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diff --git a/40373-0.txt b/40373-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3fb366f --- /dev/null +++ b/40373-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3447 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 40373 *** + + A GUIDE TO HEALTH + + BY + + MAHATMA GANDHI + + _Translated from the Hindi_ + + BY + + A. RAMA IYER, M.A. + + [Illustration] + + 1921 + + S. GANESAN., PUBLISHER, + TRIPLICANE ... MADRAS, S.E. + + + + +CONTENTS + + + PAGE + + TRANSLATOR'S NOTE vii + + INTRODUCTION 1 + + PART I: GENERAL + + Chap. I. The Meaning of Health 9 + + Chap. II. The Human Body 11 + + Chap. III. Air 14 + + Chap. IV. Water 25 + + Chap. V. Food 29 + + Chap. VI. How much and how many times should we eat? 55 + + Chap. VII. Exercise 59 + + Chap. VIII. Dress 64 + + Chap. IX. Sexual Relations 69 + + PART II: SOME SIMPLE TREATMENTS + + Chap. I. Air Treatment 83 + + Chap. II. Water Cure 86 + + Chap. III. The Use of Earth 95 + + Chap. IV. Fever and its Cures 98 + + Chap. V. Constipation, Dysentery, etc. 101 + + Chap. VI. Contagious Diseases Small-pox 104 + + Chap. VII. Other Contagious Diseases 112 + + Chap. VIII. Maternity and Child-Birth 117 + + Chap. IX. Care of Child 121 + + Chap. X. Accidents--Drowning 127 + + Chap. XI. Do --Burns and Scalds 130 + + Chap. XII. Do --Snake Bite 132 + + Chap. XIII. Do --Scorpion-sting, etc. 140 + + Chap. XIV. Conclusion 142 + + + + +TRANSLATOR'S NOTE + + +In these days when the name of Mahatma Gandhi is identified with the +momentous question of Non-Co-operation, it may come with a shock of +surprise to most readers to be told that he is something of an authority +on matters of Health and Disease as well. Very few of us perhaps are +aware that he is the author of quite an original little Health-book in +Gujarati. Those who think of him as a dreamy idealist or an unpractical +visionary, with his head always in the clouds, will certainly be +undeceived when they read this book replete from cover to cover with +_practical_ observations on the most _practical_ question of Health. His +views are of course radically different from the ordinary views that +find expression in the pages of such books; in many cases, indeed, his +doctrines must be pronounced revolutionary, and will doubtless be +regarded by a certain class of readers as wholly impracticable. Even the +most revolutionary of his doctrines, however, are based, not on the +shifting quicksands of mere theory, but on the solid foundation of deep +study, backed up by personal experience of nearly thirty years. He +himself recognises that many of his views will hardly be accepted by the +ordinary reader, but he has felt himself impelled by a stern sense of +duty to give publicity to his convictions formed after so much of study +and experience. Some at least however, of those who read his book cannot +help being profoundly influenced by it. Such, at any rate, has been the +case with me; and I have ventured to translate the book into English in +the hope that others may also be benefitted likewise. + +I should perhaps explain that I am not a student of Gujarati, the +language of the original. I have used instead one of the two Hindi +versions of the book. I should also point out that I have not attempted +a literal or close translation, but only _a very free rendering_ into +English. In some cases, whole passages have been omitted; and +occasionally only the general sense of a passage has been given. It is +hoped, however, that, in no single instance has there been a +_misinterpretation_ of the original words. + +I am aware that many errors might have crept in, as the translation had +to be done in a hurry, and there was hardly anytime for revision. I hope +to make a thorough revision of the book, in case a second edition is +called for. + + NATIONAL COLLEGE, } + TRICHINOPOLY, } A. RAMA IYER. + JULY 1921. } + + + + +INTRODUCTION + + +For more than twenty years past I have been paying special attention to +the question of Health. While in England, I had to make my own +arrangements for food and drink, and I can say, therefore, that my +experience is quite reliable. I have arrived at certain definite +conclusions from that experience, and I now set them down for the +benefit of my readers. + +As the familiar saying goes, 'Prevention is better than cure.' It is far +easier and safer to prevent illness by the observance of the laws of +health than to set about curing the illness which has been brought on by +our own ignorance and carelessness. Hence it is the duty of all +thoughtful men to understand aright the laws of health, and the object +of the following pages is to give an account of these laws. We shall +also consider the best methods of cure for some of the most common +diseases. + +As Milton says, the mind can make a hell of heaven or a heaven of hell. +So heaven is not somewhere above the clouds, and hell somewhere +underneath the earth! We have this same idea expressed in the Sanskrit +saying, _Mana êva Manushayanâm Kâranam Bandha Mokshayoh_--man's captivity +or freedom is dependant on the state of his mind. From this it follows +that whether a man is healthy or unhealthy depends on himself. Illness +is the result not only of our actions but also of our thoughts. As has +been said by a famous doctor, more people die for fear