A 
PRIMER OF HEALTH 
for sHraari? Classes 
WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE 
TO THE EFFECTS OF ALCOHOLIC DRINKS AND TOBACCO 
UPON THE HUMAN SYSTEM 
CHARLES H. JSTOWELL, M.D. 
LATE PROFESSOR OF HISTOLOGY AND MICROSCOPY, AND ASSISTANT PROFESSOR 
OF PHYSIOLOGY, UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN. 
AUTHOR OF STUDENT’S MANUAL OF HISTOLOGY; MICROSCOPICAL DIAGNOSIS; THE STRUCTURE OP 
TEETH ; A HEALTHY BODY ; THE ESSENTIALS OF HEALTH, ETC. 
LATE EDITOR OF “ THE MICROSCOPE ” ; EDITOR OF u THE NATIONAL 
MEDICAL REVIEW.” 
FULLY ILLUSTRATED 
WITH ORIGINAL SKETCHES BY THE AUTHOR 
SILVER, BURDETT & COMPANY 
New York . . . BOSTON . . . Chicago 
1894 indorsement* 
have examined the school text-hook, entitled “A Primer 
of Health,” by Doctor Charles H. Stowell. 
As it faithfully teaches the nature of alcoholic drinks and 
other narcotics in connection with relative physiology and 
hygiene, and in language well adapted to grade, we heartily 
commend and indorse it for Primary Grade pupils or schools. 
MAIIY 11. HUNT, 
National and International Sv.pt. Dept, of Scientific Instruction 
of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union. 
Albert H. Plumb, D.D., i 
Daniel Dorchester, D.D., Advisory Board 
Hon. William E. Sheldon, United States of America. 
Rev. Joseph Cook, 
Copyright, 1892, 
By Silver, Burdett and Company 
Presswork by Berwick & Smith, 
Boston, U.S.A. PREFACE. 
This work is designed as a pupil’s book for 
use in the primary grades of schools, both public 
and private. It is so written that the subject- 
matter can be read and understood by pupils who 
are able to read well in the ordinary Second 
Reader, 
While stating in simple language some ele- 
mentary facts in anatomy and physiology, espe- 
cial attention has been given to rules for the 
preservation of health. 
A careful search for the cause of the physical 
ills of adult life reveals the fact that much of the 
suffering is the result of repeated violations of 
hygienic laws early in life. It is no mitigation 
of these ills that the laws are violated through 
ignorance ,• but the fact that most of the viola- 
tions occur from lack of knowledge furnishes a 
potent reason for training the young with great 
care. 
The mental and moral degeneracy of some of 
our young men can easily be traced to the early 4 
PREFACE. 
use of the cigarette and the light alcoholic drinks. 
If the coming generation is to be strong physi- 
cally, mentally, and morally, onr young people 
must learn to avoid the use of both tobacco and 
alcohol. 
That alcoholic beverages produce the most 
disastrous effects on individuals and communities 
is fairly well understood, but the evils of the 
tobacco habit are greatly underrated. Tobacco 
is a positive and most deadly poison to the young 
boy. It may not deprive him of his life, but the 
testimony is abundant and conclusive that it can 
warp and dwarf his mental and moral endow- 
ments. No boy wrho uses tobacco can hope to 
develop into a full and perfect manhood. 
By earnestly presenting the simple truths as 
laid down in the text of this little book, teachers 
can exert an influence for good which will be 
both valuable and permanent. The reward of 
such effort will be the highest, the development 
of a wiser, more temperate, and more moral 
people. 
CHARLES H. STOWELL. 
Washington, D. C., May, 1893. CONTENTS. 
CHAPTER 
I. Why we Eat 7 
11. Foods we should Eat 14 
111. How we Digest our Food 20 
IV. More about Digestion 26 
V. Is Alcohol a Food? 30 
VI. The Blood 35 
VII. The Heart and the Blood Vessels ... 39 
VIII. Alcohol, Tobacco, and the Heart ... 46 
IX. Breathing 50 
X. Fresh Air 58 
XI. Alcohol 62 
XII. The Alcoholic Liquors 68 
XIII. The Effects of Alcohol 74 
XIV. Tobacco 78 
XV. Reasons why Boys should not Smoke . . 83 
XVI. The Muscles 86 
XVII. Exercise 92 
XVIII. The Clothing .97 
PAGE 6 
CONTENTS. 
CHAPTER 
XIX. The Skin 103 
XX. The Bones 110 
XXI. The Skeleton and the Joints . . , . 113 
XXII. The Care of the Bones 121 
XXIII. The Brain, Spinal Cord, and Nerves . 126 
XXIV. The Sense of Sight 134 
XXV. Smell, Taste, Touch, and Hearing . . 138 
PAGE A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
CHAPTER I. 
WHY WE EAT. 
The bovs and girls who read this book 
•/ O 
are growing very fast. Only a few years 
ago they were quite small; yet we know 
that each year to come they expect to be 
much larger and stronger than they are 
now. 
What is it makes yon grow so fast % Is 
it the air you breathe ? No, not entirely; 
because you would soon starve if you had 
only the air. Is it the water you drink'? 
No; although water is necessary, yet you 
could not live on that alone. Let us study 
some of the plants, to see if we can find 
what it is that makes them grow. 
Can you tell why it is that a small, 
young tree in a few years will grow large 8 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
enough for yon to climb ? Would it grow 
if you should pull it up and place it on the 
floor in the house? Its branches would 
never be strong enough for you to fasten 
a swing around them, would they ? Do 
you think the plants in the flower garden 
would give you their beautiful flowers if 
you should pull them up by the roots ? 
No, indeed; they would soon lose their 
leaves and blossoms if they were so badly 
treated. 
We know that the trees and plants need 
something more than fresh air, water, and 
sunlight. They will surely die unless they 
are fastened to the soil in some way. How 
are they fastened to the soil ? 
Have you not often noticed how many 
roots there are to trees and plants? The 
large roots, with their little branches, go 
down deep into the earth and take from it 
something necessary to the life of the leaves 
and flowers above the ground. What do 
the little roots find? Food. What makes 
the trees and flowers grow? Food. What WHY WE EAT. 
9 
makes boys and girls grow to be strong 
men and women? Food. 
Do you think 
•/ 
it makes any dif- 
ference what kind 
of food is used'? 
Yes, you believe 
it must make a difference, because you have 
noticed some things about plants. Tell us, 
what is it you have seen'? Well, you say, 10 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
one person always lias his plants looking 
fresli and thrifty, while his next-door neigh- 
bor never has any luck with flowers. You 
are right when you tell us that one per- 
son knows what kind of food to give his 
plants, while the other does not. One 
knows what soil is best for certain plants, 
as well as how much sunlight and water 
are needed. 
Do yon think the dark, damp soil looks 
anything: like the beautiful white rose % 
Jo 
Yet in some way the roots of the rose- 
bush take food from the earth and change 
it, so that, the leaves are made to grow, 
and the flowers to bloom. 
You do not think your own body looks 
much like the food you eat, do you ] Yet 
we know that our food becomes changed, in 
some way, into all the different parts of 
the body. 
We have' been telling how the food 
makes the body grow; but it does more. 
Just think a moment. A full-grown per- 
son is never any taller, and he may never WHY WE EAT. 
11 
be more fleshy, yet he eats heartily three 
times each day. Why does he eat this 
food if he does not grow ? 
We will let you answer this question 
after we ask another. While you were 
waiting at the depot, did you ever see an 
engine as it stands, puffing, puffing? No- 12 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
tice how the engineer oils the joints and 
polishes the brass trimmings. Yet, sooner 
or later, this great machine will wear out. 
It began to wear the very first time it 
moved; and now, every little while, the 
engineer is obliged to take away some 
badly worn piece and put a new one in its 
place. The engine wears out, and has to 
be repaired. 
It is so with our bodies; they are con- 
stantly wearing out. Every slight motion 
of the body causes a small amount of wear; 
while such active work as running and 
jumping causes the body to wear out much 
faster. 
Some one asks, If this be true, why do 
we not all waste away % Because the body 
is repaired. The food we eat is changed 
into the parts of the body that are wearing 
out. In answer to our question, Why do 
we eat % you are now ready to answer: Be- 
cause the food keeps the body in repair, so 
that it will not waste away, and because it 
makes the bodies of young people grow. WHY WE EAT. 
13 
The boys and girls for us are those who, 
as they grow larger and older in body, grow 
purer and truer in heart. 
u I am looking for boys that are strong and true, 
Boys that have courage to dare and do. 
Does that mean you ? and you ? and you ? 
“ I am looking for girls that are strong and true, 
Girls that have courage to dare and do. 
Does that mean you ? and you ? and you I ” 
QUESTIONS. 
1. Are you growing very fast? 
2. Does the air alone make you grow? 
3. Is it the water you drink ? 
4. Would a tree grow if placed on the floor ? 
5. If you pull plants up by the roots, what happens ? 
6. Name three things plants need. 
7. Are these all ? 
8. What more is necessary ? 
9. How are they fastened to the soil ? 
10. What do the roots find ? 
11. Why do some plants look fresher than others? 
12. Into what is our food changed ? 
13. What is said about a steam engine ? 
14. What keeps our bodies from wasting away ? 
15. Give two reasons why we need to eat. 
16. Can you repeat the verses on this page ? 14 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
CHAPTER 11. 
FOODS WE SHOULD EAT. 
If food becomes changed into our own 
bodies, do you not think we should be very 
careful what we eat ? Now the best foods 
are not always the most expensive ; indeed, 
some of them are the cheapest. 
What is one of the best foods'? You all 
know the answer: milk. A better food 
cannot be imagined. Children live on it for 
years, and many grown people use it freely. 
It is a much better food for young people 
than meat; and it is a far better drink than 
tea or coffee. We wish every boy and girl 
could have a large glass of it three times 
a day. 
Can you think of another food that is 
used very generally ] A food nearly as 
valuable as milk'? Yes, indeed; bread and 
butter. Eggs are valuable, only they 
should not be cooked too hard. Beefsteak FOODS WE SHOULD EAT. 
15 
is the best meat. It should be broiled and 
served rare. Mutton is also a good food, 
but veal and pork are not so good. 
Is it best to eat much fruit? Nearly all 
the fruits are useful. They are pleasant to 
the taste, and they give an appetite for 
other foods. But you should always be 
careful not to eat either unripe or over- 
ripe fruit. There are some things of which 
you should eat very sparingly. You may 
guess the names of some of them, rich 
cakes and pies, heavy, rich puddings, hot 
bread, and pork. 
Did you ever hear of a boy or girl who 
did not like candy ? It really seems that 
the desire for sweet things is a natural one. 
For this reason, a proper amount of sugar 
should be used in the food. Ripe apples, 
peaches, grapes, and oranges are sweet, 
because they contain sugar. But if you 
do not have enough sugar in your food and 
in the fruit you eat, and you still desire 
something sweet, then you can make some 
home-made candy. You should remember, 16 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
however, that if you eat too much sugar, 
you may disturb the stomach and take 
away the appetite for good food. 
Do you know of anything that tastes 
better, when you are thirsty, than a glass of 
pure, cool water? Did you know that a 
person will die sooner without water than 
he will without food % What should we do 
without water % How eagerly the horse 
and the dog drink it! Notice how the 
birds bathe in it! Eyen the plants love 
it, for no matter how their leaves may 
droop in the hot sun, the evening dew or 
the brisk shower brings back to them all 
their freshness and beauty. 
About three-fourths of the weight of the 
body is water; so that if you weigh eighty 
pounds, nearly sixty pounds of it will be 
water. Now, when it forms so large a part 
of the body, it certainly must be very im- 
portant that only the purest and the best of 
water be used. 
We take a large amount of water with 
our food, but not enough to satisfy the FOODS WE SHOULD EAT. 
17 
thirst. We are obliged to take a great deal 
of water as drink. Yet we should never 
take iced water with our meals. It weakens 
the stomach and often causes illness. It is a 18 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
dangerous practice to drink a glass of ice- 
cold water when the body is overheated. 
Remember that cool water quenches the 
thirst better than ice-water, and that there 
is no danger in its moderate use. 
How many of you live in the country, or 
have been there on a visit, and have seen 
the cows and sheep come hurrying to 
answer the farmer’s call, hoping he may 
have some salt for them ? Watch how 
eagerly they eat it! It must be that these 
animals need the salt, or they would not be 
so anxious for it. We, too, need salt with 
our food. We would soon tire of many 
articles of food if no salt were added to 
them. 
Have you ever noticed how hard bone is 1 
What makes it so much harder than the 
flesh around it % Because it is made larmdv 
of lime. When the body is growing, the 
bones must be fed with lime. Where can 
you get this lime'? You do not add it to 
the food as salt is added, and yet you must 
have a great deal of it. This is the way it FOODS WE SHOULD EAT. 
19 
is obtained. The growing grass and the 
grain take the lime from the soil. How do 
you get it from the grass 1 The cows eat 
the grass and change some of it into milk, 
and when you drink the milk yon get the 
lime. How do yon obtain the lime from 
the grains ? By grinding the wheat into 
flour and making the flour into bread. 
When there is not enough lime in the 
body the bones are soft and easily bent. 
The teeth also are soft and very liable to 
decay. Therefore, when the body is young 
and growing rapidly it should be supplied 
with plenty of this substance. We have 
now given you another reason why bread 
and milk are so useful for young people. 
QUESTIONS. 
1. Name one of the best foods. 
2. Name some other good foods. 
3. What is said about eating fruit? 
4. Is water an important food ? 
5. Tell some things said about drinking water. 
6. Do we need salt in our food? 
7. How do we obtain lime for a food ? 20 
A PRIMER OE HEALTH. 
CHAPTER 111. 
HOW WE DIGEST OUR FOOD. 
Let ns sit down together for a good 
dinner. We will begin the meal with some 
peaches, oranges, or grapes, because fruit 
is best if eaten before the meal. The juices 
of these fruits will help to quench our 
thirst, and will give us an appetite for the 
good things coming. 
