78

CLEANLINESS.

I

J

Intoxication is peculiarly hurtful to young persons. It heats theirblood, impairs their strength, and obstructs their growth; besides,the frequent use of strong liquors in the early part of life destroysany benefit that might arise from them afterwards. Those whomake a practice of drinking generous liquors when young, cannotexpect to reap any benefit from them as a cordial in the decline oflife.

Drunkenness is not only in itself a most abominable vice, but it is aninducement to many others. There is hardly any crime so horridthat the drunkard will not perpetrate for the love of liquor. Wehave known mothers sell their children's clothes, the food that theyshould have eat, and afterwards even the infants themselves, in or-der to purchase the accursed draught.

It is of the utmost importance to check the first propensities to glut-tony and intoxication, or they soo?i become uncontrollable. With re-spect to eating, the stomach, being often put upon the full stretch,feels uneasiness from the least vacuity, and acquires by degrees asort, of unnatural craving, the gratification» of which are sure to beattended with a stupor, debility, and disease.

The same remarle is applicable to drinking, lifter frequent indul-gence in excess, the smallest self-denial causes a faintness and de-pression of spirits, which nothing can remove but the favouritedram or pretended cordial. Nay more, the repetition of the lastnight's debauch is looked upon as the best remedy for the sicknersof the ensuing day. Mild diluting'liquors are rejected as insipid,and some hot stimulant is required for the paiate and stomach,without, considering, that by such means the action of the heartand arteries is stimulated also ; that the lungs are inflamed ; andthe whole system is relaxed and enfeebled.

CHAP. IX.

CLEANLINESS.

The want of cleanliness is a fault which admits of no excuse.Where water can be had for nothing, it is surely in the power ofevery person to be clean. The continual discharge from our bod-ies by perspiration, renders frequent change of apparel necessary.Changing apparel greatly promotes the secretion from the skin, sonecessary for health. When that matter which ought to be carriedoff by perspiration is either retained in the body or re-absorbedfrom dirty clothes, it must occasion diseases.

Diseases of the skin are chiefly owing to want of cleanliness* They

pan. ui nie I^nyu&ii, Yvu nop« IL will suun ue u;uiism.u iiuiu evciy p<u l ui Lins island.

* Mr. Pott, in his surgical observations, was the first to notice a disease which hecalled the chimney-sweeper's cancer, now well known, as it is almost peculiar to thatunhappy set of people, and of which he has left us a concise and accurate history.