of water, it being an element of a mild and cleansing nature and
operation, friendly unto all things, and of universal use: but because
it is so common, and so easily procured, I am afraid that many people
will be like _Naaman_ the _Syrian_, when the prophet _Elisha_ advised
him to _wash seven times in the river of Jordan to cure his leprosy_;
it being the ignorance and folly of most people, to admire those things
they do not know, and, on the other side, to despise and trample
under foot those things and mysteries they do know; which the learned
in all ages have taken notice of: for, should some people know what
apothecaries and others give them, they would despise the physic, and
have but little respect for their doctor.
“All housewives do know, that no sort of liquor, be it what it will,
will cleanse and sweeten their vessels, but only water; all other
liquors leaving a sour stinking quality behind them, which will quickly
cause putrefaction: but water in its own nature is clean and pure, not
only for all uses in housewifery, and the preservation of health; but
the saints and holy men of God have highly esteemed this element, by
using it in the exterior acts of divine worship, as having a simile
with the Eternal water of life, that does purify and cleanse the soul
from sin. (_Tryon’s Way to Health_, pp. 17--21.)
(49) _Reveals the glories of her kindred sky._
“If the great distinctive attribute of man be the faculty of speech,
that speech can never be complete or perfect, without two arches of
teeth to modulate the sound, and give proper utterance to the words.
Indeed it is obvious to every one, that when the teeth are lost, the
speech becomes imperfect, and often scarcely intelligible.
“This circumstance makes them valuable beyond measure to a public
speaker, and their preservation ought to meet due attention from those
who wish to shine, either in the senate, at the bar, or in the pulpit.
“Without these instruments of utterance, the graces of eloquence
are lost, and the power of impressing the mind and convincing the
understanding, if not destroyed, is considerably diminished.” (_L. S.
Parmly’s Lectures_, p. 42.)
“Health is so necessary to all the duties, as well as pleasures of
life, that the crime of squandering it is equal to the folly; and
he that for a short gratification brings weakness and diseases upon
himself, and for the pleasure of a few years, condemns the maturer and
more experienced part of his life to the chamber and the couch, may
be justly reproached, not only as a spendthrift of his own happiness,
but as a robber of the public,--as a wretch that has voluntarily
disqualified himself for the business of his station, and refused that
part which Providence assigns him in the general task of human nature.”
(_Dr. Johnson._)
“Health, I conceive, is often maintained at the expense of that vital
power, which, in a more natural state, would have carried us to age.”
(_Thackrah._)
“The old man who has preserved his teeth in good condition, is much
less frail than he who has lost them early by inattention. The youth
who is well endowed by nature in this particular, promises to lead a
life more vigorous, than he whose teeth have prematurely decayed.”
(_Gerbaux_, p. 20.)
On the subject of a happy old age, produced by sobriety, we find the
following account in the writings of Addison. (_Spectator_, Vol. III.
No. 195.)
“The most remarkable instance of the efficacy of temperance, towards
the procuring long life, is what we meet with in a little book
published by Lewis Cornaro the Venetian; which I the rather mention,
because it is of undoubted credit, as the late Venetian ambassador who
was of the same family, attested more than once in conversation, when
he was in England. Cornaro, who was the author of the little treatise I
am mentioning, was of an infirm constitution till about forty, when, by
obstinately persisting in an exact course of temperance, he recovered
a perfect state of health; insomuch that at four score he published a
book which has been translated into English under the title of “Sure
and Certain Methods of obtaining a Long and Healthy Life.” He lived
to give a third and fourth edition of it; and after having passed his
hundredth year, died without pain or agony, and like one who falls
asleep. The treatise I mention has been taken notice of by several
eminent authors, and is written with such a spirit of cheerfulness,
religion, and good sense, as are the natural accompaniments of
temperance and sobriety. The mixture of the old man in it, is rather a
recommendation than a discredit to it.”
