is nothing more
beautiful and exhilarating than the glorious sunlight. Let its luminous,
warming, and physiological forces come freely into our dwellings, enter
into the chemistry of life, animate the spirits, and pervade our homes
and our hearts with its joy-inspiring and health-imparting influences.

* * * * *

CHAPTER II.

FOOD. BEVERAGES. ALCOHOLIC LIQUORS. CLOTHING.

The human body is continually undergoing changes, which commence with
the earliest dawn of existence and end only with death. The old and
worn-out materials are constantly being removed to make room for the
new. Growth and development, as well as the elimination of worn-out and
useless matter, continually require new supplies, which are to be
derived from our food. To fulfill these demands it is necessary that the
nutriment should be of the proper quality, and of sufficient variety to
furnish all the constituents of the healthy body. In order that food may
be of utility, like other building materials, it must undergo
preparation; the crude substance must be worked up into proper condition
and shape for use, in other words, it must be _digested_. But this does
not end the process of supply, each different substance must be taken by
the different bands of workmen, after due preparation in the workshop,
to its appropriate locality in the structure, and there fitted into its
proper place; this is _assimilation_. In reality it becomes a portion of
the body, and is advantageous in maintaining the symmetry and usefulness
of the part to which it is assigned; this constitutes the ultimate
object of food, _nutrition_.

EATING is the process of receiving the food into the mouth, _i.e.,
prehension; mastication and insalivation_--minutely dividing and mixing
it with the saliva; _deglutition_--conveying it to the stomach. Plenty
of time should be taken at meals to thoroughly masticate the food and
mix it with the saliva, which, being one of the natural solvents, favors
its farther solution by the juices of the stomach; the healthy action of
the digestive powers is favored by tranquility of mind, agreeable
associations, and pleasant conversation while eating. It is proverbial
of the American people that they bolt their food whole, washing it down
with various fluids, thus forcing the stomach to perform not only its
own duties, but also those of the teeth and salivary glands. This manner
of dispatching food, which should go