How long ought every boy and girl to live? What is said of death from old age?What is necessary to secure long life? Are these laws simple? What mistake is made by many people?
What should be one of the first things for boys and girls to learn? What will such knowledge save them?
What do children do? What, therefore, should they try to learn?
Is it a hard study? What is the most wonderful machine in the world? What is your duty?
What is Anatomy? Physiology? Hygiene, or Good Health?
CHAPTER II CLEANLINESS. BATHING
The skin is composed of two layers, the outer or scarf skin and the inner or true skin. The outer is continually wearing out and falls from the body in fine scales. The skin is pierced by thousands upon thousands of pores, or tiny openings, through which a large part of the waste of the body passes. If these pores are allowed to become clogged by want of cleanliness, the waste matter enters the blood and may cause disease and death.
The way to keep the pores open is by bathing or cleanliness. When the weather is cold, you should bathe at least once a week at home. The water should be moderately cold. After bathing, rub yourself from head to foot with a coarse towel until the skin becomes warm and red. Then dress quickly and do not go out-of-doors for half an hour.
During summer it is well to bathe every day. Salt water is better than fresh. Boys are fond of bathing and are inclined to spend too much time in the water.
Avoid stagnant or impure water. Running streams, ponds into and from which water continually flows, creeks, rivers, lakes, and the ocean afford good bathing.
Do not bathe when the body is overheated or you are perspiring freely, or within two hours of breakfast, dinner or supper. Stay in as long as it is pleasant, but come out before you begin to feel chilly.
In entering, it is best to plunge at once under the surface. If you walk slowly, as many timid people do, until the water gradually reaches your neck, you leave the brain heated too long. It ought to be cooled at the first.
After bathing, rub your body dry and dress without delay. Do not lounge on the shore in your bathing dress. If you do, the body becomes chilled, and ill results are likely to follow.
What is one of the first things to remember?Of what is the skin composed? What is said of the outer skin? What of the pores? What follows if the pores are allowed to become clogged?
How can the pores be kept open? Describe how one should bathe when the weather is cold?
How often is it well to bathe during summer?
Which, is the better, fresh or salt water? What are boys apt to do?
What should be avoided? What affords good bathing?
When should you avoid bathing? How long ought you to remain in the water?
What is the best manner of entering the water? Why?
What should be done after bathing? What should you avoid? Why?
CHAPTER III DRINKING
diseases of the body are caused by what we take into our stomachs. You can see, therefore, how important it is that we should know what and how to eat and drink.
No doubt it would be better for all if only water was drunk, but it cannot be said that a temperate use of tea, coffee or chocolate and what are known as temperance drinks, are injurious. Milk is a drink of nature, and therefore excellent, though it does not agree with every person.
Nearly every one drinks too much. If you are thirsty, you fill a tumbler and drink its contents and sometimes take even more than that. Now if instead of doing so, you sip the water slowly, your thirst will be gone before half the water is consumed.
An hour or two after a hearty meal, you may feel a slight degree of thirst. This is caused by the digestion going on in the stomach. If you drink, you will soon be thirsty again and will be forced to drink often through the day; but, if you refrain, at first, the thirst will soon depart and will not return for hours.
During warm weather, or when perspiring from exercise, you need more water than at other times. Even if very cold, it will do no harm, if slowly sipped. Many people learn to like warm water, which is more healthful than cold.
Very hot and very cold drinks are hurtful, but much of the ill effects may be averted by sipping them as I have already advised. Few will believe until they make the test, how little water is needed through the day. The less we take the more comfortable will we feel.
How are many diseases caused? What, therefore, is important?What have you to say about tea, coffee, and chocolate?
What of a temperate use of those and of temperance drinks? Of milk?
What have you to say of the habit of drinking while eating?
What does nearly every one do? What is the best way to drink water?
What should be done when slightly thirsty an hour or two after a meal?
When do you need more water than at other times? In what manner may very cold water be drunk without harm? What of warm water?
What is said of soda water, lemonade, etc.? What of water?
What of very hot and cold drinks? What will be the effect if we drink only a small quantity of water?