The work alluded to by Mr. Addison has been recently republished in
this city by Mr. Graham, lecturer on health and longevity, who has
prefixed to the neat little volume the following remarks:--
“After an experiment of, at least, six thousand years, man knows
about as little how to live, as he did in the infant period of the
world. Indeed, there is no subject that demands the exercise of human
intellect, which is more intricate and difficult to understand, than is
the science of human life. And yet the popular opinion is, that every
man can ascertain by his own experience what is best for him, and how
he ought to live: and that no general rule can be laid down, which
will be equally suitable to all mankind, because there are differences
of _constitution_, and _temperament_, and _predisposition_, &c. ‘Some,’
it is said, ‘with great regularity of habits, and temperance in diet,
enjoy good health and live to great age, while others, pursuing the
same course, are always sickly, and die young; and on the other hand,
some, with great irregularity and intemperance, enjoy health and live
to become very old. Therefore, what is best for one man may not be
for another, and, consequently, it would be impossible to prescribe
any mode of living which would be suitable to all constitutions and
circumstances.”
“This reasoning certainly has the aspect of plausibility, to such as
take but a very hasty and superficial view of the subject. But surely,
if we will honestly investigate this matter with a candid and truly
inquiring mind, we shall see things very differently, and be led to
very different conclusions. We shall then find the true statements to
be these:--
“All men, with a good natural constitution, who are regular in their
habits and temperate in their diet, and in other respects correct, as
a general rule, enjoy health, and live to old age; but some men with a
feeble constitution and diseased body, though regular and careful in
their habits, and temperate, but not always judicious in their diet,
are delicate and sickly all their lives and die early, or before they
attain to old age; and would have suffered much more and died much
sooner, had they been irregular and intemperate:--while on the other
hand, some men, with a remarkably good and vigorous constitution, and
many of whose habtis are conducive to health and longevity, enjoy a
considerable degree of health and attain to great age, in spite of
their irregularities and intemperance: nevertheless, most persons who
are irregular and intemperate become diseased early, and die before
they reach old age, or even the meridian of life.” (_Introduction to
Cornaro by Sylvester Graham, New York_, 1833, 178 pages 18mo.)
The following passages are taken from Cornaro’s work.
“Oh holy and truly happy regularity! How holy and happy should men in
fact, deem thee, since the opposite habit is the cause of such guilt
and misery! so that men should know thee by thy voice alone, and thy
lovely name; for, what a glorious name, what a noble thing, is an
orderly and sober life.”
“I will give an account of my recreations and the relish which I find
at this stage of life, in order to convince the public that the state
I have now attained is by no means death, but real life. They will
see, not without the greatest astonishment, the good state of health
and spirits I enjoy; how I mount my horse without any assistance or
advantage of situation; and how I not only ascend a single flight of
stairs, but climb up a hill from bottom to top, afoot, and with the
greatest ease and unconcern; then how gay, pleasant, and good humored I
am: how free from every perturbation of mind, and every disagreeable
thought; in lieu of which, joy and peace have so firmly their residence
in my bosom, as never to depart from it. I contrive to spend every
hour of life with the greatest delight and pleasure, having frequent
opportunities of conversing with many honorable gentlemen; then I
betake myself to reading some good book, and when I have read so much
as I like, I write; endeavoring in this as in every thing else, to be
of service to others to the utmost of my power.
“Besides this, I have my several gardens supplied with running water,
and in which I always find something to do that amuses me.
“Nor are my recreations rendered less agreeable and entertaining by my
not seeing well, and not hearing readily every thing that is said to
me; or by any other of my faculties not being perfect, for they are
all, thank God, in the highest perfection, particularly my palate,
which now relishes better the simple fare I eat, wherever I happen
to be, than it formerly did the most delicate dishes, when I led an
irregular life.
“And if it be lawful to compare little matters, and such as are
esteemed trifling, to affairs of importance, I will farther venture to
say, that such are the effects of this sober life, that at my present
age of eighty-three, I have been able to write a very entertaining
comedy, abounding with innocent mirth and pleasant jests.
“Such are some of the recreations of my old age.”