Now, what meat will you take ? We 
have beef and mutton. You can have 
eggs, if you prefer. We have no pork, 
because if used at all, it should be used 
only by those who work hard and are very 
strong and hearty. You can have the beef 
or mutton either broiled or roasted. We 
do not fry them, because frying makes 
them so hard and greasy. 
What vegetables will you have? There 
is a long list from which we might choose, 
but we will be satisfied to give you some HOW WE DIGEST OUR FOOD. 
21 
potatoes, thoroughly cooked; tomatoes, raw 
or cooked; and some rice that has been 
cooked a long time until it is very soft. 
Would you like some hot bread1? Well, 
you cannot get it at our table, because, 
when fresh and hot, it often causes trouble 
with the stomach. But eat heartily of 
our cold bread and fresh butter. It is a 
valuable food, and very pleasant to the 
taste. 
Just a little salt, did you say? Yes, a 
trifle, enough to give a good flavor to 
the food. Not any pepper, or at least 
you must be satisfied with very, very little. 
Too many spices, as pepper, cloves, and 
cinnamon, are not good for the stomach. 
What will you have to quench your 
thirst ? Hot tea or coffee ? Iced tea or 
cold lemonade? No, indeed, none of these; 
for very hot and very cold drinks, especially 
at meal-time, are injurious. Then, too, nei- 
ther tea nor coffee is good for the grow- 
ing body. So we will bring you a glass of 
cool water and another glass of milk; or if 22 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
you prefer, you can take the second glass of 
milk in place of the meat. 
Are you already anxious for your dessert? 
We fear you will be disappointed, for all we 
have is some boiled custard. Some days 
we have light puddings, but we do not 
believe much in rich pastries. 
There are other good articles of food, as 
oysters, chicken, turkey, celery, and cooked 
fruits. But pork, sausage, salt meats, lob- 
sters, cucumbers, and pickles we would 
rather not pass to you. 
Now that our dinner is ready, let us begin 
to eat slowly and chat pleasantly. As soon 
as you place some solid food in the mouth 
and begin to chew, notice what happens! 
The mouth becomes filled with a juice which 
moistens and mixes with the food so that 
it can be swallowed easily. This juice is 
called the saliva. 
Why did you chew the solid food? Why 
not swallow it in large pieces instead of 
crushing and grinding it with the teeth ? 
Because the solid food must be in small HOW WE DIGEST OUR FOOD. 
23 
pieces when it reaches the stomach, or there 
is danger that the stomach will not do its 
work well. One of the most common causes 
of stomach trouble is that the food is not 
chewed as fine as it should be. 
Can you tell how many teeth there are in 
the first set ? Just ten in each jaw. But at 
Fig. 4. Teeth from the second or permanent set. 1, a front tooth; 2, an 
eye-tooth; 3, hack teeth from the lower jaw; 4, back teeth from the upper jaw. 
five or six years of age these begin to fall 
out, or are pulled, and the second set ap- 
pears. When we have all the teeth of the 
second set, there are sixteen in each jaw. 
Some of the teeth, as the front teeth, are 
sharp for cutting, while others, as the back 
teeth, are for grinding and crushing. 
Did you ever have a tooth pulled, or suf- 
fer from the toothache? Not very much 
sport, wras it? We should try to keep our A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
second teeth with us all our lives. A few 
simple rules may aid us iu doing this: 
1. Do not crack nuts between the teeth. 
2. Do not pick them with any hard sub- 
stance, as a pin. 
3. Clean them with a soft brush, at least 
once each day. 
4. As soon as a cavity appears, or if a 
tooth aches, consult a dentist. 
If the bread you are eating is a little dry, 
do not wash it down with a large quantity 
of water. Eat more slowly and take but 
little water. A single glass of water should 
be enough for any one meal. If that is not 
enough drink for the warmest weather, 
then you would better quench the thirst 
before going to the table, rather than wait 
until seated and then drink too much with 
the food. 
What follows after chewing the food ? It 
is swallowed, is it not? You never thought 
there was anything very curious about swal- 
lowing, did you? But there is something 
about it both curious and wonderful. You HOW WE DIGEST OUR FOOD. 
know there are two passages down the 
throat. Through one of these the air 
reaches the lungs. This passage you can 
feel at the front of the throat. It is called 
the windpipe. The other is farther back 
and is for the food to pass into the 
stomach. 
Now, why does not the food go down the 
windpipe and choke us? Because there is, 
over the top of the windpipe, a little lid. 
This lid opens when we breathe, and shuts 
down tightly when we swallow. Some- 
times the lid does not shut quite quick 
enough, and we are choked. You say you 
have swallowed something the wrong way. 
But this rarely happens. This little lid 
works so nicely that, when we swallow, the 
food goes directly down into the stomach. 
“ But more than all, I would be good, 
Sincere, and pure, and true; 
And as I eat my daily food, 
Grow wiser, would n’t you % ” 26 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
CHAPTER IV. 
MORE ABOUT DIGESTION. 
How do you suppose the stomach can 
take the solid food you had with your din- 
ner and change it, so that it will mix with 
the blood? First of all, the solid food will 
have to be 
softened, or 
dissolved, 
will it not? 
If it can be 
made as soft 
and thin as 
water, then 
it could sure- 
ly mix with 
the blood. 
Now that is just what the stomach is for. 
It dissolves the foods. How does it do 
this ? By means of a juice, called the 
gastric juice. As soon as the food reaches 
Fig. 5. The stomach. The front walls have been 
removed to show the lining membrane which makes 
the gastric juice. MORE ABOUT DIGESTION. 
27 
the stomach it mixes with this juice which 
the stomach makes. It is a very power- 
ful juice, for it dissolves the foods, and 
changes them, 
so that they can 
mix with the 
blood. This 
softening and 
changing of the 
food is called di- 
gestion. 
After the food 
has been digest- 
ed in the stom- 
ach it passes out 
into the intes- 
tines, where it 
meets with other 
juices. If you 
will look at Fig. 
6, you will see 
that the intestine is a long tube which is 
so coiled that it takes but little room. 
Tig. 6. (1) The stomach. Below this are 
the intestines. 
How do you suppose the digested food 28 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
passes from the intestines into the blood 1 
In this way: In the walls of the intestines 
are many blood vessels; and the food, which 
is now thin like water, soaks through the 
walls of these blood vessels and mixes with 
the blood. Yon will soon learn how the 
blood carries the food to all parts of the 
body. 
Let us see if you can give a review of 
this study on digestion : 
First, the food is chewed. Second, it is 
swallowed. Third, it mixes with the gastric 
juice. Fourth, it passes out into the intes- 
tines. Fifth, in the intestines it soaks 
through the walls of the blood vessels and 
mixes with the blood. 
From this study you can learn that it 
is not what we eat, but what we digest, 
that gives us health and strength. Young 
people are generally so healthy that they 
pay little attention to what they eat or 
drink. But they will not always enjoy 
this health if they repeatedly break certain 
laws. MORE ABOUT DIGESTION. 
29 
Do yon think yon conld keep well if yon 
should work all the time and never stop 
for rest ? Then how can yon expect your 
stomach to keep strong if you make it work 
constantly, as it must if yon eat between 
meals % 
Do not eat between meals. 
Do not eat in a hurry. 
Do not eat too rich food. 
Do not eat just before going to bed. 
Do not drink iced water nor iced tea 
with your meals. 
Do not drink or eat anything that has 
in it wine or any form of alcohol. 
Do not be fretful and cross. To a good 
appetite and perfect digestion, add cheerful- 
ness, and a pleasant word for all. 
QUESTIONS. 
1. What is the stomach for? 
2. What does the gastric juice do? 
3. How does the digested food pass into the blood? 
4. Give a review of the study on digestion? 
5. What can you learn from this study? 
6. Should you work all the time and never rest? 
7. Ought your stomach to have rest also? 
8. What does the lesson say you should not do? 30 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
CHAPTER V. 
IS ALCOHOL A FOOD? 
We have learned that if we wish to 
keep strong, the stomach must do its work 
well. 
But there are many things that harm 
the stomach. Eating unripe fruit, and too 
much rich food, often cause pain and severe 
stomach trouble. In fact, we have known 
persons to be very ill from drinking iced 
water when they were over-heated. Most 
of you are probably very fond of ice cream, 
yet if you eat too heartily of it you may 
suffer severely. These facts teach us that 
we must be temperate in all things. 
Now there is one kind of drink which 
is not good for the stomach. It makes 
the inside of the stomach red, or inflamed, 
and the gastric juice cannot digest the 
food as it should. What is this drink ? 
We call it strong drink. By strong drink, IS ALCOHOL A FOOD ? 
31 
we mean any drink containing alcohol, as 
cider, wine, whiskey, brandy, and beer. 
Some people never take enough wine to 
get intoxicated, but they drink a glass or 
two with each meal. If we should ask 
one of them why he does so, he would 
probably reply that he drank it to help his 
stomach digest the food. He may have 
some trouble with his stomach, and thinks 
the strong drink will help him. What a 
great mistake is this! If such people would 
throw away all kinds of drink containing 
alcohol, eat plain, simple food only, and 
live rightly in other ways, it is probable 
the trouble with their stomachs would 
soon pass away. 
Remember how the food you take into 
the stomach at last mixes with the blood, 
and is carried to all parts of the body. So 
it would be if you should put .beer or wine 
into the stomach; it would soon mix with 
the blood and be carried all over the body. 
But some persons say alcohol is a food. 
What do you think about it? If you were 32 
A PEIMEK OF HEALTH. 
hungry, would you rather have it than 
milk ? Do you think your body would 
grow, and keep strong and well if you 
should use it, instead of bread and meat? 
No, indeed. There is nothing in any of 
the strong drinks equal to the meats and 
vegetables which are used as foods. We 
know that alcohol is not a food. 
Then is it good to quench the thirst ? 
No, because one drink of it has the power 
to make us desire another. 
But some boy says he has noticed that 
the men who sell beer, and who probably 
drink a good deal of it themselves, are 
almost always very fleshy. Now, he says, 
if it makes men fleshy, is it not a good 
food? We answer, No; because it is not 
fat that makes a man strong; it is muscle. 
Very fleshy persons are not usually so well 
as those who are not so fleshy. Strong per- 
sons try, by exercise and hard training, to 
get rid of their fat, and make their muscles 
hard. Now what is the trouble with the 
man who is made fleshy by drinking beer ? IS ALCOHOL A FOOD? 
33 
His muscles are changing to fat, and he is 
not strong. There is so much fat that he 
cannot exercise well, and his stomach gets 
out of order. His heart grows weak, be- 
cause there is fat in its walls. He gets 
out of breath easily, and suffers much 
from a diseased heart. 
Now which do you prefer,—sound, hard 
muscles or soft, fatty muscles'? A healthy 
heart or a fatty, diseased heart ? Strong 
muscles and a sound heart are not often 
found in a body made fleshy by drinking 
beer. 
Look at Fig. 13 and see what a large 
organ is the liver. It is called an organ, 
because it has some special work to do. 
For this reason we call the eye the organ of 
sight, and the ear the organ of hearing. 
Now the work of the liver is very impor- 
tant. If it does not do its work well, the 
whole body is made to suffer. Yet you 
must remember that the liver is one of the 
first parts of the body to be injured by 
the use of strong drink. 34 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
Can yon tell us how we may all escape 
the bad effects of strong drink Only one 
sure way. Never take the first glass. 
TOBACCO AND DIGESTION. 
A great many persons say they are 
obliged to smoke after eating, for if they 
do not, they fear they will have some 
trouble with their stomachs. This is a 
very weak excuse, for the use of the to- 
bacco itself often disturbs the digestion of 
the food. So smoking only makes a bad 
matter worse. A much better thing for 
these persons would be to stop using to- 
bacco altogether. But we can give better 
advice than this, and so can you. What 
is it ] Never begin to use tobacco. 
TEA AND COFFEE. 
If boys and girls expect to keep in sound 
health, they must not form the habit of 
using tea or coffee. Nothing can take the 
place of cool water and pure milk. THE BLOOD. 
35 
CHAPTER VI. 
THE BLOOD. 
Were you ever out in the woods where 
«/ 
they make maple sitgar? If so, you know 
that a small hole is bored into the maple- 
tree, and from this there flows a clear fluid, 
which is called sap. This does not flow in 
a large stream, but only drop by drop. 
Now this sap is on its way from the tender 
roots of the tree to the little branches and 
leaves far above; it contains the food which 
makes the tree grow larger and taller. 
Some time when you walk out into the 
country, see if you can find a plant called 
the milkweed; if so, break a large stem of 
it and notice what a thick, white juice comes 
from the end. This juice contains the food 
which makes the plant grow. Suppose you 
prick the end of your finger with a needle, 
what happens'? A fluid appears, does it 36 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
not % This fluid is not clear, like the 
sap of the maple, nor white, like the juice 
of the milkweed, but it has a bright red 
color. What is the name of it % Blood. 
The blood contains the food that repairs 
the body and makes it grow. Do you think 
you could cut through 
the Hdn anywhere with- 
out causing the blood 
to flow ? No, indeed, 
for it is freely distrib- 
uted throughout the 
body. But there are a 
few places, as the hair, 
Fig. 7. Human blood, as seen 
with a microscope. 
the nails, and the outer part of the skin, in 
which there is no blood. 
The blood would look clear like water 
were it not for some very minute bodies. 
These little bodies are flat and round, yet 
so small that thousands and thousands of 
them could be placed side by side on the 
head of a pin. We know there are many 
millions of them in a single drop of blood. 
We often compare these little bodies to tiny THE BLOOD. 
37 
boats floating in the blood, carrying what is 
needed from one part of the body to an- 
other. The color of these bodies is what 
gives the color to the blood. In Fig. 7 yon 
can see how they look. Sometimes they 
make the blood appear a bright red color. 
Then again they make it much darker, 
nearly a purple color. 
Did you ever cut your finger so the blood 
flowed from it freely ? If the cut was not 
very bad, the blood stopped flowing of its 
own accord, did it not? Now what made 
the blood stop flowing? Why did it not 
keep running, as it did at first ? Because 
the blood that is on the outside of the ves- 
sels becomes thick and thus stops up the 
openings in the blood vessels. We say the 
blood clots. Think how often the lower 
animals would bleed to death from their 
injuries were it not for this clotting of the 
blood! 
