Maintaining Health (Formerly Health and Efficiency)Alsaker, Rasmus Larssen
Science
Maintaining Health (Formerly Health and Efficiency)
Alsaker, Rasmus Larssen
Diet; Hygiene
But we allow this many children under ten to be destroyed every ten
years. The slaughter of the innocents does not bring forth much protest,
because we are so used to it, and the babies go one by one, all over the
country. The procession to the grave gives rise to this thought: "The
little one is better off. Now he will suffer no more. It is the will of
Providence." This is a libel on Providence, for this enormous mortality
is due to parental mistakes, mistakes made mostly through ignorance, but
blamable all the same. It behooves parents to obtain knowledge that will
prevent such costly and fatal errors. Nature's law is the same as man's
rule in this that ignorance of the law excuses no one. The results are
the same whether we err knowingly or ignorantly.
It is difficult to teach people to treat their babies properly, because
nearly all the information on the subject is so erroneous. When a
teacher brings forth the truth but few accept it, for the vast majority
are on the other side. Those parents who accept the truth find it
difficult, to put it into practice, for every hand is against them. It
takes more strength of character and moral courage than the average
individual possesses to withstand the criticism of neighbors, friends,
relatives and medical advisers.
The few who have the courage of their convictions and the right
knowledge reap a rich harvest. They have babies who are well. They see
their children grow up with sound bodies and clear minds. They are saved
much of the worry which is the lot of parents of children raised
according to conventional standards. Last, but by no means least, they
have the satisfaction of giving to the race individuals who are better
than their parents or the grandparents. There is much opportunity for
human improvement, and the improvement will take place automatically, if
we do not prevent it by going contrary to nature.
Healthy babies spring from normal, healthy parents. If they can have
normal grandparents, so much the better, but inasmuch as we can not
alter the past, let us give our attention to the present. If we take
care of the present, the future will bring forth a population of healthy
parents and grandparents, and then the babies will have full
opportunity. The past has great influence, for the child of today is
heir of the past, modified by the present. He who influences the present
leaves his mark on the future. As individuals we do not usually
accomplish much during a lifetime, but if we influence our time for the
better it is hard to tell where the improvement will cease or what will
be the aggregate result. A truth imparted to others acts much like a
pebble cast into the water. Its influence is felt in ever widening
circles.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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