To this latter passage Mr. Graham appends the following note:--
“Gentle reader! art thou still in early life, and dost thou sometimes
contemplate old age as necessarily a state of feebleness, and
decrepitude, and gloom? Or, art thou already what the young call old,
and dost thou feel thyself entering into the dreary winter of thy
bodily existence? Seest thou nothing but weakness, and infirmities,
and the last waning of life’s flickering light, in the prospect before
thee? Seems thy unjoyous way downward into the vale of death covered
with a mist whose density increases as thou descendest, wrapping thee
in deeper and yet deeper gloom, and blearing thy vision, and taking
away thy other senses by slow, but yet too painfully perceptible
degrees; and shutting thee up to the solitary consciousness of
exhausted power and approaching death? And with such prospect before
thee, and in such a state, art thou incredulous when the venerable
Cornaro tells of the comforts and the cheerfulness of his green old
age? Does it seem to thee impossible that at the age of ninety or a
hundred years, a man should have that health, and vigor, and vivacity,
and cheerfulness, and increased enjoyment, of which Cornaro speaks?
“Doubt not, beloved reader! but be assured, if thou wilt live the life
of the righteous, thou shalt reap this reward. Wrong not thy body nor
thy soul! Obey the laws of life! Live as thou shouldst, in harmony
with the universal and inflexible government of God, established
constitutionally in the great system of nature’s laws, and thou shalt
experience the health, the serenity, the peace, the cheerfulness, the
happiness, and even the raptures of Cornaro! And when thy life is
spent, and thou art called to make thy exit from this changing scene,
thou shalt walk erect in patriarchal manliness, like Moses, to the
mountain top, with vision unimpaired, and scarce diminished strength,
and there, in the glorious prospect of a better world, thy God himself
will spread thy death-bed for thee, and take thee to himself without a
pain!”
I cannot deny myself the pleasure of making one more extract from
Cornaro, touching the influence of sobriety on the religious hopes of
man.
“I must farther add,” says this good old man, “though it may appear
impossible to some, that, at this age, I enjoy at once two lives: one
terrestrial, which I possess in fact; the other celestial, which I
possess in thought: and this thought is equal to actual enjoyment,
when founded upon things we are sure to attain, as I am sure to attain
that celestial life, through the infinite goodness and mercy of God.
Thus, I enjoy this terrestrial life, in consequence of my sobriety and
temperance, virtues so agreeable to the Deity; and I enjoy by the grace
of the same divine Majesty, the celestial, which He makes me anticipate
in thought:--a thought so lively, as to fix me entirely on this object,
the enjoyment of which I hold and affirm to be the utmost certainty.
And I hold that dying in the manner I expect is not really death, but
a passage of the soul from this earthly life to a celestial, immortal,
and infinitely perfect existence. Neither can it be otherwise:--and
this thought is so superlatively sublime, that it can no longer stoop
to low and wordly objects, such as the death of this body, being
entirely taken up with the happiness of living a celestial and divine
life; whence it is that I enjoy two lives. Nor can the termination of
so high a gratification as I enjoy in this life, give me any concern:
it rather affords me infinite pleasure, as it will be only to make room
for another glorious and immortal life.”
CONCLUSION.
Having appended to the poem such notes as my leisure for several months
past has enabled me to select, I feel it necessary to remark, that
although on many of the subjects discussed, the notes are not so full
nor so illustrative as I could have wished, yet they are the best that
my limited opportunity would permit me to select. A very laborious
profession, in connexion with other duties, has completely engrossed
that time which I would have gladly devoted to this object, and at some
future day I hope to be enabled to do greater justice to a subject
that demands the attentive consideration of every individual. The most
useful advice with which I can conclude these remarks is, to urge on
every individual the necessity of aiming at the prevention of disease
altogether, which can in a great measure be effected without engrossing
more time than its importance merits.
This is a subject which demands the attention of parents, and those
who are entrusted with the care of children. It should be the first
object of every person so situated, to habituate children to clean
their teeth, at least twice a day, and when this practice has been once
adopted, it will be continued as a matter of course. Besides this,
from the age of six to twelve years in particular, a dentist should be
consulted three or four times a year, and at a later period, once or
twice for the purpose of examining the teeth, and counteracting, by
the timely removal of such causes as may produce disease, any mischief
which is likely to take place.