Whenever the body is wounded in any 
way, the clotting of the blood can be aided 
by keeping quiet, and by pressing on the 38 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
wounded spot. Sometimes such large ves- 
sels are cut that it is necessary to call a 
surgeon. 
Have you ever noticed how pale some 
persons are when in poor health % Their 
blood is not as red as it should be, or per- 
haps there is not enough of it. We are 
always glad to see the red cheeks of the 
boys and girls when they come in from 
play. But how sad we feel when their 
pale faces show they are not in good health. 
Eemember this motto : 
GOOD POOD HELPS TO MAKE GOOD BLOOD. 
QUESTIONS. 
1. How is sap obtained? 
2. What does it contain? 
3. Tell something about the milkweed. 
4. Is the blood clear like the sap of the maple ? 
o. What color is it ? 
6. What does the blood contain ? 
7. Are there very many of these little bodies ? 
8. To what do we compare them ? 
9. What makes the blood stop flowing from a cut or wound? 
10. How can we aid the clotting of the blood ? THE HEART AND THE BLOOD VESSELS. 
39 
CHAPTER VII. 
THE HEART AND THE BLOOD VESSELS. 
Were yon ever at a fire, and did yon 
watch the engine as it sent the water 
through a tube to some distant building? 
What sends the water with such force 
against the burn- 
ing building? 
You answer: 
“ Why, the en- 
gine.” 
Now we will 
ask you what 
sends the blood 
to all parts of 
the body. You 
answer : “ It must 
be some great or powerful engine.” Yes, 
and the name of this engine is the heart. 
You can sometimes feel the beating of 
this engine by placing the hand over the 
left side of the chest. 
I'm. 8. The position of the heart. 40 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
The heart is a large hollow muscle. It 
is situated in the chest with the lungs. If 
you look at Fig. 8, you will have a good 
idea of the location of the heart. Did you 
know before that a good 
deal of the heart is di- 
rectly beneath the breast- 
bone 1 Some of it, 
even, is to the right 
of that bone; but 
the point of the 
heart is well over 
on the left side. 
Although the 
heart does so much 
work, yet it is not 
much larger than 
your closed fist. It 
is shaped somewhat 
Fig. 9. The heart, and the large 
blood vessels at its upper part. 
like a pear, with the small end down and to 
the left. The shape is well shown in Fig. 9. 
This figure also shows the large blood ves- 
sels through which the blood flows to and 
from the heart. THE HEART AND THE BLOOD VESSELS. 
41 
We said the heart is hollow, hut there 
is within it more than one cavity. In the 
first place a firm wall, or partition, divides 
the heart into two parts, making the right 
side and the left side of the heart. This 
wall is so complete 
that not a particle of 
blood can go directly 
from one side of the 
heart to the other. 
One of these days, 
you may learn how 
the large cavity on 
each side of the heart 
is divided into two 
cavities, so that re- 
ally there are four 
cavities in the heart, two for each side. But 
we will only ask you to remember now that 
there are two sides to the heart, and that 
the blood cannot go directly from one side 
to the other. 
Fig. 10. This illustrates the firm 
wall which divides the heart into two 
parts. The wall is shown by the line 
between the figures 2 and 8; 1 and 2 
make the right side of the heart, 3 and 
4 the left side. 
Yes, there is just one thing more we will 
ask you to remember. The right side of 42 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
the heart always contains the dark blood; 
and the left side, the bright red blood. 
Let ns look at the fire engine again. 
How does the wrater get into the engine ? 
By means of a pipe, which is fastened to 
the hydrant or placed in a cistern. How 
does the water leave the engine ? By 
means of another pipe. Now yon can tell 
us how the blood enters the engine of our 
bodies, the heart, and how it leaves again. 
It is by means of soft tubes, or pipes, called 
the blood vessels. 
The blood vessels carrying the blood to 
the heart are called veins, and those carry- 
ing the blood from the heart are called arte- 
ries. The arteries carry the bright blood, 
and the veins, the dark blood. The bright 
blood in the arteries is the purest and best. 
Are all the blood vessels of the same size? 
Most certainly not. Those nearest the heart 
are very large; but as we examine the vessels 
farther and farther from the heart, we notice 
that they become smaller and smaller. Fig. 
11 shows how one large artery starts from THE HEART AND THE BLOOD VESSELS. 
the heart, H, then, 
bending upon it- 
self, goes down the 
body by the side 
of the backbone. 
Notice, too, how 
it gives off many 
branches on its 
way. Some of 
these go to the 
head (1), carrying 
food to the brain; 
others go to the 
arms (2), taking 
food to the mus- 
cles ; while other 
large branches (8) 
go to the lower 
limbs. Now just 
imagine how, in 
this way, great 
numbers of little 
branches carry 
food to all parts 
of the body. 
Fig. 11. H, the heart; N, the neck; 
d, the lower part of the chest; A, the hips. 
The large hlood vessels carry blood to the 
following parts : 1, to the head; 2, to the 
arms; 3, to the lower limbs. 44 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
Have you ever been so ill that a physi- 
cian came to see you % And did he place 
his fingers on the thumb side of your wrist 
“to feel the pulse”? What was this for? 
Because the doctor wished to know how 
many times a minute the heart was beat- 
ing. Each time 
the heart beats 
it sends out 
some blood into 
the arteries, and 
this makes them 
swell out, or 
throb. All of 
the arteries throb 
in this way. You 
can very easily 
feel one throb, 
by gently pressing the fingers over the side 
of the neck. 
Fig. 13. A, a small artery ; c, small blood 
vessels (called capillaries), very much enlarged; 
v, a small vein. 
Look at Fig. 12 and notice how many 
times the artery, a, divides. It divides 
again and again until there is a perfect net- 
work of fine blood vessels, as shown at C. THE HEART AND THE BLOOD VESSELS. 
45 
Notice, too, how these small blood vessels 
come together again until quite a large vein, 
at Y, is formed. From this we learn that 
there is a fine network of small blood ves- 
sels throughout the body. The little blood 
vessels are so close together that it is im- 
possible to prick through the skin with the 
finest needle without wounding some of 
them and making the blood flow. 
Are you ready now to give us a brief 
review of this lesson ? First of all there is 
a little engine which we call the heart. 
When this is filled with blood it suddenly 
becomes smaller, pushing the bright blood 
through the arteries. This makes the arter- 
ies throb, or pulsate. The arteries take the 
blood to the veins, and the veins take it 
directly back to the heart. 
QUESTIONS. 
1. What sends the blood to all parts of the body? 
2. Give the location of the heart. 
3. What is said about its size and shape ? 
4. Tell about the cavities within the heart. 
5. Where do we find the dark blood ? The bright blood ? 
6. What blood vessels are called veins ? 
7. What blood vessels carry blood from the heart? 
8. Give a review of this lesson. 46 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
CHAPTER VIII. 
ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, AND THE HEART. 
Do you think you can control the beat- 
ing of your heart'? Suppose you sit clown 
quietly and try it. Command your heart to 
beat very fast, and then command it to beat 
slower. It will not obey you ; it beats on 
as steadily as the tick of the old clock. 
No matter whether we are sound asleep or 
wide awake, it still keeps steadily at work. 
Why does it not beat fast one minute and 
then very slow the next? What makes it 
keep beating away just so many times each 
minute? You sav there must be something: 
o 
controlling the heart. Yes, it is controlled 
by some little white, thread-like fibers which 
we call the nerves. If these nerves should 
lose their control over the heart, it would 
beat faster. Would any harm come from 
this ? Most certainly, for if the heart beats 
faster than necessary, it does so much extra 47 
ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, AND THE HEART. 
work, and this often causes it to become 
diseased. 
Now, it is a fact that strong drink, or 
the alcoholic liquors, affect these nerves so 
that they lose their complete power over 
the heart. What is the result of this ? 
The heart beats faster. 
Tell us which you think would be the 
easier: to walk or to run for a whole hour'? 
You answer, “Of course it is less tiresome 
to walk.” So it is less tiresome for the 
heart to beat a certain number of times 
each minute than to beat much faster. 
From this we learn that one effect of alco- 
holic liquors is to make the heart beat 
faster; and if this be long continued, it 
often causes disease of the heart. 
Do you remember what we said about 
beer making some people fleshy1? We said 
that the muscles become soft and filled 
with fat. Because the heart is a muscle, it, 
too, may become fatty from drinking beer. 
This makes it larger, and at the same time 
softer and weaker. Physicians call this dis- 48 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
ease “the fatty heart,” because there is so 
much fat in the muscle of the heart. At 
last the heart is so weak it cannot do its 
work, and suddenly death occurs. 
From this we learn that some alcoholic 
drinks may cause a disease of the heart 
which no physician can cure, and which 
may result in sudden death. 
Did you ever see a man who had used a 
great deal of strong drink for a number of 
years ? If so, you probably noticed that he 
had red eyes, red cheeks, and a red nose. 
What does this show ? That there is 
trouble with the blood vessels of these 
parts. There is too much blood in them. 
This alone proves the great power of alcohol 
to injure the body. 
. Is there no escape from the terrible effects 
of strong drink'? Yes, there is always one 
easy way of escape. Try it. Never take 
the first glass. 
Have you ever run or played so hard that 
you could scarcely get your breath ? If so, 
did you notice that your heart beat very ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, AND THE HEART. 
49 
fast and hard 1 Almost painful, was it not % 
Sometimes the heart will beat in this way 
when we are greatly frightened. This rapid 
and violent beating of the heart is called 
palpitation. 
Boys can easily have this palpitation of 
the heart, if they want it. They need not 
be frightened in order to have it, neither 
will they be obliged to run very hard. All 
they need to do, if they desire it and the 
severe pain that sometimes goes with it, will 
be to smoke cigarettes. 
Boys who smoke cigarettes often have 
these sudden attacks of rapid and violent 
action of the heart. The heart beats very 
fast, then slower, then faster again. There 
is sometimes a faint and sickening feeling, 
with sharp pain in the left side. The doc- 
tors call this an “ irritable heart,” or a “ to- 
bacco heart.” It may lead to very serious 
results. 
No boy can smoke cigarettes or use to- 
bacco in any form and expect to become a 
strong, healthy man. / 50 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
CHAPTER IX. 
BREATHING. 
Where did yon say we could find the 
bright red blood? Oh, yes, in the arteries. 
The arteries carry the bright blood to every 
part of the body. The blood gives np its 
food, as it flows along, to the parts that need 
it; and it takes in exchange the materials 
that are no longer usefnl. How does this 
blood flow back to the heart? Through the 
veins, does it not? But the blood in the 
veins is no longer of a bright red color; it is 
nearly a dark purple. Now the heart does 
not send this dark, impure blood through 
the body, but to the lungs. Here in the 
lungs the dark, impure blood is changed to 
bright, pure blood again. If the lungs, do 
all this work they must be very important. 
Let ns study them carefully. 
There are two lungs, one in each side of 
the chest. The outside of a lung is very 
smooth, so that it can move easily against BREATHING. 
51 
the walls of the chest; but the inside is full 
of holes, making it look somewhat like a 
sponge. 
Fig. 13. The position of the lungs, and other organs near them. 1, the 
windpipe; 3, the collar bone; 8, the ribs; 4, the lungs; 5, the heart; 6, 
the dark, curved line which forms the lower part of the chest (it is the same 
as shown at D, Fig. 11); 7, the liver ; 8, the stomach ; 9, the breastbone. 
You may think of a lung as made of a 
number of little sacs. These sacs are very 
elastic, as if they were rubber. They will 52 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
swell out, or expand, as they do when we 
breathe in the air; then they will become 
smaller, or contract, and push out the air. 
Fig. 14. The lungs; and the windpipe, which carries the air from the 
throat to the lungs. 
Suppose you take in a good full breath 
of air; see how your chest swells! Each breathing. 
53 
little air sac becomes filled with air, making 
the lungs larger. Now breathe out the air, 
and notice how the walls of the chest fall 
in. The little air sacs have contracted and 
pushed the air out. 
What is all this for ? Do you think the 
air you breathe out of your lungs is just 
the same as the air you breathe in? No, 
•/ ' 
indeed. Many things happened to the air 
when it was in the little air sacs. 
First of all, let ns tell you that there are 
many blood vessels in the lungs; they al- 
most cover the walls of each of the little 
air sacs. In breathing, the air comes so 
close to these blood vessels, that only the 
thinnest wall is between the air and the 
blood. 
Now look at the back of your hand, or at 
your wrist. Can you see any of the blue 
lines, called veins? In some persons they 
do not show, while in others they show 
clearly, and look very blue. Do you think 
these veins hold a blue fluid ? It certainly 
looks so. But the blood is not quite blue. 54 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
It is more nearly a dark purple; it certainly 
is not a bright red. Now, when you prick 
your finger, the blood looks red, does it 
not? What has changed it from a dark 
color to a bright red ? The air. Just as 
soon as the air touched the blood, it made 
it brighter. 
Does the air ever get very near the blood 
while the blood is in the body? Oh, yes. 
We just told you that in the lungs the air 
and the blood come very close together. 
Does the air in the lungs change the color 
of the blood ? Yes, indeed. Some of the 
air mixes with the blood and quickly 
changes its dark color to a bright red. 
From this we learn that the blood obtains 
fresh air in the lungs. Does it give any- 
thing in exchange for this air? Yes. It 
gives up many impurities gathered from all 
parts of the body. 
When we breathe out the air, these im- 
purities escape. If all this be true, do you 
think we should breathe the same air over 
and over again? BREATHING. 
55 
We will now review the lesson. Give 
two changes that occur in the blood when 
it is in the lungs. First, it obtains a supply 
of fresh air which changes its color; and 
second, many impurities escape from it. 
After the blood is thus purified, where does 
it go1? It flows back to the heart. 
Where does the heart send the pure, 
bright blood'? To every part of the body. 
Where does it send the impure, dark blood ? 
To the lungs. What are the lungs for? 