of diseases like +small-pox, cholera and plague than out of those diseases themselves. + +Ignorance is one of the root-causes of disease. Very often we get +bewildered at the most ordinary diseases out of sheer ignorance, and in +our anxiety to get better, we simply make matters worse. Our ignorance +of the most elementary laws of health leads us to adopt wrong remedies +or drives us into the hands of the veriest quacks. How strange (and yet +how true) it is that we know much less about things near at hand than +things at a distance. We know hardly anything of our own village, but we +can give by rote the names of the rivers and mountains of England! We +take so much trouble to learn the names of the stars in the sky, while +we hardly think it worth while to know the things that are in our own +homes! We never care a jot for the splendid pageantry of Nature before +our very eyes, while we are so anxious to witness the puerile mummeries +of the theatre! And in the same way, we are not ashamed to be ignorant +of the structure of our body, of the way in which the bones and muscles, +grow, how the blood circulates and is rendered impure, how we are +affected by evil thoughts and passions, how our mind travels over +illimitable spaces and times while the body is at rest, and so on. There +is nothing so closely connected with us as our body, but there is also +nothing perhaps of which our ignorance is so profound, or our +indifference so complete. + +It is the duty of every one of us to get over this indifference. +Everyone should regard it as his bounden duty to know something of the +fundamental facts concerning his body. This kind of instruction should +indeed be made compulsory in our schools. At present, we know not how to +deal with the most ordinary scalds and wounds; we are helpless if a +thorn runs into our foot; we are beside ourselves with fright and dismay +if we are bitten by an ordinary snake! Indeed, if we consider the depth +of our ignorance in such matters, we shall have to hang down our heads +in shame. To assert that the average man cannot be expected to know +these things is simply absurd. The following pages are intended for such +as are willing to learn. + +I do not pretend that the facts mentioned by me have not been said +before. But my readers will find here in a nutshell the substance of +several books on the subject. I have arrived at my conclusions after +studying these books, and after a series of careful experiments. +Moreover, those who are new to this subject will also be saved the risk +of being confounded by the conflicting views held by writers of such +books. One writer says for instance, that hot water is to be used under +certain circumstances, while another writer says that, exactly under the +same circumstances, cold water is to be used. Conflicting views of this +kind have been carefully considered by me, so that my readers may rest +assured of the reliability of my own views. + +We have got into the habit of calling in a doctor for the most trivial +diseases. Where there is no regular doctor available, we take the advice +of mere quacks. We labour under the fatal delusion that no disease can +be cured without medicine. This has been responsible for more mischief +to mankind than any other evil. It is of course, necessary that our +diseases should be cured, but they cannot be cured _by medicines_. Not +only are medicines merely useless, but at times even positively harmful. +For a diseased man to take drugs and medicines would be as foolish as to +try to cover up the filth that has accumulated in the inside of the +house. The more we cover up the filth, the more rapidly does +putrefaction go on. The same is the case with the human body. Illness or +disease is only Nature's warning that filth has accumulated in some +portion or other of the body; and it would surely be the part of wisdom +to allow Nature to remove the filth, instead of covering it up by the +help of medicines. Those who take medicines are really rendering the +task of Nature doubly difficult. It is, on the other hand, quite easy +for us to help Nature in her task by remembering certain elementary +principles,--by fasting, for instance, so that the filth may not +accumulate all the more, and by vigorous exercise in the open air, so +that some of the filth may escape in the form of perspiration. And the +one thing that is supremely necessary is to keep our minds strictly +under control. + +We find from experience that, when once a bottle of medicine gets itself +introduced into a home, it never thinks of going out, but only goes on +drawing other bottles in its train. We come across numberless human +beings who are afflicted by some disease or other all through their +lives in spite of their pathetic devotion to medicines. They are to-day +under the treatment of this doctor, to-morrow of that. They spend all +their life in a futile search after a doctor who will cure them for +good. As the late Justice Stephen (who was for some time in India) +said, it is really astonishing that drugs of which so little is known +should be applied by doctors to bodies of which they know still less! +Some of the greatest doctors of the West themselves have now come to +hold this view. Sir Astley Cooper, for instance, admits that the +'science' of medicine is mostly mere guess-work; Dr. Baker