In London and Paris, and I believe in all the larger cities of Europe,
the principal academies and boarding schools are regularly attended
by dentists, for the purpose of having the children’s teeth examined,
and of performing such operations as they may require when necessary.
I should be glad to see this plan more universally adopted in our
large cities, for I am convinced the advantages arising from it are
incalculable; for if proper care and attention be not paid during the
time teeth are shedding, a countenance, however naturally beautiful,
may, in consequence, be totally disfigured; and it frequently happens,
that an unpleasing countenance, although united to an amiable mind,
produces a dislike that is not easily overcome.--“It is, therefore,
(says Mr. Murphy), a duty incumbent on parents, and those who have the
care and education of youth, while they do justice to their minds, not
to overlook their personal advantages.”
“No face, however pleasing and prepossessing, can ever be complete
in its attraction, where the mouth is disfigured. However worthy of
admiration by natural symmetry, a still and silent countenance may be,
we at once lose the grateful impression when a disclosure of bad teeth
is made by the influence of any excitement.--The circumstance either
attaches disgrace to the individual, for present want of cleanliness,
or to its parents or nurse, for past neglect. Even the laugh, the test
of good humor and openness, which invites to cordiality and confidence,
fails to produce a reciprocal effect when we are disgusted by a foul
mouth.” (_L. S. Parmly’s Lectures_, p. 44.)
I have thus adduced several arguments, in order to impress upon the
minds of my readers the importance of my subject, as far as it relates
to an early and attentive care in the management of the teeth. No
fact that I have brought forward can be considered in the slightest
degree exaggerated, for it will be supported by the feelings of every
individual that reflects upon it. If, from what has been said, the
subject shall meet due weight, I shall have performed a duty highly
pleasing to myself, from a consciousness of having pointed out the
right way, which, if practised, will not only add to happiness and
comfort, by a freedom from pain and other inconveniences, but also to
the improvement of personal appearance at every age of life.
The commencement of disease is too generally looked upon as a matter
of little importance; and thus, but few persons take any notice of its
progress, until the agonizing pain of tooth-ache forces it upon their
consideration; and when the disease has been permitted to extend itself
so far, it seldom happens that it can be effectually remedied by any
other means than extraction; but as it is not always in the power of
every individual to have recourse to a dentist on the first attack
of tooth-ache, the patient may possibly obtain a temporary relief by
applying to the diseased tooth a strong solution of camphor in spirits
of wine, which if it prove not altogether successful, has at least
the advantage of safety, and this is much more than can be said of
most of the celebrated remedies. Every extreme of heat and cold should
be avoided, as both are equally liable to cause pain in the teeth.
Attention to cleanliness of the teeth in early life cannot sufficiently
be insisted on, since it is evident that most of their diseases arise
from extraneous matter being suffered to remain upon them; and no time,
therefore, should be lost, in removing whatever has accumulated as soon
as it is discovered.
The brush and powders, which are the common means had recourse to,
will never more than half perform this office, as they act only on the
outer parts, and thus leave the interstices entirely untouched. Some
tinctures may for a time give a whiteness to the enamel, but they are
certain ultimately to injure its texture, and render it more liable
to decay. In short, it may be concluded, that in proportion as any
dentifrice, paste, or lotion, whitens the enamel, its structure is
injured or destroyed. The only means necessary to preserve its color is
to remove whatever may collect around the teeth, and thus allow them to
possess their natural whiteness and polish.--The best method to effect
this is with a brush and water; should this prove insufficient, powders
composed of Armenian bole, prepared chalk, Peruvian bark, or charcoal,
may be used with very great advantage. But, even when the teeth have
been thus cleaned, the insterstices are not cleared. This may be
effected by passing between the teeth a thread of waxed silk, thereby
to dislodge whatever may have collected on their sides.
The means which have been pointed out for the prevention of disease
will be found of much greater advantage to society at large than all
that has been said respecting the treatment. And I cannot too strongly
urge the importance of this particular object.
LIST OF SUBSCRIBERS.
The republication of the foregoing Poem and Notes, as a part of
several successive numbers of the American Journal of Dental Science,
for the years 1840-41, was sustained by the following catalogue of
subscribers:--