Bernhard Christoph Faust

“ A. Bodily exercise, particularly in the open air, creates hunger and thirst, helps the digestion of our food, and makes it nourishing; it purifies the blood, keeps the bowels healthy, and causes rest and sound sleep.
Q. Can any body remain in a good state of health, without much bodily exercise?
A. No; God has given to man, not without wise design, a body, hands, and feet: he is to make use of them and labour, and through labour to preserve life and health, to promote his own happiness, and that of his fellow creatures.
Q. But cannot exercise and labour hurt a man? ”

“ If they be kept continually dry and clean, and in fresh air, they will rest and sleep well, if not disturbed; the rocking and carrying about of children is quite useless.
As the human soul in a state of infancy is disturbed by rocking, carrying about and dancing, such practices ought to be considered as dangerous and erroneous.
The mother ought to play with the child in an affectionate and gentle manner; ought to give it frequent and mild exercise, and instil gradually into its mind a knowledge of such objects as attract its notice. ”

“ God has so intimately united soul and body, that by a rational care taken of the body, the happiness and purity of the soul is increased.
Q. What is understood by a state of good health?
A. That the body is free from pains and infirmities, fulfils its duties cheerfully and with ease, and is always obedient to the soul.
Q. How does he feel who enjoys health?
A. Strong ; full of vigour and spirits; he relishes his meals; is not affected by wind and weather; goes through exercise and labour with ease, and feels himself always happy. ”

“ The only wholesome beverage is cold water; all warm drinks weaken the stomach and body; they do not cleanse the bowels, nor purify the blood, and are, therefore, unwholesome and hurtful to health.
Q. Why are people, particularly women, so fond of tea and coffee?
A. Because, for want of exercise, they have no natural or real thirst; and because they have been used to them from their infancy. ”

“ A. In Ecclesiasticus 30th Chapter, v. 14, 15, 16, he says, ‘Better is the poor being sound and strong of constitution, than a rich man that is afflicted in his body. Health and good estate of body are above all gold, and a strong body above infinite wealth. ”

“ A. Yes; when we have not had much exercise in the open air, and consequently are not tired, and when we, during our sleep, breathe corrupted air, or lie in warm feather-beds, we find ourselves after some time lazy, stupid, and unhealthy.
Q. Ought we to sleep in cool fresh, and clean air?
A. Yes; and it therefore behoves us not to sleep in warm sitting rooms, but in cool, lofty roomy chambers, that have fresh air; whose windows are kept open in the day time; and in beds without curtains, or with curtains not to be drawn.
Q. What kind of bed is fittest for grown up persons? ”

“ A. No; it is not. Wine is very hurtful to the health, the intellects, and the happiness of man.
Q. Wine as a medical potion, comforts the sick, and strengthens the weak; but does it afford any real strength or nourishment to the healthy?
A. No: it only over-heats, without procuring real strength; for it cannot be converted into good blood, flesh, or bone.
Q. Does wine contribute to the digestion of our meals?
A. No; it does not. Those that drink water eat with a better appetite, and digest better, than those that drink wine. ”

“ A. Bodily exercise, especially in the open air.
Q. Is it best to eat simple food?
A. Yes. It is destructive of health to partake of many different dishes, or of such as are prepared with much art; for they are very difficult of digestion, and afford bad and unwholesome nourishment.
Q. If our food be not sufficiently chewed and converted into a pap-like substance, what is the consequence?
A It cannot be digested sufficiently; and undigested food yields bad nourishment to the body, overloads the stomach, and induces a weak, morbid state of the whole constitution. ”

“ It is of the greatest importance that man, from his earliest infancy, should be accustomed to a distinct pronunciation.
Q. What are the principal reasons why one-fourth of the number of children that come into the world die in the course of the first two years?
A. Want of fresh pure air, uncleanliness, bad indigestible food, particularly meal-pap: the anxiety and misery of parents are also among the causes of the death of so many children. ”

“ A. Because it tends to refresh us, and make us healthy, composed, and serene; it encourages man to work cheerfully, excites appetite, improves health, and induces balmy sleep: in short, man finds himself exceedingly happy while he breathes fresh air. ”

“ From the hour of birth the head of a child ought to be kept uncovered. Mothers will find that, even in the coldest night, when they lay their hands on an infant’s head, it is always warm.
Q. Children are eager to stare at every thing, particularly at the light ”

“ A. The tongue loses its delicacy of taste, and rejects water and mild simple food; the stomach grows cold and loses its natural vigour, and man, under the false idea of giving warmth to his stomach, gains by degrees a passion for drinking, which leads him at last to habitual drunkenness.
Of Brandy.
Q. Is brandy a good liquor?
A No.
Q. Tell me now, what becomes of children that drink spirituous liquors?
A. Children and young persons who drink brandy, or other spirituous liquors, become unhealthy, crippled, stupid, rude, lazy, vicious, and depraved, both as to mind and body. ”

“ A. Instead of being unhealthy, weak, and squalid, and labouring under cold, and hoarseness, they would be much more healthy, content, and happy, and live longer.
Observation. To bury the dead in or hear towns and villages is very injurious and dangerous to the living. ”