They give fresh air to the blood, and take 
impurities from it. 
Did you ever see a physician place his 
ear over the chest to find out whether 
the lungs were healthy or not? He is able 
to tell this, because when the air passes 
into and out of the lungs, it makes peculiar 
sounds. 
Do you think the lungs work all the 
time? You know we never stop breathing, 
not even at night. Yet, by watching your 
breathing, you will notice that there is 
a little time of rest between two breaths. 56 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
But the lungs work hard, and we should 
give them plenty of room and a good supply 
of fresh air. 
ALCOHOL AND THE LUNGS. 
We said, you remember, that the constant 
use of alcoholic liquors is likely to make 
the eyes, the nose, and the cheeks very red. 
The lungs are no exception to this; for 
strong drink causes too much blood to flow 
in their small blood vessels. This makes 
the person very liable to coughs and colds. 
In fact, all forms of lung trouble are more 
severe in those who use alcohol. 
Persons who have been chilled by bathing, 
or in some other way, often take some alco- 
holic liquor. They say they do this “to 
prevent taking cold.” This is a mistake; 
for the effect of alcohol is to lower the 
temperature of the body. Let us give you 
a far better way. When chilled from bath- 
ing, rub the surface of the body thoroughly 
with a towel, until the skin is warm and red. 
If chilled in some other way, drink a cup 
of hot water, or hot ginger tea. BREATHING. 
57 
TOBACCO AND THE LUNGS. 
Do you think it is any wonder that hot 
tobacco smoke injures the throat and lungs'? 
Smokers often have a dry, hacking cough, 
while the “ smoker’s sore throat ” is very 
common. There is no cure for these troubles 
unless the use of tobacco be given up alto- 
gether. Inhaling the smoke, or drawing it 
into the lungs, is very injurious. How can 
one escape all these dangers ? By refusing 
to begin the use of tobacco. 
QUESTIONS. 
1. Where does the heart send the dark blood? 
2. How is the blood changed in the lungs? 
3. How many lungs are there? 
4. To what do we compare the inside of a lung? 
5. Tell about the little air sacs. 
6. Tell how they change in breathing. 
7. What is said about the blood vessels in the lungs? 
8. What changes the dark blood to a bright red? 
9. Answer the questions asked on page 57. 
10. How do alcoholic liquors affect the lungs? 
11. Does tobacco injure the throat and lungs? A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
CHAPTER X. 
FRESH AIR. 
Can you give a good reason why we 
should have plenty of fresh air about us all 
the time ? Because the air we breathe out 
contains many impurities, and certainly we 
do not wish to take these back into the 
body. 
Can you expect the lungs to do their work 
well without plenty of room? Nature has 
given them all the room they need, but 
some persons wear their clothes so tight 
around the waist, that they make the lower 
part of the chest very small. Such persons 
cannot take a long, deep breath. How can 
you expect the body to grow and develop, 
if it be bound tightly in this way ? Tight 
lacing crowds many organs out of place, 
and sooner or later injures the health. Give 
the lungs plenty of room. FRESH AIR. 
59 
How can you tell when the air about you 
is impure I It is not always possible to do 
so; but it is likely to be impure if it has a 
disagreeable odor, or if it has been closed 
in a room for some time, or if many persons 
have been in the room. 
The pure, fresh, out-door air is what we 
need; it is the air in our houses and public 
buildings that is likely to be impure. It is 
not healthy to stay in a room and breathe 
the same air over and over again. The air 
can be easily changed by raising the lower 
sash of one window and lowering the upper 
sash of another. In large buildings there is 
usually some special arrangement for chang- 
ing the air. 
Some people seem to think that it is only 
necessary to have fresh air in the daytime, 
and they pay no attention to their sleeping 
rooms. But breathing goes on at night 
just as well as during the day. Therefore, 
our sleeping rooms should have a constant 
supply of fresh air. Never sleep in a 
tightly closed room. 60 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
During the winter there should be an 
open grate, or a ventilator, or some way 
of changing the air. During the warm 
nights of summer the windows can be 
opened wide; and even during the cold 
nights of winter it is safe to have the win- 
dows open an inch or two. 
During the day, open the windows of 
your sleeping rooms and let in the fresh 
out-door air. There is nothing better than 
fresh air to make one sleep well. 
Did you ever know a boy or a girl who 
could run very hard in playtime, and yet 
get very dull and sleepy in the schoolroom ? 
The school is not a good place in which to 
sleep or to have the headache. What is the 
matter with our dull scholar'? Well, some- 
times pupils become dull because the air in 
the schoolroom is not good. Let in plenty 
of the pure air; there is nothing equal to it 
for making one love to study. 
While so much has been said about 
breathing pure, out-door air, yet it may be 
overdone. We must learn to be careful FRESH AIR. 
61 
in this as in all other things. We should 
avoid currents of air. If a current of air - 
a draught, as it is called should strike you 
on the back of the neck, it might cause a 
severe cold. If you have been playing hard 
and the body is moist, you should be espe- 
cially careful to avoid all currents of air. 
Some persons are very careful to have 
pure air in every room of their houses, and 
yet they will often make it very impure by 
smoking cigars. We know a number of 
persons who are made quite ill by inhaling 
a small quantity of tobacco smoke; yet 
sometimes, as we walk along the streets, it 
is impossible to escape breathing the air 
thus poisoned. 
QUESTIONS. 
1. Why should we have plenty of fresh air about us? 
2. What can you say about the room which the lungs need? 
3. Where is the air likely to be impure? 
4. How can we change the air in our houses? 
5. What is said about the air in our sleeping rooms? 
6. Give some ways of changing it. 
7. What is said about currents of air? 
8. Plow is pure air sometimes made impure? 62 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH 
CHAPTER XL 
ALCOHOL. 
The writer remembers very well how, 
when a boy, he used to watch for the first 
ripe apples, and, later in the year, how he 
waited for the ripening of the grapes. How 
he loved to eat those pleasant and harmless 
fruits! It seems too bad that the juices of 
such sweet fruits can be so changed as to 
cause great injury to many people. Yet 
we know that from these fruits such strong 
drinks as wine and brandy are made. 
Is there anything in these fresh fruits 
that makes them so powerful to do harm ? 
No, indeed; but when the juice is pressed 
out, it soon ceases to be sweet. What be- 
comes of the sugar that made these fruits 
so sweet and pleasant? Let us tell you. 
If you should press the juice from some 
ripe sweet apples, what would you have? 
You would have apple juice, which is simply ALCOHOL. 
63 
a mixture of water and sugar, and a little 
apple flavor. This is called cider. Now 
suppose you take this cider and expose it 
to the warm air for a few hours, then go 
and look at it. What will you see ? 
Small bubbles coming to the top. 
When these bubbles appear, you say the 
cider is working, or fermenting. Is the cider 
still sweet to the taste? Not so sweet as it 
was at first; the sugar is beginning to 
disappear. “ How can it disappear,” do 
you ask? It is being changed into a gas 
and alcohol. The gas escapes in the form 
of the bubbles which you see; but the 
alcohol remains in the cider. 
So we learn that alcohol is made from 
the sugar which is in the apples; in the 
same way alcohol is made from the sugar 
in grapes and other fruits. 
Now, alcohol is a poison; and it is the 
alcohol in all the strong drinks which makes 
them so injurious. Any drink containing 
alcohol is dangerous, and should not be 
used. Alcohol may not kill at once those 64 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
who use only a little at a time; yet it is a 
poison that greatly injures the health, causes 
many diseases, and shortens life. It is also 
‘true that some persons have been killed at 
once by taking it in large doses. 
But you want to know what makes the 
sugar that is in the ripe fruits change 
into gas and alcohol. Have you ever been 
in a darkened room and looked at a ray of 
sunlight as it entered1? If so, you saw fine 
particles of dust dancing in the light. 
These seemed very small, did they not? 
Yet there are still smaller particles of mat- 
ter floating everywhere in the air, smaller 
than we can see with the unaided eye. 
Some of these tiny particles are called 
ferments. Some of these ferments fall from 
the air upon the stems and skins of the 
fruit. When the juice of the fruits is 
pressed out these ferments are washed into 
it. Ho you think, just because they are so 
small they can do nothing? If so, you 
are mistaken. They can change sugar into 
alcohol. You can see when the ferments ALCOHOL. 
65 
are at work changing the sugar, by the 
bubbles that come to the surface. 
The ferments are very numerous, and of 
many different kinds. They float about in 
the air, not only lighting on the skins and 
stems of the fruits, but falling into mix- 
tures which may be exposed to the air. 
“Then,” you ask, “if we could only keep 
these little ferments away from the sweet 
mixtures, the sugar would not change to 
alcohol, would it ? ” No ; the sugar would 
remain in its natural condition. 
The ferments that are washed into the 
juice when it is pressed out may be killed 
by boiling. Then, if the juice be bottled 
up so tightly that no more ferments can fall 
into it from the air, the sugar will not be 
changed. Now you understand why can- 
ning fruit will keep it sweet and good. No 
ferments can pass through the tightly sealed 
cans or jars to the sweet juices within. 
You all know that dry sugar does not 
change in this way. Why is this ? Be- 
cause the sugar must first be dissolved, to 66 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
make a sweet liquid in which the ferments 
can work. 
Some boy says, “ I thought beer was 
made from barley, and whiskey from corn. 
Certainly there is no sugar in these dry 
grains ! ” No, there is no sugar in them, 
but there is something from which sugar 
is made. Let us explain this, and you 
will see how it is brought about. 
Did you ever break open a kernel of corn 
or cut into a grain of barley ? Bring a 
kernel of corn with you to school and 
show your schoolmates how beautiful and 
white is the inside. This is the corn starch, 
with which you are all so familiar. 
How can this starch ever become alcohol] 
Well, in the first place, it must be changed 
into sugar; and we know already how 
sugar, when dissolved in water, is changed 
into alcohol. 
Do you know what would happen to the 
corn and barley if you should moisten them 
and keep them in a warm place ? Certainly, 
every boy and girl knows the kernels would ALCOHOL. 
67 
soon sprout and begin to grow. Now, as 
they sprout and grow, the starch changes 
to sugar. So here we are at last, with sugar 
from our corn and barley. But how do we 
get the sugar from these growing grains? 
This is the way it is done: The brewer 
takes the corn and barley, and adds water 
to them until they begin to grow, then he 
knows that their starch is changed into 
sugar. He then grinds the grains or breaks 
them to pieces, and adds water to the 
ground mass. Soon the water dissolves out 
the sugar, and thus at last there is a sweet 
liquid. Then the brewer adds some yeast, 
which is a kind of ferment. The yeast 
changes the sugar of the sweet liquid into 
gas and alcohol. 
Why do not the ferments change sugar 
into alcohol while it is in the ripe fruits? 
Because the skins of the apples and other 
fruits will not allow the ferments to reach 
the sweet juices within them. 68 
A PRIMER OE HEALTH. 
CHAPTER XII. 
THE ALCOHOLIC LIQUORS. 
How many of you have ever eaten 
apples ? Did you think it wrong to swal- 
low the jitice of the apples'? Most cer- 
tainly not. Yet you know cider is made 
from the juice of apples, and we shall tell 
you that cider is a harmful drink. 
What, then, is the difference between the 
juice that is pressed from the apple at 
the mill, and that which you press from the 
apple by your own teeth? The difference 
is that there is no alcohol in the juice you 
get when you eat the apple, but there may 
be alcohol in the juice that comes from 
the mill. 
After apple juice has been pressed out 
and left exposed to the warm air for a 
few hours, it begins to ferment. When 
the bubbles begin to rise and the froth 
gathers, we know that alcohol is being 
formed. THE ALCOHOLIC LIQUORS. 
69 
As soon as cider contains alcohol it is 
no longer a harmless drink. Alcohol usu- 
ally begins to form in sweet cider within 
about six hours after the cider is made. As 
the ferments, day after day, change more 
of the sugar to alcohol, the cider is said to 
be growing “hard.” 
The person who begins to drink from a 
barrel of cider when it first comes from the 
press, and continues to drink daily the same 
amount, takes each day more and more 
alcohol. 
Why will this do him harm? Because, 
for one reason, the alcohol in the cider may 
make him like alcohol so well that he will 
care more for it than for anything else. 
Even a little alcohol has the power to cre- 
ate an appetite for more. 
For this reason it is never safe to use 
drinks that contain even a small amount 
of alcohol. Many a person who did not 
know this has gained a craving for strong 
alcoholic liquors simply by drinking cider. 
Do you remember how beer is made from 70 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
barley ? Ale and porter are made in much 
the same way. 
Why should we not drink beer ? Be- 
cause it has the power to do great harm. 
Beer has power to dull the mind and 
make one less able to think quickly and 
clearly. 
Beer has power to create the craving that 
calls for the stronger alcoholic liquors. 
How do we know that beer has the 
power to do all these things? Because it 
has done them again and again. What 
it has done it has power to do again. 
Some people wisely think that brewer’s 
beer is very injurious. So they make a 
kind of their own from roots and hops. 
They add water to these and apply heat to 
get the strength from them. Then they 
add some sugar and yeast. 
Do you think this homemade beer is 
harmless? Watch the mixture a few days, 
and you can tell. Notice the bubbles of 
gas rising to the surface, showing that the 
sugar is changing into gas and alcohol. THE ALCOHOLIC LIQUORS. 
71 
The gas escapes, but the alcohol remains 
to form a part of the root beer or hop beer. 
Now yon know the mixture is harmful; 
for it contains alcohol. 
Do you know of any fruit that looks 
prettier than a bunch of grapes ? Grapes 
are not only beautiful, but they are also 
pleasant to the taste. The juice you get 
when you eat grapes is sweet and health- 
ful ; ferments cannot change its sugar to 
alcohol when it is in the grapes. But 
when this juice is pressed out, the ferments 
that are washed into it quickly begin to 
change its sugar into alcohol. 
The alcohol that the ferments form in 
the liquid remains in it, and makes it poi- 
sonous. Thus we see why wine is a harm- 
ful drink, though made from healthful 
grapes. 
