will see that 100 parts of carbo-hydrates is taken as the basis of cal- culation, the figures opposite the other ingredi- ents representing the proportion they should bear to the basic figure. Carbo-hydrates (carbonaceous material, starch, sugar, etc.), fat, and heat formers 100 parts Proteids (nitrogeneous material), muscle, tissue and brain formers 40 " Fats (animal fats, butter, etc.), fuel formers 32 " Mineral salts 6 " Water _._ 670 ' With the above table in mind, it will be easy to select foods that will furnish, when com- The Diet Question 127 bined, the proper proportion of each ingredient that is approximately, and to assist in the selection, we subjoin a condensed list of the more important articles of food, showing the percentage of each ingredient, as proved by analysis. We would call attention to the fact that animal foods may slightly differ in the ratio of the ingredients, owing to the food upon which the animal has been raised, and its phy- sical condition; and, owing to peculiarities of soil, vegetable foods may differ in like man- ner, but for practical purposes it will be found sufficiently correct. IN 100 PARTS. Proteids. Starches. Fats. Salts. Lean Beef 20.2 0.0 3.6 2.0 Fat 16.9 0.0 20.0 3.1 Mutton 17.1 0.0 5.7 1.3 Veal 18.8 0.0 4.4 0.5 Pork 14.5 0.0 37.3 0.8 Poultry 21.0 0.0 3.8 1.2 Smoked Ham 24.0 0.0 36.5 10.1 Mackerel __ 23.5 0.0 6.7 1.0 Cod _ 27.0 0.0 0.3 22.0 White of Egg. 20.4 0.0 0.0 1.6 Yolk of Egg __ 16.0 0.0 30.7 1.3 Cow's Milk 4.2 4.5 3.7 0.7 Cheese . 28.0 1.0 23.0 7.0 Butter __ 2.0 1.0 85.0 1.0 Cabbage 5.0 7.8 0.5 1.2 Asparagus 1.9 2.7 0.2 0.5 128 The Royal Road to Health. Proteids. Starches. Fats. Sugar. Mushrooms 2.5 4.7 0.2 0.7 Potato 2.2 21.8 0.2 1.0 Sweet Potato 1.0 25.2 0.2 2.7 Celery 1.5 0.8 0.4 0.8 French Beans 23.7 55.6 2.2 3.7 Lima Beans 21.9 60.0 1.9 2.9 Green Peas 6.3 12.0 0.5 0.8 Lentils 24.8 54.7 1.8 2.4 Wheat Flour 11.6 71.0 1.3 1.6 Barley Flour. _ 10.5 66.7 2.4 2.6 Oatmeal 12.8 65.6 5.6 3.6 Lentil Flour 25.4 57.3 1.8 2.6 Arrowroot _ 0.8 83.5 0.0 0.8 Chestnut' .._ __ 14.6 60.0 2.4 3.3 Sweet Almond 23.5 7.8 63.0 3.0 Peanut 28.3 1.8 46.2 3.3 Walunt _. 15.8 13.0 57.4 2.0 Apple 0.4 7.2 0.0 0.5 Cherry 0.7 10.2 0.0 0.7 Grape 0.6 14.2 0.0 0.5 Banana 4.9 19.2 0.6 1.1 Dates 6.6 54.0 0.2 1.6 Figs 6.1 60.5 0.9 2.3 Honey 0.8 74.6 0.9 0.2 Since the elements are seldom, if ever, found in the proper proportion in any food sub- stances, it becomes necessary to exercise judg- ment in selecting them, so that something like a well-balanced diet may be obtained; so as a further aid to enable the reader to make his selection judiciously, we would call attention to Table A on page 129 and Table B on page 130. Table A shows the proportion of various foods that is ordinarily digested, while Table B The Diet Question 129 points out the time required for different arti- cles of food to digest. TABLE A. Showing the relative digestibility of various foods. D rotein Fats Carbo- lydrates Mineral Matters JS OS jj iS 9 M 5 j iS '-3 03 - 6C 'S C p iS '-3 o> M 5 __ iS '-3 m tc '