and Dr. Frank +hold that more people die of medicines than of diseases; and Dr. +Masongood even goes to the extent of saying that more men have fallen +victims to medicine than to war, famine and pestilence combined! + +It is also a matter of experience that diseases increase in proportion +to the increase in the number of doctors in a place. The demand for +drugs has become so widespread that even the meanest papers are sure of +getting advertisements of quack medicines, if of nothing else. In a +recent book on the Patent Medicines we are told that the Fruit-salts +and syrups, for which we pay from Rs. 2 to Rs. 5, cost to their +manufacturers only from a quarter of an anna to one anna! No wonder, +then, that their compositions should be so scrupulously kept a secret. + +We will, therefore, assure our readers that there is absolutely no +necessity for them to seek the aid of doctors. To those, however, who +may not be willing to boycott doctors and medicines altogether, we will +say, "As far as possible, possess your souls in patience, and do not +trouble the doctors. In case you are forced at length to call in the aid +of a doctor, be sure to get a good man; then, follow his directions +strictly, and do not call in another doctor, unless by his own advice. +But remember, above all, that the curing of your disease does not rest +ultimately in the hands of any doctor." + + M. K. GANDHI. + + + + +A GUIDE TO HEALTH + + + + +CHAPTER I + +THE MEANING OF HEALTH + + +Ordinarily that man is considered healthy who eats well and moves about, +and does not resort to a doctor. But a little thought will convince us +that this idea is wrong. There are many cases of men being diseased, in +spite of their eating well and freely moving about. They are under the +delusion that they are healthy, simply because they are too indifferent +to _think_ about the matter. + +In fact, perfectly healthy men hardly exist anywhere over this wide +world. + +As has been well said, only that man can be said to be really healthy, +who has a sound mind in a sound body. The relation between the body and +the mind is so intimate that, if either of them got out of order, the +whole system would suffer. Let us take the analogy of the rose-flower. +Its colour stands to its fragrance in the same way as the body to the +mind or the soul. No one regards an artificial paper-flower as a +sufficient substitute for the natural flower, for the obvious reason +that the fragrance, which forms the essence of the flower, cannot be +reproduced. So too, we instinctively honour the man of a pure mind and a +noble character in preference to the man who is merely physically +strong. Of course, the body and the soul are both essential, but the +latter is far more important than the former. No man whose character is +not pure can be said to be really healthy. The body which contains a +diseased mind can never be anything but diseased. Hence it follows that +a pure character is the foundation of health in the real sense of the +term; and we may say that all evil thoughts and evil passions are but +different forms of disease. + +Thus considered, we may conclude that that man alone is perfectly +healthy whose body is well formed, whose teeth as well as eyes and ears +are in good condition, whose nose is free from dirty matter, whose skin +exudes perspiration freely and without any bad smell, whose mouth is +also free from bad smells, whose hands and legs perform their duty +properly, who is neither too fat nor too thin, and whose mind and senses +are constantly under his control. As has already been said, it is very +hard to gain such health, but it is harder still to retain it, when +once it has been acquired. The chief reason why we are not truly healthy +is that our parents were not. An eminent writer has said that, if the +parents are _in perfectly good condition_ their children would certainly +be superior to them in all respects. A _perfectly healthy_ man has no +reason to fear death; our terrible fear of death shows that we are far +from being so healthy. It is, however, the clear duty of all of us to +strive for perfect health. We will, therefore, proceed to consider in +the following pages how such health can be attained, and how, when once +attained, it can also be retained for ever. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +THE HUMAN BODY + + +The world is compounded of the five elements,--earth, water, air, fire, +and ether. So too is our body. It is a sort of miniature world. Hence +the body stands in need of all the elements in due proportion,--pure +earth, pure water, pure fire or sunlight, pure air, and open space. When +any one of these falls short of its due proportion, illness is caused in +the body. + +The body is made up of skin and bone, as well as flesh and blood. The +bones constitute the frame-work of the body; but for them we could not +stand erect and move about. They protect the softer parts of the body. +Thus the skull gives protection to the brain, while the ribs protect the +heart and the lungs. Doctors have counted 238 bones in the human body. +The outside of the bones is hard, but the inside is soft and hollow. +Where there is a joint between two bones, there is a coating of marrow, +which may be regarded as a soft bone. The teeth, too, are to be counted +among the bones. + +When we