The alcohol in wine, like that in beer and 
cider, has the power to create an appetite 
for more. Therefore the only safe rule with 
wine is never to drink it at all. 
Some persons will not drink wine that is A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
bought at a store, so they make it them- 
selves. They take the juice of the grape, 
currant, or elderberry and allow it to fer- 
ment, and then bottle it up for home use. 
But these homemade wines often contain 
more alcohol than the others, and are 
therefore more harmful. 
Whiskey, brandy, and rum are very 
powerful drinks. They are at least one 
half pure alcohol, and sometimes they are 
even stronger. Brandy is usually made 
from wine and cider; whiskey from corn, 
barley, and other grains; and rum from 
molasses. 
We hear a great deal said about liquors 
being pure. Many people say that if only 
the best of grains and fruits were used, and 
if no drugs of any kind were added, then 
the liquors would be pure and wholesome. 
What a great mistake is this! 
It is true that some liquors are made 
more harmful by having mixed with them 
many poisonous drugs; but any liquor that 
contains alcohol is both dangerous and THE ALCOHOLIC LIQUORS. 
73 
harmful. It is the presence of this poison 
that makes all alcoholic liquors so highly 
injurious. 
“Apples, ripe apples, we’ll pick from the trees, 
But cider —no cider for ns, if you please. 
Grapes, purple grapes, for your eating and mine, 
But we ’ll turn down our glasses where pours 
the red wine. 
“ Barley, fresh barley, we ’ll welcome as bread, 
But when made into beer it is poison instead. 
We ’ll enjoy all the good things God maketh to 
grow, 
When men change them to poisons, we ’ll 
bravely say, 4No.’” 
QUESTIONS. 
1. When is apple juice harmful? 
2. How may we know when alcohol is being formed? 
3. AVhat is the harm in drinking hard cider? 
4. Give some reasons why we should not drink beer. 
5. What shows us that homemade beer must be injurious? 
6. What is a safe rule with wine? 
7. Why is this the only safe rule? 
8. What makes all alcoholic liquors so injurious? 
9. Repeat together the two verses. 74 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
CHAPTER XIII. 
THE EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL. 
When you come running into tlie house 
after a hearty play, very warm and thirsty, 
a glass of cool water quenches your thirst, 
does it not? It certainly does not make 
you more thirsty, so that you desire more 
and more of the water! Indeed, when you 
7 •/ 
come running into the house the next 
day, as warm and thirsty as before, the 
same amount of water will quench your 
thirst. 
Drinks containing alcohol differ from 
water in this respect; instead of quenching 
thirst they create a thirst. The person 
who uses strong drink is likely to be satis- 
fied with a small amount for a short time 
only. 
The first glass of beer has the power to 
create a desire for another, until one glass is 
not sufficient; later on, beer does not satisfy, THE EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL. 
75 
and the stronger drinks are craved. In this 
way the appetite for strong drink is often 
formed. When this appetite is well fixed, it 
sometimes completely masters the person. 
The life of a drinking man is often divided 
into two chapters. The same words are in 
each chapter; but, alas! how different is their 
meaning! Chapter L, The man could stop 
drinking if he would; Chapter 11., The 
man would stop drinking if he could. 
Is not such a power terrible ? Yes, in- 
deed ; it is one of the most fearful things 
that can be said against alcohol. 
Some of the very strongest and wisest 
men have thought that they need not fear; 
for this appetite could never affect them. 
But too often they have discovered that it 
has completely conquered them. Students 
who have always mastered the hardest les- 
sons have been completely mastered them- 
selves by this power. Soldiers who have 
never yielded to the enemy in battle have 
found that they had to yield to the power 
of strong drink. 76 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
Would you like to know how to escape 
from this terrible power % Do you wish that 
it may never affect you in any way % Then 
refuse to take the first glass of cider, beer, 
wine, or any drink that contains alcohol. 
Did you ever hear a boy say that he 
knows this power can never affect him % 
Perhaps he thinks that if he should begin 
the use of strong drink, he could stop it at 
any time when he so desires. But, my 
boy, that is not what the study of alcohol 
teaches. We should all remember that a 
little alcohol has the power to create an 
uncontrollable appetite for more. None are 
sure of escape, if they begin its use. There 
is but one safe course to pursue: Refuse to 
take the first glass. 
Shall we give you another reason why it 
is dangerous to take even a single glass % 
Because a young person may not know that 
he has any desire for strong drink, until he 
has tasted some of the lighter drinks, or 
some sauce flavored with wine. It is easy 
to begin, ‘Tittle by little,” to walk in the THE EFFECTS OF ALCOHOL. 
77 
road that leads to ruin and despair. It is 
also to begin in another road that 
leads to success and happiness. 
u 1 Little by little,’ said a thoughtful boy, 
‘ Moment by moment I ’ll well employ, 
Learning a little every day, 
And not spend all my time in play; 
And still this rule in my mind shall dwell,— 
Whatever I do, I ’ll do it well. 
Little by little, I’ll learn to know 
The treasured wisdom of long ago. 
And one of these days perhaps we’ll see 
That the world will be the better for me.’ 
And do you not think that this simple plan 
Will make him a wiser and better man ? ” 
QUESTIONS, 
1. How do drinks containing alcohol differ from water ? 
2. Why is it harmful to drink beer ? 
3. What is said of the power of strong drink ? 
4. Who have been overcome by this power ? 
5. What is the only safe rule ? 78 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
CHAPTER XIV. 
TOBACCO. 
Did you ever see more frightful-looking 
objects than the signs in front of many 
tobacco shops ? Each time you look at 
these hideous figures of Indians, you should 
be reminded that the habit 
of using tobacco came to 
us from the savages. 
Probably you all know 
that tobacco is made from 
the leaves of a plant. But 
do you know why it is 
that the tobacco leaf is 
used instead of the leaf of 
the beet or the cabbage ? It is because 
there is in tobacco a substance called nico- 
tine, not found in the others. This is a 
powerful poison, a single drop of it being 
sufficient to kill an animal the size of a dog. 
Fm. 15. The tobacco plant. 
Perhaps you have heard some of the 
older boys tell how sick the first use of TOBACCO. 
79 
tobacco made them. It was because they 
were suffering from the poisonous effects of 
the nicotine. If these boys tell you that 
the headache and the vomiting soon disap- 
pear, perhaps they do not tell you about 
the slower effects of this poison. 
Can you name a single animal that will 
have anything to do with tobacco ? None 
of the lower animals with which we are 
familiar ever touch it; nearly all insects 
keep away from it; and plants, when placed 
in a room where there is a strong odor of it, 
wither and die. 
Did you ever ask persons who use to- 
bacco if it harms them? If so, perhaps 
some of them have told you that they are 
sure it does not; while others say they 
know it harms them, but they cannot break 
away from the habit. It is certainly true 
that tobacco injures those who use it,— 
some more than others. Even those who 
think they are not harmed by its use, 
would find themselves much better off 
without it. 80 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
The reason why so many grown persons 
do not appear to suffer from using tobacco, 
is probably because they did not begin its 
use until their bodies had attained full 
growth. 
It is a positive fact that tobacco is very 
harmful to the young. We do not believe 
there is a single exception to this rule. To- 
bacco does immense harm to those who use 
it while the body is growing and developing. 
Its effects are not only serious, but they are 
lasting. Here is a rule which you should 
all remember: The younger the person using 
tobacco, the more serious will he its effects. 
Did you know that twenty-nine States 
have passed laws forbidding the sale of to- 
bacco to young persons ? Even the United 
States Government will not allow the boys 
whom it is training to be soldiers or sailors 
to use tobacco in any form. Now can you 
tell why such laws are passed? Because 
the men who make the laws see that the 
use of tobacco is seriously injuring the boys 
of our country. TOBACCO. 
81 
Do you think we are talking all this 
time about cigars only? No, indeed. We 
have our minds on the little cigarettes, 
too. Boys sometimes think because cig- 
arettes are so small, and do not contain 
strong tobacco, there 
cannot be much harm 
in using them. Such 
boys make a great 
mistake. Cigarettes 
injure every boy who 
uses them. It is 
equally true that 
many boys have their 
health broken, their 
minds injured, their 
good name destroyed, 
and all their bright prospects for life ruined 
by these same little cigarettes. 
Fig. 16. The poppy, or opium plant. 
Did you know that sometimes the poorest 
tobacco which can be procured, is used in 
making cigarettes, and that it is often 
mixed with opinin'? Shall we tell you what 
makes the cigarette paper so very white ? 82 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
Because it is often bleached with a mixture 
containing arsenic. So taking it altogether, 
the cigarette is poisonous, and is a danger- 
ous thing to use. 
Suppose you ask one of your playmates, 
“Why do you eat your dinner'?” he will 
probably answer, “Because I am hungry.” 
Ask him, “Why do you drink a glass of 
water'?” he will tell you, “Because I am 
thirsty.” He is always ready to give you a 
reasonable answer to such questions, is he 
not1? But do you think any boy could 
give you a good reason for smoking'? 
Let any boy who smokes tell one good 
reason, if he can, why he uses cigarettes. 
There is no reason why boys should smoke, 
and many reasons why they should not. 
“Cigarettes, they say, are harmless,— 
Just a tiny little roll! 
But the appetite they waken 
Soon might get beyond control; 
And tobacco chains would bind us, 
Slaves in body and in soul.” REASONS WHY BOYS SHOULD NOT SMOKE. 
83 
CHAPTER XV. 
REASONS WHY BOYS SHOULD NOT SMOKE. 
One of the first things we notice about a 
boy who smokes is that when meal time 
comes he is not hungry. He does not eat 
enough good food, and without plenty of 
food his body cannot grow and become 
strong. Tobacco takes away the appetite. 
Such a boy often complains of being 
dizzy. He says he has a rush of blood to 
the head. He is troubled with horrible 
dreams, and awakes in the morning with a 
dull, heavy headache. He goes to school, 
but because he cannot study well, his 
standing in his classes is low. Tobacco 
affects the brain. 
Notice the want of neatness in the boy 
who smokes ! His teeth are dark colored; 
they have an offensive appearance; and the 
odor of the tobacco clings to his clothes. 
Smoking is a filthy habit. 84 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
Do boys run away from home to eat their 
supper ? Do they hide to comb their hair ? 
Yet they will go away from home and hide 
to smoke their cigarettes. Why is this ? 
Because they know that the practice is not 
a good one, and they are ashamed of it. 
Boys will deny that they use tobacco, when 
they will not tell a falsehood about any- 
thing else for the whole world. Boys, do 
you wish to begin a practice like this, 
one which is so unmanly that many who 
are engaged in it will deny it 1 Smoking 
makes hoys deceitful. 
One of the sad things we have noticed as 
a result of smoking cigarettes, is that the 
boys who smoke are very likely to drink 
when they get older. The use of tobacco 
very early in life often creates a desire 
for strong drink. Smoking often leads to 
drinking. 
Count how many sentences there are in 
this chapter printed in Italics. Five, are 
there not ? Read them over again. Do 
you not think each sentence gives a good REASONS WHY BOYS SHOULD NOT SMOKE. 
85 
reason why boys should never smoke ? Are 
not these enough to show that you are much 
better off without tobacco ] 
But suppose the boy who smokes wishes 
to defend himself. What will he say ? Let 
him begin to read all the books on physi- 
ology, study all there is said about the care 
of the health; and then tell us if he has 
found a single good thing about the use of 
tobacco. The best students and writers 
agree that tobacco is harmful. 
Learn to say, “NO!” 
“ Say no ! to tobacco, that poisonous weed; 
Say no! to all evils; they only can lead 
To shame and to sorrow. Oh, shun them, my 
boy, 
For wisdom’s fair pathway of peace and of 
joy.” 86 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
CHAPTER XYL 
THE MUSCLES. 
Did yon ever see a piece of beefsteak 
before it was cooked'? “ Oh, yes, many 
times,” yon answer. “It is soft, and of a 
deep red color.” Can you tell the name of 
the lean meat which makes the flesh of ani- 
mals ? It is called muscle. 
How many muscles are there in the 
body1? There are as many as five hundred, 
each one having a name and some special 
work to do. Are they all of the same size ? 
No, for some are very large and long, reach- 
ing from the hip to the knee; while others 
are so small that they can scarcely be seen 
with the unaided eye. Do these muscles 
form a large or a small part of the body? 
We will let you decide this after we tell 
you that nearly one half the weight of the 
body is due to the muscles. THE MUSCLES. 
87 
Can you tell what the muscles are for? 
Well, the cheeks and the lips are nearly all 
muscle; and what is one of their uses ? 
They enclose the mouth. Therefore, some 
of the muscles make walls for cavities. 
But the muscles have a more important 
use. What is it? They move the different 
parts of the body. Did you ever notice 
under what complete control you have your 
muscles? You can use one of them only, 
as in bending the end of a finger, or you 
can use a very large number of them, as in 
walking or running. 
Why is it the muscles are of such great 
use to us ? Simply because they can shor- 
ten and then lengthen again. Now place 
your left hand over the front of your right 
arm and raise your forearm. “ Oh,” you 
say, “this is trying my muscle.” Yes, and 
do you notice that the muscle swells and 
becomes harder ? When it does this, it 
shortens. We say it contracts. How do 
we know the muscle shortens? Because it 
moves the part to which it is fastened. 88 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
Can we make all tlie muscles contract 
whenever we wish? Let us experiment a 
little and so find out. We certainly can 
move the hands, the arms, 
the head, and many parts 
of the face, as often as we 
like. But how is it with the 
heart ? The heart is made 
of muscle, yet it continues 
to heat, even during sleep, 
and we have no power to 
change its action. From 
this we learn that there are 
a few muscles we cannot 
control. 
Some of the muscles are 
fastened directly to the 
bones; while others end in 
white shining cords which 
are attached to the bones. These cords 
are called tendons. Did yon ever notice 
t/ 
them on the back of your hand ? Bend 
your fingers back and forth; perhaps you 
will be able to see them. Now the muscles 
Fig. 17. The upper part 
of the figure shows the 
muscles, rvhile the lower 
part shows the slender, 
white tendons at the wrist. THE MUSCLES. 
