The origin of the honeymoon is not generally known.
The Saxons long and long ago got up the delightful occasion. Amongst the
ancient Saxons and Teutons a beverage was made of honey and water, and
sometimes flavored with mulberries. This drink was used especially at
weddings and the after festivals. These festivals were kept up among the
nobility sometimes for a month--"monath." The "hunig monath" was thus
established, and the next moon after the marriage was called the
honeymoon.
Alaric, about the fifth century king of the Saxons and Western Goths, is
said to have actually died on his wedding night from drinking too freely
of the honeyed beverage,--at least he died before morning,--and it
certainly would seem to be a charitable inference to draw, since he
partook very deeply of the "festive drink." It was certainly a sweet
oblivion, "yet it should be a warning to posterity, as showing that even
bridegrooms may make too merry."
Dr. Blanchet recently read a paper before the Academy of Science, Paris,
relative to some cases of "long sleep," or lethargic slumber. One of them
related to a lady twenty years of age, who took a sleeping fit during her
_honeymoon_, which lasted fifty days.
"During this long period a false front tooth had to be taken out in order
to introduce milk and broth into her mouth. This was her only food; she
remained motionless, insensible, and all her muscles were in a state of
contraction. Her pulse was low, her breathing scarcely perceptible; there
was no evacuation, no leanness; her complexion was florid and healthy.
The other cases were exactly similar. Dr. Blanchet is of opinion that in
such cases no stimulants or forced motion ought to be employed.
"The report did not say whether the husband was pleased or not with her
long silence."
There is too much talk in the world about woman's "_jaw_." As for me, give
me the woman who can _talk_; the faster and more sense the better.
"MANY MEN, MANY MINDS."
There are in the United States about thirty-five thousand physicians. Of
this number about five thousand are Homeopathists, and nearly thirty
thousand are what is wrongly termed Allopathists.
Allopathic--Allopathy.--The dictionaries say this term means "the
employment of medicines in order to produce effects different from those
resulting from the disease--a term invented by Hahnemann to designate the
ordinary practice as opposed to Homeopathy." The term is not acknowledged
by physicians, only as a nick, or false one, given by the Hahnemannites to
regular practitioners. "Never allow yourself," says Professor Wood, author
of the American or U. S. Dispensatory, "to be called an Allopath. It is an
opprobrious name, given by the enemies of regular physicians." It is,
moreover, very inappropriate, for we give other remedies besides those of
counter-irritation; as, for instance, an emetic for nausea.
The first regular physicians of Boston were Dr. John Walon, Dr. John
Cutler, and Dr. Zabdal Boylston. Some of the earlier doctors had acted in
the double capacity of minister and physician, as previously mentioned.
Massachusetts has now twelve hundred "regular" doctors, three hundred, or
more, homeopathists, and some hundred botanics, etc. Boston has three
hundred and twenty "allopathics," about fifty homeopathists, a dozen
"eclectics," one hundred and twenty of miscellaneous, and eighty-four
female doctors.
Surely some of them must needs "scratch for a living;" yet there is always
room for a first-class practitioner anywhere.