re is little strength.

Alcohol sometimes causes muscle cells to change to fat. This weakens
the muscles.

Men sometimes have to do hard work in cold countries; and at other
times they must make long marches across hot deserts. Neither the
Eskimos in the cold north, nor the Arabs in the hot desert, use strong
drink. Alcohol does not help a man in either place. It really weakens
the body. The government used to give out liquor to its soldiers; but
soldiers can do more work and have better health without liquor and it
is no longer given out.

A few years ago men were ashamed to refuse to drink. Even when a new
church building was raised, rum was bought by the church and given to
the workmen. Farmers used to give their men a jug of rum when they
went to work. Farm hands would not work without it.

Now all this has changed. Men do not want drinkers to work for them. A
railroad company will discharge a man at once if he is known to drink
at all. A man can now refuse to drink anywhere and men will not think
any less of him.

=195. Tobacco= poisons the muscle cells and makes them weak. At first
it makes boys too sick to move. It always poisons the cells even if
they do not feel sick.

=196. A long life.=--A man's body is built to last eighty years, but
only a few live so long. If you are careful in your eating and
drinking, if you breathe pure air, and if you use your muscles, your
body will be healthy and will last the eighty years and more. All
through your life you will be strong and able to do good work.

WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED

1. Muscles cover the bones and move the body.

2. Muscle is lean meat. It is made of bundles of cells like
strings. Nerves from the brain touch each cell.

3. Each muscle is fast to a bone. It becomes a small string or
tendon at the other end. The tendon crosses a joint and is
fast to another bone.

4. When we wish to move, the brain sends an order to the muscle
cells to make themselves thicker and shorter and so bend the
joint.

5. You can feel the muscles and tendons in the arm and wrist.

6. Muscle work makes us breathe deeper, and eat more food. It
makes the blood flow faster. So it makes our whole bodies
more healthy.

7. Every one ought to use his muscles some part of the day.

8. Alcohol and tobacco lessen the strength of the muscles.

CHAPTER XVI

DISEAS