89 
which move your fingers are in the fore- 
arm ; but when they are near the wrist, 
they end in these tendons, as shown in 
Fig. 17. 
Why is it your fingers move, when the 
muscles moving them are in the forearm 1 
Because when the muscles contract, they 
pull on these cords or tendons, which are 
fastened to the fingers. 
With thick muscles around the fingers to 
move them, think what a large and clumsy 
hand you would have! Do you not see 
how the tendons save room, allow the parts 
to move more easily, and aid in giving a 
much better shape to the body? 
Now let us look at Figs. 18 and 19, and 
see if we can learn how the muscles move 
parts of the body. Look at Fig. 18 first. 
Imagine that the muscle on the front of 
the arm contracts, or shortens, pulling on 
the cord, or tendon, which is fastened to the 
bone of the forearm. As this muscle short- 
ens, it would raise the forearm and the hand 
with it, would it not ? 90 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
By looking at the next figure, it is easy 
to see that if the muscle in front shortens, 
it will raise the toes; while if the muscle 
at the back shortens, the heel will be raised 
and the toes lowered. Can you tell now 
Fig. 18. S, the shoulder; e, the elbow; 
H, the hand; m, the muscles. 
Fig. 19. Muscles of the leg. 
what causes all the movements of the 
body ? Certainly; the contraction of the 
muscles. 
The contraction of certain muscles lifts 
the brow and makes a smile pass over the 
face; while the contraction of other muscles 
causes a frown or look of displeasure. THE MUSCLES. 
91 
“Go and stand before the glass 
And some ugly thought contrive, 
And my word will come to pass 
Just as sure as you ’re alive. 
“What you have and what you lack, 
All the same as what you wear, 
You will see reflected back; 
So, my little folks, take care ! 
“And not only in the glass 
Will your secrets come to view; 
All beholders, as they pass, 
Will perceive and know them too. 
“Cherish what is good, and drive 
Evil thoughts and feelings far; 
For as sure as you ’re alive, 
Yon will show for what you are.” 
QUESTIONS. 
1. Are there many muscles in the body? 
2. Give one use of the muscles. 
3. Give a more important use. 
4. Why is it the muscles are of such great use to us ? 
5. Can we control all the muscles in the body ? 
6. Tell something about the tendons. 
7. How is the forearm raised ? 92 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
CHAPTER XVII. 
EXERCISE. 
Aee all the boys and girls in your school 
of equal strength ? Cannot some of them 
run faster than others'? Now what is the 
reason of tins'? Your muscles are all alike. 
Of course sickness and poor health will 
keep some of you weak; but why is it 
that some boys always seem to be so much 
stronger than others, who are in the same 
good health'? Well, one reason of this is 
because the stronger boy has given his 
muscles more work to do. 
If we wish to keep our muscles healthy 
and strong, they must be made to work. 
How many of you have ever seen a black- 
smith 1 Notice how large are his arms! 
What a hard blow he can strike! Do you 
think his arms were always so large and 
strong1? No, indeed, it was the hard work 
he gave them to do which made them grow. EXERCISE. 
93 
And he keeps them large and stout because 
he continues his hard work. 
Do you know that you can make the 
muscles of your arm nearly all disappear? 
This can be done by keeping the arm in a 
sling for a number of weeks. For without 
exercise the muscles will become thin and 
soft, and nearly waste away. 
But you must not think that the muscles 
are the only parts aided by exercise. How 
is it when you are taking a hard run? You 
breathe faster, and take in more fresh air. 
Your heart beats faster, and the blood flows 
more freely through your body. What is 
the result of all this? You have a good 
appetite; you sleep well; and the whole 
body is greatly benefited. 
Do you think much of a boy who is all 
muscle and no brain ? Or are you pleased 
to hear of a boy who is very learned and yet 
suffers pain all the time? No, indeed. We 
all prefer to see a healthy body and a strong 
mind in the same person. Do you think 
from what we have said that you can have 94 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
both of these if you exercise the one and 
neglect the other'? Certainly not. There- 
fore play heartily and study earnestly. 
Do you think there is very much sport in 
walking? Yet it is one of the very best 
exercises for young and old. But let us 
combine pleasure with our exercise. So we 
will choose the ball in summer, and the sled 
and skates in winter. Of course running and 
jumping are always in season. But all this 
exercise will not do much good if taken in a 
close room. It is the fresh, pure air that is 
needed. No indoor exercise can possibly 
take the place of exercise in the open air. 
We rarely hear of young boys studying 
too hard, yet they do sometimes play until 
the body is completely tired out. We often 
hear of girls who skip the rope until they 
are faint and ill. Now this is not the 
proper way to exercise. It must be remem- 
bered that too violent exercise may cause 
severe illness. Do you want to know why 
we tell vou so much about the exercise of 
the muscles in the open air? Because it DOES ALCOHOL, GIVE STRENGTH. 
95 
promotes good health, bringing with it a 
desire for the exercise of the mind in the 
schoolroom. 
“ I must be active every hour, 
And do my Maker’s will; 
If but a ray can paint the flower, 
A raindrop swell the rill, 
I know in me there is a power 
Some humble place to fill.” 
DOES ALCOHOL GIVE STRENGTH? 
Can a man walk better if he takes strong 
drink ? Can he do more hard work if he is 
under the influence of alcohol ? These are 
very important questions. Many people 
have to work hard. If they could only do 
more work, they would be able to earn more 
money. Now do you think that alcohol 
gives strength to the muscles? 
Notice a person who is under the influ- 
ence of strong drink! He has a staggering 
gait; his tongue is thick; and his fingers 
are clumsy. Do you think the alcohol has 
made his muscles stronger ? Instead of 96 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
being stronger they are weaker, are they 
not? Only a little more strong drink and 
the muscles would not hold the body up; 
the body would fall and become perfectly 
helpless. We shall learn in a later chapter 
that the delicate nerves have much to do 
in bringing about this result. 
But, you ask, “ Suppose a person should 
take only a small amount of alcohol, as a 
glass or two of beer, or a glass of wine or 
whiskey, would not this give strength to his 
muscles?” No, indeed; for it is positively 
known that alcohol weakens the muscles. 
The workman with his ale or beer cannot 
do so much work as he can do without it. 
“ Let us do the work we do 
With a true and earnest zeal; 
Bend our sinews to the task, 
Put our shoulders to the wheel. 
“ Though our duty may be hard, 
Look not on it as an ill; 
If it be an honest task, 
Do it with an honest will.” THE CLOTHING. 
97 
CHAPTER XVIII. 
THE CLOTHING. 
Do yon know why your body is chilly 
and cold when exposed to the air? It is 
because the air about you is generally colder 
than the body; so the body gives out its 
heat to the air. Is it possible to put some- 
thing around the body to keep the heat in ? 
Why, yes, that is easily done; put on some 
clothing. But does the clothing make the 
heat ? No, the body itself does that; the 
clothing simply keeps the heat from leaving 
the body. 
The clothing also protects the body from 
the direct rays of the sun; from the storms 
of rain and snow; and from many injuries. 
It is also an ornament to the body. 
Now that you know the uses of cloth- 
ing, would you advise any one to wear as 
heavy clothing in summer as in winter? 
No, indeed, even the animals teach us better 98 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
than this. In the spring they shed their 
coats of long hair, so that during the summer 
their clothing may be lighter and thinner. 
Yet some people make a great mistake in 
laying aside the flannels of winter too early.. 
Better wait until the summer weather is 
surely at hand before running any risk of 
taking cold. 
How many of you have had a sore throat, 
or a cold? We presume nearly every one 
has suffered in this way. Ho you wish to 
be your own doctor, and cure yourself of a 
cold ? This, then, is a very good way: If 
your throat is a little sore and you feel that 
you have taken cold, try a hot foot-bath; 
drink a bowlful of hot ginger tea, or if 
you would prefer it, hot lemonade; undress 
and go to bed; cover up well; and thus 
cause the perspiration to flow freely. In 
this way you can many times break up a 
cold at its beginning, and perhaps prevent a 
long sickness. You must be very careful, 
however, not to allow the body to cool too 
quickly after such treatment. DOES ALCOHOL WARM THE BODY? 
99 
All the clothing should be changed at 
night. Never sleep in any garment that has 
been worn during the day. If caught in a 
storm, hasten home, and change the damp 
clothing for dry. Do not go about with 
damp feet. A great many sore throats and 
colds have been caused by wet feet. 
Do you think that clothing must be very 
expensive in order to look attractive'? We 
do not. We have seen boys and girls 
dressed in a most expensive manner, and 
yet there was something about their cloth- 
ing that was not pleasing. Remember, the 
simplest garments look well, if they are 
neat and clean. 
THE PERSON IS OF MORE VALUE THAN HIS COAT. 
DOES ALCOHOL WARM THE BODY? 
Did you ever take a long drive in the 
cold? How did you manage to keep warm1? 
You put on extra clothing, did you not1? 
Perhaps you had something warm to place 100 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
at your feet. Did yon take a good, warm 
meal just before you started ] Then so 
much the better. 
Yet some persons think that they know 
a better way than this. They say that be- 
fore starting on a cold journey they always 
take a glass of wine, “for wine warms the 
body and keeps one from taking cold.” Is 
there any truth in tins'? Does wine or 
brandy or any strong drink warm the whole 
body I No, indeed. Yet these persons say 
it does. Now, why is it that they are so 
mistaken I Because the alcohol makes 
more blood go to the skin. This makes 
the skin feel warmer; so the person thinks 
his whole body is warmer. 
But the skin is warmer for only a few 
moments. When the blood is in the skin 
it is near the cool air, and thus is soon 
cooled. When this blood leaves the skin, 
it passes through the other parts of the 
body, cooling them on its way. Is this 
clear to you ? Perhaps some questions and 
answers will make it more clear. DOES ALCOHOL WARM THE BODY? 
101 
Does a full dose of wine or brandy make 
the skin warmer? Yes. 
Why ? Because it sends more blood to 
the skin. 
Does this last long? Only for a very 
short time. 
Are the deeper parts of the body warmed ? 
No, only the skin. 
Then is the whole body warmed by 
strong drink ? No. 
Is it often made colder? Yes, alcoholic 
liquors lower the warmth of the body. 
Would yon advise taking wine, or any 
other alcoholic drink, on a cold day? No, 
indeed. It would only make the body still 
% 
colder. 
If alcohol could make the body warm, 
then those persons who have traveled in 
very cold countries would use it a great deal, 
would they not ? Yet all the great Arctic 
explorers tell us that they never allowed 
the use of a single drop of alcoholic liquors. 
They all say that they could not have 
endured the extreme cold if they had used 
liquors. 102 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
Persons who have traveled in the hottest 
countries, and officers who have charge of 
the soldiers in such places, write that they 
endure the excessive heat very much better 
without a drop of any strong drink. 
Thus we learn that strong drink is not 
good for men living in cold countries, nor 
for those in very warm countries. It will 
not feed us, neither will it clothe us. It 
seems to bring no good to any one, and may 
cause great harm to every one who uses it. 
Then what do you think we would better 
do with it? Leave it entirely alone. 
“ Honor and virtue, love and truth, 
All the glory and pride of youth, 
Hope of manhood, the wreath of fame, 
High endeavor and noble aim, 
These are the treasures thrown away 
As the price of a drink from day to day.’: 
QUESTIONS. 
1. How does clothing add to the comfort of the body? 
2. What is said about damp clothing and wet feet? 
8. Why do not Arctic travelers use alcoholic drinks ? 
4. What should we do with alcoholic liquors ? THE SKIN. 
103 
CHAPTER XIX. 
THE SKIN. 
Can you tell of a garment given us by 
Nature that fits the body nicely and yet 
never wears out? Yes, indeed; it is the 
skin. Have you ever noticed how soft and 
tight-fitting it is? Think how much wear 
there must be on this garment. It is con- 
stantly rubbing against the clothing, while 
everv use of the towel in bathing must wear 
%j cD 
upon it greatly. Yet it never wears out. 
The blood is always bringing it food, keep- 
ing it in perfect repair. 
You know that sometimes you can 
prick yourself with a pin and yet not 
cause a flow of blood; while if the pin 
should go into the skin a little deeper, 
blood would surely flow. How do you 
account for this? Because the outer part 
of the skin has no blood vessels. How 
fortunate is this! If the blood vessels 104 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
came to the very outside of the skin, every 
little bruise or scratch would cause the 
flow of bloodo 
A slight scratch of the pin does not hurt 
very much, does it? This is because there 
are no nerves in the outer part. How fortu- 
nate again! For if the nerves came to the 
surface also, everything we touched would 
give us severe pain. 
You do not think there are many interest- 
ing things found deep in the skin, do you ? 
Yet we have already mentioned two, the 
blood vessels and the nerves. But these are 
found everywhere. You wish to know of 
something found in the skin that we do 
not find elsewhere, do you? Well, we will 
mention three things for you to remem- 
ber: the hair, the sweat glands, and the oil 
glands. 
Have you ever noticed what smooth and 
glossy hair some persons have? Yet they 
may never use any kind of hair oil. Let 
us see if we can explain this. Deep in 
the skin there are some glands which make THE SKIN. 
105 
an oily substance that is poured around 
the base of each 
hair. If the scalp 
is healthy, the oil 
glands will fur- 
nish enough oil 
to keep the hair 
soft and smooth. 
If you look at 
Fig. 20, you will 
see that part of 
a hair which is 
within its sheath, 
beneath the skin. 
Large oil glands 
are seen on either 
side of it. 
Sometimes dur- 
ing the warm 
weather of sum- 
mer, or after you 
have been work- 
ing or playing 
hard, the whole 
Fig. 20. A human hair (h),- as it appears 
beneath the skin, in its sheath. G, the oil 
gland, which pours an oily substance around 
the hair. 106 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
body becomes covered with moisture. Often 
the moisture gathers in little drops of water 
on the face. This moisture is called per- 
spiration. Where do you suppose it comes 
Pig. 21. The surface of the skin as seen with a magnifying glass. 
from ? It comes from glands called the 
sweat glands. 
