[48] “The natural heat of the Human Body is 98 of Fahrenheit’s Thermometer—any temperature applied to it lower than 98, gives a sensation of Cold, but if the temperature applied is not below 62, the sensation of cold will not continue long, but be soon changed to a sensation of heat, and in this climate, Air, &c. applied to the living man, does not diminish the temperature of his Body, unless the temperature of it be below 62; if it is above that, it increases it.”—Cullen’s First Lines, vol. i. p. 130.
[49] “The Cordials, Volatiles, Bracers, Strengtheners, &c. given by common practitioners, may keep up an increased circulation for a few hours, but their action soon subsides.
“The Circulation of the Blood can only be properly carried on through the medium of Exercise or labour.—See [page 38].
“Art cannot come up to Nature in this most salutary of all her operations. That sprightly Vigour, and alacrity of Health, which we enjoy in an active course of Life—that Zest in appetite, and refreshment after eating, which sated Luxury seeks in vain from art, is owing wholly to new blood made every day from fresh food, prepared and distributed by the joint action of all the parts of the Body.”—Cadogan on Gout, p. 34.
[50] “There is no rule more essential to those who are advanced in Life, than never to give way to a remission of Exercise. By degrees the demand for exercise may shrink, in extreme old age, to little more than a bare quit-rent; but that quit-rent must be paid, since life is held by the tenure.
“Whoever examines the accounts handed down to us of the Longest Livers, will generally find, that to the very last they used some exercise, as walking a certain distance every day, &c. This is mentioned as something surprising in them, considering their great age; whereas the truth is, that their living to such an age, without some such exercise, would have been the wonder. Exercise keeps off obstructions, which are the principal sources of diseases, and ultimately of death. Motion then is the tenure of life; and old people who humour or indulge an inclination to sloth and inactivity, (which is too apt to grow upon them on the least encouragement), act as unwisely as the poor traveller, who, bewildered in trackless snow, and surprised by a chilling frost, instead of resisting the temptation to sleep, suffers it to steal upon him, though he knows, that, by its fatal blandishments, he can never expect to wake again, but must inevitably perish.”—Institutes of Health, p. 24.
[51] “The most ignorant person knows, that proper care of the skin is indispensably necessary for the well-being of horses, &c.
“The Groom often denies himself rest, that he may dress and curry his horses sufficiently; it is, therefore, wonderful, that the enlightened people of these days should neglect the care of their own skin so much, that I think I may, without exaggeration, assert, that among the greater part of men,—the Pores of the Skin are half closed and unfit for use.”—From p. 235 of Huffeland’s Art of Prolonging Life,—which persons of all ages may peruse with much advantage.
[52] A thick Crust is not always the consequence of the Wine having been very long time in the Bottle—but is rather a sign that it was too little time in the Cask, or has been kept in a very cold cellar.
[53] “Had the man that first filled the Heidelburgh Tun, been placed as sentinel to see that no other Wine was put into it, I believe that he would have found it much better at 25 or 30 years old, than at 100 or 150, had he lived so long—retained his senses, and been permitted now and then to taste it—a privilege with which the natives are seldom indulged.