Look carefully at the palm of your hand, 
or the inside of your fingers, and notice 
some minute lines or ridges. Now if you 
could look at these with a magnifying 
glass, they would appear like Fig. 21. Do THE SKIN. 
107 
yon notice in the figure some little round 
pits? You could see these pits nicely on 
your own hand, if you had a magni- 
fying glass. Now, 
the little pits are 
the openings of the 
sweat glands. These 
openings are some- 
times called the 
pores of the skin. 
If you look at Fig. 
22, you will see 
some of these sweat 
glands, looking like 
coiled tubes, down 
in the skin. The 
perspiration passes 
up the long, narrow 
tubes to the surface 
of the skin. 
Fig. 22. (1) The narrow tubes 
which bring the perspiration to the 
surface from the sweat glands below. 
The sweat glands appear like closely 
coiled tubes. (2) A hair. (This is the 
same as Fig. 20.) 
From each little pore there comes only a 
small part of a drop of perspiration; yet, 
taken together, they make enough mois- 
ture to be seen. Sometimes the moisture 108 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
gathers in great drops on the forehead 
and face. 
Do you know that this perspiration is 
coming through the skin all the time, even 
during the coldest weather of winter? Yet 
this is true. You did not know it, because 
there is not always enough of the perspira- 
tion to make it seen or felt. Do you think 
the perspiration is pure water ? No; it 
is not. There are dissolved in it salts and 
impurities which must be removed from 
the body. When the perspiration dries 
on the body, what becomes of the salts 
and impurities % They remain on the skin. 
Do you think these should remain there, 
closing up the minute pores % Certainly 
not; they should be removed daily by the 
bath. 
Be careful not to let the body cool too 
quickly when you are perspiring freely. 
After any hearty exercise, let the body cool 
gradually. Throw some light clothing over 
the shoulders, and avoid currents of air. 
Be cautious also about drinking too much THE SKIN. 
109 
cold water. Iced water at such times is 
especially bad. 
How many of our girls keep a bird ? 
You think that the bird must have a bath 
every morning, do you not? Now do you 
think that birds are more important than 
boys and girls? Our bodies certainly need 
bathing much more frequently than do the 
birds’ bodies. The whole body should be 
bathed at least once each day. 
When is the best time to bathe ? When 
does your bird have his bath? In the morn- 
ing ? And the morning is the best time for 
you. A bath at bedtime is refreshing and 
will often cause a better night’s rest. But 
a cool bath in the morning, immediately 
after rising, is the best. By bathing each 
day, it is only necessary to have a basin of 
water, a sponge or wash cloth, and a towel. 
Moisten a portion of the body at a time and 
wipe quickly. The morning bath makes 
one feel better all through the day. Once 
a week a thorough bath, with soap and 
warm water, should be taken. 110 
A PRIMER OP HEALTH. 
CHAPTER XX. 
THE BONES. 
You have been learning about muscles, 
blood vessels, and the skin. If our bodies 
were made only of these soft parts, do you 
think they would keep their proper shape ? 
Could we run and jump, if our limbs were 
only a mass of flesh ? What do you sup- 
pose gives such a firm support to our 
bodies? Take hold of your arm and feel 
how hard it is in the center. We call these 
hard parts the support or framework of the 
body. We need not tell you that this 
framework is made of a large number of 
bones. 
What are bones for? They give proper 
shape to the body; they give support to the 
soft flesh; and they also protect many deli- 
cate parts from injury. They have still 
another important use. Nearly all the 
muscles are fastened to them. You have 
already learned how the muscles move the THE BONES. 
bones, as in walking, run 
ning, and jumping. 
Some of the bones are 
large and round, while 
others are thin and flat. 
How many bones do you 
suppose there are in the 
body? Over two hundred. 
Bones look very solid to 
you, do they not? Yet if 
you should saw a fresh 
bone open, you would find 
that the center of it is not 
hard. It is filled with a 
soft substance called mar- 
row. But you will not find 
this marrow in the old 
bones you might pick up 
in the fields. 
Even the outer part of 
the bone, that looks so very 
solid to you, has minute 
openings, or holes, in it. You cannot see 
these with the unaided eye, yet the micro- 
Fig. 23. The thigh hone, 
the largest hone in the body. 112 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
scope shows them. They are filled with 
very small blood vessels. From this we 
learn that even so hard a substance as bone 
has blood flowing through all its parts. 
This seems strange, does it not? 
Can you tell why it is that boys and girls 
can tumble about and take such heavy falls 
without breaking their bones? During old 
age this is not so; sometimes a slight fall 
will break the largest bone. How can you 
account for this ? Because early in life the 
bones are neither so hard nor so brittle as 
they are during old age. They will even 
bend before they break. 
Have you ever seen a young tree bent, 
so that it is growing in an unnatural way ? 
Now the bones, when they are young, can 
be made to grow in very unnatural shapes. 
Therefore we should be very careful to 
keep them in their natural positions by 
dressing, sitting, and walking in a proper 
manner. THE SKELETON AND THE JOINTS. 
113 
CHAPTER XXL 
THE SKELETON AND THE JOINTS. 
Can you think of a good name for the 
bony framework of the body ? Let us call 
it the skeleton. That we may study it bet- 
ter, we will divide the skeleton into three 
parts, the bones of the head, the bones of 
the trunk, and the bones of the limbs. 
What are the bones of the head for? 
As you see, they make a pretty tight 
box. We will name this box the skull. 
Are there any holes in the skull? Yes, a 
few. They allow the nerves and the blood 
vessels to pass in and out. Why is the 
skull in the form of a tight box ? In order 
that it may form a complete covering for 
the delicate brain. Think a moment, and 
then tell us of some other delicate parts 
which it protects. We can think of four; 
can you ? Count them and see: There 
are the eyes, the ears, the nose, and the 
tongue. 114 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
Why do we call a certain part of the 
body the trunk? Well, why do yon call a 
certain part of a tree by that name ? You 
speak of the trunk of a tree, do you not ? 
Yes, because the trunk is the main part of 
the tree. So the trunk 
is the main part of the 
body. At the back of 
the trunk is the back- 
bone ; in front is the 
breast bone; on the 
sides are the ribs; and 
at the lower part are 
the hip bones. 
Look at Fig. 24, and 
notice how the trunk is 
divided into two parts, 
by a thin arch of muscle. 
This arch is called by a 
very hard name, the 
diaphragm. It means a fence or wall. 
This arch is also shown at D, in Fig. 11, 
and at 6, in Fig. 13. So there are two 
large rooms in the trunk. 
Fig. 24. The trunk, or the 
main part of the body. THE SKELETON AND THE JOINTS. 
115 
What shall we name the room above 
this arch ? Let us call it the chest. What 
are those slender, curved bones forming the 
sides of the chest, and showing so clearly 
in Fig. 13? They are the ribs; and there 
are twelve of them on either side. You 
can easily feel the ribs, but it is not easy 
to count the whole number. 
What is the name of the large room 
below the arch ? It is called the abdomen. 
Are there any bony walls around this room? 
No, but the muscles and the skin make a 
firm, strong covering for the parts within. 
If you will look at Fig. 13 again, you will 
see what organs are in each of these rooms. 
Run your hand across the front of the 
upper part of your chest. Do you feel two 
slender bones there ? These are called the 
collar bones. One end of each collar bone 
is shown at 2, Fig. 13. Back of each collar 
bone, forming the back part of the shoulder, 
is a much larger bone, called the shoulder 
blade. Flow many bones do you think 
there are between the shoulder and the 116 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
elbow? Only one. The upper end fits into 
the shoulder blade to make the shoulder 
joint; and the lower end fits into another 
bone to make 
the elbow 
joint. 
How many 
bones can you 
feel betAveen 
the elbow and 
the wrist? 
One or two ? 
There are two, 
placed side by 
side, and many 
of you can feel 
them, if you 
try, near the 
wrist. A number of small bones make the 
hand. Now count and see if you have five 
large bones belonging to each upper ex- 
tremity. The collar bone, the shoulder 
blade, the large bone of the arm, and the 
two bones placed side by side. 
Fig. 25. The shoulder joint. S, the shoulder 
blade; H, the large bone of the arm. THE SKELETON AND THE JOINTS. 
117 
The bones of the lower limbs are much 
like those of the upper. The largest bone 
fits into the side of a hip bone to make the 
hip joint. This long bone extending from 
the hip to the knee is the largest bone in 
Fig. 26. The hip joint. 
the body. It is illustrated in 
Fig. 23, and the upper part of it 
in Fi«r. 26. From the knee to the 
ankle, there are two bones placed side 
by side. Can you think of a small bone 
we have not mentioned which is in front 
of the knee joint'? Oh, yes; the knee- 
pan. 118 
A PRIMER OP HEALTH. 
Did yon ever notice that not all of the 
bottom of the foot rests upon the floor'? 
This is because the small bones in the 
foot are arranged in the form of an arch. 
What is this arch for? Notice the spring 
to a wagon; it is made in the form of 
an arch, is it not ? So this arch in the 
foot acts as a spring, preventing the body 
from being jarred 
too severely, as 
in running and 
jumping. 
Suppose you 
try, for a few mo- 
ments, to keep 
your arm out straight, not allowing it to 
bend at the elbow in the least! Sup- 
pose you try to walk without bend- 
ing your knees! Keep your fingers out 
straight, then try to pick up something! 
You would have a hard time getting 
along in this way, would you not % How 
fortunate it is that we have joints in our 
bodies! 
Fig. 27- The hones of the foot arranged 
in the form of an arch. THE SKELETON AND THE JOINTS. 
119 
Is it very hard work to move the joints 
of your fingers? No, indeed. They move 
easily and smoothly. How does the engi- 
neer keep the joints of his engine so that 
they always move 
easily and smooth- 
ly ? He oils them, 
does he not? Now, 
do you know that 
all of your joints 
are kept moist 
with a fluid ? It 
answers the same 
purpose as oil. 
This fluid is called 
the joint water. 
What holds the 
ends of the bones 
together at the 
cD 
joints? Some strong white bands of tissue 
called ligaments. Look at Fig. 28 and see 
how these bands completely cover the bones 
of the shoulder joint. Yet beneath the 
bands we know that the bones look as in 
Fig. 25. 
Fig. 28. The shoulder joint, covered 
by its ligaments. 120 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
Did yon ever have a bone get “ out of 
joint ? ” Was it very painful ? How could 
it get out of place if these bands of tissue 
were around it? Why, the bone broke its 
way through the bands. 
Did you ever “ sprain ” your ankle or 
your wrist ? A sprain is sometimes very 
painful and causes trouble for a long time. 
The bones are not injured in a sprain. It 
is the ligaments that are injured. 
QUESTIONS. 
1. What is the name of the framework of the body ? 
2. Into how many parts do we divide the skeleton ? 
3. What is within the skull ? 
4. What other parts does the skull protect ? 
5. What is the name of the main part of the body ? 
6. What is at the back of the trunk? In front ? On the sides? 
7. What divides the trunk into two parts ? 
8. What name is given to the part above the diaphragm ? 
9. Where are the collar bones ? 
10. What bone is back of each collar bone ? 
11. How many bones between the shoulder and the elbow ? 
Between the elbow and the wrist ? 
12. Which is the largest bone in the body ? 
13. Does all of the bottom of the foot rest upon the floor ? 
Why not? 
14. What keeps the joints moist ? 
15. What are ligaments for ? 
16. What is the nature of the injury in case of a sprain ? THE CARE OF THE BONES. 
121 
CHAPTER XXII. 
THE CARE OF THE BONES. 
How often we see young people stooping 
as they walk. The body bends forward, and 
the shoulders are drawn toward each other. 
This is too bad; because when the bones 
are young they may be bent easily, so that 
unless one is careful he will grow up narrow- 
chested and round-shouldered. 
Shall we tell you how to have a fine, 
erect figure? Walk with the whole body 
erect, and the shoulders thrown well back. 
Later in life, when the bones become harder, 
you will not be able to walk easily in any 
other way. 
Do you think it is a good practice to 
bend over your books while sitting at your 
desk; or to sit on one foot; or to take 
other awkward positions ? When you are 
at home, did you ever notice how natural it 
is to slide down in an easy chair; or to bend 122 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
over your sewing or reading? You cer- 
tainly will not do any of these, if you only 
remember that when the bones are growing, 
they can have their shape changed. You 
can do much toward making yourself erect 
and graceful or 
stooping and un- 
natural. Which 
will you choose ? 
Do you think 
that Fig. 29 looks 
anything like a foot 1 
Yet we made this 
sketch from the 
model of a foot of a Chinese woman. It 
illustrates what we have just said,—that 
it is possible to change the shape and posi- 
tion of bones. 
Fig. 29. Tlxe foot of a Chinese woman. 
Pressing the ribs too tightly about the 
waist injures the health. The clothing can 
be made to fit nicely and snugly, and 
yet not be tight enough to change the 
natural form. Do your shoes ever pinch 
your feet % They should not; for shoes THE CARE OF THE BONES. 
123 
are made to protect tire feet and not to 
change their shape. High-heeled shoes 
cause in-growing toe nails, corns, and a 
great deal of discomfort. 
Ho you think Nature intended the heel 
of the foot should be a good way from the 
ground? Yet just think what high heels 
some people have to their boots! High 
heels give an awkward, stiff appearance 
to the walk, and cause a number of distress- 
ing complaints. We are sure our boys and 
girls like the “spring heels ” best; while 
they will always use the “common sense” 
heels when they are older. 
ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO. 
Ho you think the bones in our bodies 
are exactly like those we sometimes see on 
the ground? Oh, no! You know better 
than this. The bones on the ground are 
dead, while these in our bodies are alive and 
are full of blood vessels. 
Ho our bones grow larger and stronger 
as our bodies grow ? Most certainly ; and 124 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
for this reason we should be very careful to 
take nothing that will check or harm their 
growth. Did von know that if alcohol be 
used while the bones are very young, they 
will not grow so fast nor so large ? 
But there is something else that affects 
the growth of the bones. Can you guess 
what it is1? You will not have much 
trouble in guessing, if you know any young 
boys who have used cigarettes for some 
time. We hope you do not know any such; 
but if you do, we believe that you will 
nearly always find them smaller than other 
boys of the same age. 
Boys, do you wish to grow to be large, 
strong men? Then, listen! You never can, 
if you use tobacco in any form. You will 
be shorter in stature, and your whole body 
will be poorly developed. To be sure, 
there may be some exceptions to this rule, 
but we believe the rule generally holds 
good. Shall we give you the rule again? 
Here it is : 
Boys who begin the use of cigarettes THE CARE OF THE BONES. 
125 
at an early age, and keep up the habit for 
years, seldom reach their full growth. 
Remember, boys, we are talking to yon, 
not to the young man who has completed 
his growth. The effects of cigarettes on a 
young, growing body are much more seri- 
ous than on a body which has reached its 
full growth. Knowing all these things, do 
you think you can afford to run the risk 
of trying a single cigarette % 
TOBACCO STUNTS THE GROWTH. 
QUESTIONS. 
1. Describe the correct manner of walking. 
2. What about the methods of sitting ? 
3. What does the deformed foot of a Chinese woman illus- 
trate ? 
4. Why should the clothing not be tight around the wraist? 
5. Why not wear high-heeled shoes ? 
6. What is the difference between the bones in our bodies 
and those we may see on the ground ? 
7. What is said about the growth of the bones ? 
8. What effect may alcohol have on the growing bones? 
9. Name something else that affects the growth of the bones. 
10. What is said about the use of cigarettes ? 
XX. What class of persons do cigarettes barm most ? 126 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
CHAPTER XXIII. 
THE BRAIN, SPINAL CORD, AND NERVES. 
Was not Nature very wise in placing 
the brain in such a well protected spot 
as the skull provides % Think how many 
Fig. 30. A human brain. 1 and 2, the brain ; 3, the 
beginning of the spinal cord. 
hard knocks this strong box receives dur- 
ing an ordinary life! If these knocks fell 
directly on the brain they would com- BRAIN, SPINAL CORD, AND NERVES. 
127 
pletely destroy it; but within the skull it is 
quite safe. What is this brain for? Why, 
it is with the brain that you think and study. 
It is because of the brain that you can re- 
member the things told you in this lesson. 
Now use your brain, and tell what we 
said about muscle and exercise. Did we 
not tell you that the muscles were made 
strong by proper exercise ? This is also 
true of the brain. Using the brain makes 
it stronger. How can we use it ? By 
studying at school, by reading good books 
at home, and by keeping noble and kind 
thoughts in the mind. Shall we tell you 
something right here that will give you a 
great start in life? Always choose good 
books and good companions. 
Does the heart work all the time ? No, 
it rests a trifle after each beat. Do the 
lungs have any rest? Yes, they rest a short 
time after each breath. The brain and all 
parts of the body must have rest. Can you 
tell what brings rest to the whole body ? 
Sleep. Without sleep a person cannot long 128 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
remain in good health. Perhaps you are 
sleepy sometimes, are you ? Do you think 
you could keep awake through a whole 
night? No, indeed; not if you are in good 
health. 
How long would you like to sleep % Do 
you like to get up early in the morning % 
Shall we tell you how long you ought to 
sleep? Well, we cannot regulate this to 
suit each person. We can only say that the 
growing body needs a great deal of sleep. 
Each night should bring sleep, and plenty 
of it. But this we can tell you positively: 
the best time for sleep is in the early part 
of the night. 
Go to bed early; and have quiet, restful 
sleep. Do not lie in bed after waking up 
in the morning. Get up early, and enjoy 
the most beautiful part of the day. 
“All the clay do what is right, 
And sweet your sleep will he at night.’ 
If you will look at Fig. 31, you will no- 
tice the brain at the upper part. Below BRAIN, SPINAL CORD, AND NERVES. 
129 
the brain is the spinal cord. This goes 
from the brain down the center of the 
backbone. Notice some 
large nerves going to 
the arms and the lower 
limbs. Smaller ones go 
to the muscles and the 
skin. 
We have told yon 
nothing about the nerves 
yet. What are the nerves ? 
Suppose you prick the 
end of your finger with a 
needle! That will tell 
you. How does the pain 
get to your brain so you 
know you are hurt ? In 
just this way: The needle 
touches a little nerve in 
the end of the finger. This 
nerve sends the message 
of pain up the arm until 
it reaches the spinal cord, then the message 
travels up the spinal cord to the brain. So 
Fig. 31. C and Cl are the 
same as 1 and 2in Fig. 30. S 
is the spinal cord; N, N are the 
large nerves which go to the a rms 
and lower limbs; n, n are small 
nerves which go to the shin. 130 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
now what are nerves for ? They carry mes- 
sages from one part of the body to another. 
They can carry many kinds of messages, 
and in many directions. 
There are some strange things about 
these nerves. Some of them can do special 
things and nothing else. For instance, the 
nerves of the eyes can do nothing but carry 
messages of light from the eyes to the 
brain; and the nerves of the ears carry 
only messages of sound. 
These special nerves give the senses. Do 
you know how many senses there are? We 
generally say there are five. Can you give 
the names of the senses so familiar to us 
all? They are sight, smell, taste, touch, 
and hearing. 
ALCOHOL AND THE BRAIN. 
Sometimes persons meet with dreadful 
injuries; yet, if they are in their right 
mind, they can be brave and bear the pain. 
But when the brain is harmed, so that the 131 
BRAIN, SPINAL CORD, AND NERVES. 
person does not know what he says and 
does, how much more sad it is! 
We know of something that acts as a 
poison to the brain. It makes the brain 
stupid and dull. If enough of it be taken, 
it may affect the brain so that the person 
lies as if dead. Do you know the name of 
this poison ? It is alcohol. When a person 
takes even a small quantity of alcohol, his 
brain begins to be affected by it. He talks 
in a foolish manner, and says things that 
his good sense would keep him from saying 
if he had not taken the alcohol. 
Who can tell what a man will do when 
under the influence of strong drink ? He 
may quarrel with his best friends without a 
cause. He is likely to be cruel to those 
whom he should love and care for, though 
lie may be kind and tender when sober. 
Think what horrible deeds it leads men to 
commit, deeds they would never do if 
they were not under the influence of some- 
thing that had poisoned the brain. 
Does a person have to be intoxicated in 132 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
order to have his brain harmed? No, in- 
deed. Even small doses, long continued, 
often weaken the mind. A person who has 
a weak mind is not very likely to succeed 
in life. He cannot think or work well. His 
sense of right is dulled; and even if he sees 
what is right his will is so weak that he 
fails to act as he should. 
A man frequently knows that he is ruin- 
ing himself with alcoholic liquors, and he 
resolves that he will stop using them. But 
his appetite for alcoholic drinks is stronger 
than his will, and he keeps on drinking. 
No one can afford to run the slightest 
risk of forming a habit that may result in 
such great injury. 
TOBACCO AND THE BRAIN. 
It is a sad fact that there are many 
young boys who are forming a habit that 
will harm their brain. Tobacco harms the 
brain, so that those boys who use it are 
generally the poorest students in the school. BRAIN, SPINAL CORD, AND NERVES. 
133 
Do yon want to know where to find the hoy 
who smokes? Well, never go to the head 
of the class for him. Look down toward 
the foot of the class. Tobacco so affects 
his brain that besides making him a poor 
scholar, it leads him to be deceitful and 
untruthful. 
“The brain is the office; 
Each girl and each hoy 
Has nerve lines that whisper 
Of sorrow and joy. 
“Keep the brain office clean, 
The nerves steady and true, 
Or they cannot be fit 
For the work they must do.” 
QUESTIONS. 
1. What is the brain for ? 
2. flow can we make the brain stronger ? 
3. How can we use the brain ? 
4. Does the brain work all the time ? 
5. What brings rest to the whole body ? 
6. Where is the spinal cord? 
7. Tell something about the nerves. 134 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
CHAPTER XXIY. 
THE SENSE OF SIGHT, 
Did yon ever notice how well the eyes 
are protected ? No harm can come to them 
from the back or from the sides. In fact, 
they are well surrounded by bone except in 
front, where the light enters. 
Can you think of other ways in which 
the eyes are protected ? Oh, yes, there are 
the eyelids. Notice how freely and quickly 
they can be moved. Of what use are those 
little delicate hairs, called the lashes, on the 
edges of the lids ? They keep dust and in- 
sects from touching the eyeball. 
Look one of your friends in the eye. 
Do you notice that round black spot? It 
is called the pupil. It is only a round hole. 
What is this for? In order that the light 
may pass into the eye. 
Ask your friend to come to the window, 
where the light can fall on the eye. Look THE SENSE OP SIGHT. 
135 
carefully now at this little pupil, and notice 
that it is getting smaller and smaller. Now 
have your friend cover his eye with his 
hand for a minute or two. Be ready to 
look quickly, as soon as he removes his 
hand. When he removes it, notice that 
the pupil is much larger. 
From this we learn that when the light 
is bright the pupil is small, but when the 
light is dim the pupil is large. Did you 
ever see the pupil of the eye of a cat? 
When you get home notice, if you can, what 
a long narrow slit it is. But if you cover 
the eye for a moment, or take the cat into 
a darker room, the pupil becomes very large 
and round. 
Have you ever seen a person who is 
blind ? How sad is such a misfortune! 
Some of you may have been obliged to re- 
main in a darkened room, because you had 
some trouble with your eyes. How you 
wished once more to be out in the bright 
daylight! Indeed, we hardly realize what a 
precious gift is the sense of sight. 136 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
Let ns tell yon of a few things that may 
aid you in preserving your eyes and in 
keeping them strong: If your eyes are red 
or inflamed, or if reading gives you the 
headache, or if any use of the eyes gives 
pain, you should consult a physician at 
once. Do not do such foolish things as 
squinting, trying to look cross-eyed, or 
turning the eyes in an unnatural way. 
Looking at bright lights, such as the sun 
or the electric lights, is also injurious. 
If you should chance to get some dirt or 
dust into the eyes, some one may remove 
this for you by carefully wiping the eye 
with the folded corner of a soft handker- 
chief. Do not rub the eyes. 
ALCOHOL AND TOBACCO. 
It is a well known fact that alcohol, even 
in the lighter liquors, such as cider, beer, 
and wine, often injures the sense of sight. 
Do you remember what we said about the 
red eyes of the hard drinker1? Sometimes 
they are so bad that they look bloodshot THE SENSE OF SIGHT. 
137 
all the time. It is useless for such a person 
to ask the doctor to cure his eyes so long as 
he uses strong drink. 
Tobacco smoke is bad for the eyes. It 
weakens and inflames them, and often makes 
the eyelids red along the edges. 
Were you ever told there is a disease 
of the eyes, resulting in total blindness, 
which is caused by the use of tobacco % 
Such cases are rare, but they show the great 
power of the tobacco poison. 
QUESTIONS. 
1. How are the eyes protected? 
2. Of what use are the eyelashes ? 
3. What is the round black spot in the eye called? 
4. What is the pupil for ? 
5. When you come to the window, does the pupil become 
larger or smaller ? 
6. When the light is dim, is the pupil large or small ? 
7. Tell some things that may aid in preserving the eyes. 
8. Does alcohol ever injure the sense of sight ? 
9. Is tobacco smoke good or bad for the eyes ? 
10. Does tobacco ever cause blindness ? 138 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
CHAPTER XXV. 
SMELL, TASTE, TOUCH, AND HEARING. 
Smell. Is not the odor from the apple 
orchard, when it is in full bloom, most 
delightful'? And who does not enjoy the 
perfume of the rose ? The sense of smell 
is useful to us in many ways. It enables 
us to enjoy many fruits and flowers. It 
also tells of the presence of things that are 
harmful to the body. Would you eat food 
that has a tainted smell? Would you like 
to breathe air in which there is a bad 
odor? No, indeed. 
Taste. Do you like the taste of olives ? 
And did you, the first time you tried to eat 
them ? Plow is it with tomatoes and oys- 
ters ? Do you like them now, and were you 
always fond of them ? Sometimes things 
which were disagreeable to us at first finally 
become very agreeable. Thus we learn that 
the sense of taste can be educated. 139 
SMELL, TASTE, TOUCH, AND HEARING. 
Tobacco greatly affects the taste. The 
tongue, and all the tissues around the 
mouth, become filled with the flavor of to- 
bacco. This flavor remains in the mouth 
all the time, thus preventing the person 
from enjoying the true taste of anything. 
Touch. We asked in the last chapter if 
you had ever seen a blind person. If so, 
did you see him read the Bible by passing 
his fingers over the letters that are only 
slightly raised from the page? 
This shows how highly trained can be 
the sense of touch. This sense is in the 
skin, and extends over the whole body. 
Hearing. Ho you think the ear, which 
is on the side of the head, is all there is to 
the organ of hearing ? No, indeed. The 
sense of hearing is deep in the bones back 
of the ear. The part you call the ear is of 
use only to catch the sound and send it 
along a canal to the deeper parts. 
It is a great misfortune to lose the hear- 
ing, yet how careless many persons are 
about preserving it! You should not clean 140 
A PRIMER OF HEALTH. 
the ears with a pin, nor with any other hard 
substance. By failing to observe this rule 
trouble is often caused, which results in a 
gradual failing of the hearing. 
Did you ever speak loudly in any one’s 
ear? You certainly will never do it again, 
after you learn that it might cause deaf- 
ness. Blows on the ears are always 
dangerous. You should not allow cold 
air to blow in your ears; it often causes a 
cold. 
u Kindly we part! Love in each heart 
To God, who happiness gives! 
Singing His praise, we ’ll walk in His ways, 
And serve Him while each of us lives.” 
QUESTIONS. 
1. Tell how the sense of smell is useful to us? 
2. Give some illustrations showing how the sense of taste can 
be educated. 
3. How does tobacco affect the taste ? 
4. Give an illustration showing how highly trained the sense 
of touch can be. 
5. Is it wise to speak loudly in any one’s ear? Why not? 
6. Repeat the above verse.