feel the flesh at some points, we find it to be tough and +elastic. This part of the flesh is known as the muscle. It is the +muscles that enable us to fold and unfold our arms, to move our jaws, +and to close our eyes. It is by means of the muscles, again, that our +organs of perception do their work. + +It is beyond the province of this book to give a detailed account of the +structure of the body; nor has the present writer enough knowledge to +give such an account. We will, therefore, content ourselves with just +as much information as is essential for our present purpose. + +The most important portion of the body is the stomach. If the stomach +ceases to work even for a single moment, the whole body would collapse. +The work of the stomach is to digest the food, and so to provide +nourishment to the body. Its relation to the body is the same as that +of the steam engine to the Railway train. The gastric juice which is +produced in the stomach helps the assimilation of nutritious elements in +the food, the refuse being sent out by way of the intestines in the form +of urine and fæces. On the left side of the abdominal cavity is the +spleen, while to the right of the stomach is the liver, whose function +is the purification of the blood and the secretion of the bile, which is +so useful for digestion. + +In the hollow space enclosed by the ribs are situated the heart and the +lungs. The heart is between the two lungs, but more to the left than the +right. There are on the whole 24 bones in the chest; the action of the +heart can be felt between the fifth and the sixth rib. The lungs are +connected with the windpipe. The air which we inhale is taken into the +lungs through the windpipe, and the blood is purified by it. It is of +the utmost importance to breathe through the nose, instead of through +the mouth. + +On the circulation of the blood depend all activities of the body. It is +the blood that provides nourishment to the body. It extracts the +nutritious elements out of the food, and ejects the refuse through the +intestines, and so keeps the body warm. The blood is incessantly +circulating all over the body, along the veins and the arteries. The +beatings of the pulse are due to the circulation of the blood. The pulse +of a normal adult man beats some 75 times a minute. The pulses of +children beat faster, while those of old men are slower. + +The chief agency for keeping the blood pure is the air. When the blood +returns to the lungs after one complete round over the body, it is +impure and contains poisonous elements. The oxygen of the air which we +inhale purifies this blood and is assimilated into it, while the +nitrogen absorbs the poisonous matter and is breathed out. This process +goes on incessantly. As the air has a very important function to perform +in the body, we shall devote a separate chapter to a detailed +consideration of the same. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +AIR + + +Of the three things that are indispensable for the subsistence of +man,--namely, air, water, and food--the first is the most important. Hence +it is that God has created it in such large quantities as to make it +available to all of us for nothing. Modern civilisation, however, has +rendered even fresh air somewhat costly, for, in order to breathe fresh +air, we have to go out of towns, and this means expense. The residents +of Bombay, for instance, distinctly improve in health in the air of +Matheran or, still better, of the Malabar Hills; but they cannot go to +these places without money. Hence, in these days, it would be hardly +true to say that we get fresh air _gratis_, as we used to in the old +days. + +But, whether fresh air is available _gratis_ or not, it is undeniable +that we cannot get on without it. We have already seen that the blood +circulates over the body, returns to the lungs, and after being +purified, starts on its round again. We breathe out the impure air, and +take in oxygen from the outside, which purifies the blood. This process +of inspiration and expiration goes on for ever, and on it depends man's +life. When drowned in water we die, because, then we are unable to let +out the impure air in the body and take in pure air from outside. The +divers go down into the water in what is known as a diving bell, and +they take in fresh air through a tube which leads to the top. Hence it +is that they are able to remain under water for a long time. + +It has been ascertained by experiments that no man can live without air +for as long as five minutes. We often hear of the death of little +children, when they are held so close to the bosom by ignorant mothers +as to make it impossible for them to breathe. + +We should all be as much against the breathing of impure air as we are +against the drinking of dirty water and the eating of dirty food; but +the air we breathe is, as a rule, far more impure than the water we +drink or the food we eat. We are all worshippers of concrete objects; +those things that can be seen and felt are regarded by us as of far +greater importance than those which are invisible and intangible. Since +air belongs to this latter class of objects, we fail to realise the evil +wrought by the impure air that we breathe. We would think twice before +eating the leavings of another man's food, or drinking out of a cup +polluted by another man's lips. Even those who have not the least sense +of shame or repugnance would never eat another man's vomit, or drink the +water which has been spat out by him; even those who are dying of hunger +and thirst would refuse to do it. But, alas, how few of us realise that +the air we inhale is so often the impure and poisonous air which has +been exhaled by others, and which is surely no less objectionable than a +man's vomit! How strange that men should sit and sleep together for +hours in closed rooms, and go on inhaling the deadly air exhaled by +themselves and their companions! How fortunate for man that air should +be so light and diffusive, and capable of penetrating the smallest +holes! Even when the doors and windows are closed, there is generally +some little space between the walls and the roof, through which some air +from outside manages to get in, so that the inmates of the room have not +to breathe exclusively poisoned air. The air that we exhale mixes with +the air outside, and is rendered pure again by an automatic process that +is always going on in Nature. + +Now we are able to understand why so many men and women should be weak +and diseased. _There can be absolutely no doubt that impure air is the +root-cause of disease in ninety-nine cases out of every hundred._ It +follows that the best way of avoiding disease is to live and work in the +open air. No doctor can compete with fresh air in this matter. +Consumption is caused by the decay of the lungs, due to the inhaling of +impure air, just as a steam engine which is filled with bad coal gets +out of order. Hence doctors say that the easiest and the most effective +treatment for a consumptive patient is to keep him in fresh air for all +the 24 hours of the day. + +It is, of course, essential to know how we can keep the air pure. In +fact, every child should be taught the value of fresh air, as soon as it +is able to understand anything. If my readers would take the trouble to +learn the simple facts about the air and would put their knowledge into +practice, while teaching their children also to do the same. I shall +feel immensely gratified. + +Our latrines are perhaps most responsible for rendering the air impure. +Very few people realise the serious harm done by dirty latrines. Even +dogs and cats make with their claws something like a pit wherein to +deposit their fæces, and then cover it up with some earth. Where there +are no lavatories of the modern approved types, we should also do +likewise. There should be kept ashes or dry earth in a tin can or an +earthen vessel inside the latrine, and whoever goes into the latrine +should, on coming out, cover the fæces well with the ash or the earth, +as the case may be. If this is done there would be no bad smell, and the +flies too will not settle on it and transmit the filth. Anybody whose +sense of smell has not been wholly blunted, or who has not grown +thoroughly accustomed to foul smells will know how noxious is the smell +that emanates from all filthy matter which is allowed to lie open to the +weather. Our gorge rises at the very thought of fæces being mixed with +our food, but we go on inhaling the air which has been polluted by such +foul smell, forgetting the fact that the one is just as bad as the +other, except that, while the former is visible, the latter is not. We +should see that our latrines are kept thoroughly neat and clean. We +abhor the idea of our cleaning the latrines ourselves, but what we +should really abhor is the idea of making use of dirty latrines. What is +the harm in ourselves removing the filth which has been expelled from +inside our own body, and which we are not ashamed to have removed by +others? There is absolutely no reason why we should not ourselves learn +the work of scavenging and teach it to our children as well. The filthy +matter should be removed, and thrown into a pit two feet deep, and then +covered up with a thick layer of earth. If we go to some open place, we +should dig a small pit with our hands or feet, and then cover it up, +after the bowels have been evacuated. + +We also make the air impure by making water at all places +indiscriminately. This dirty habit should be given up altogether. If +there is no place specially set apart for the purpose, we should go to +some dry ground away from the house, and should also cover up the urine +with earth. + +The filth should not be cast into very deep pits, for, in that case, it +would be beyond the reach of sun's heat, and would also pollute the +water flowing underneath the earth. + +The habit of spitting indiscriminately on the verandahs, court yards, +and such like places is also very bad. The spittle, especially of +consumptives, is very dangerous. The poisonous germs in it rise into +the air, and, being inhaled by others, lead to a spread of the disease. +We should keep a spittoon inside the house, and if we have to spit when +out on the road we should spit where there is dry dust, so that the +spittle may be absorbed into the dust and cause no harm. Doctors hold +that the consumptive should spit into a spittoon with some disinfectant +in it: for, even if he spits on dry ground, the germs in his spittle +manage to rise and spread into the air along with the dust. But, in any +case, there can be no doubt that the habit of spitting wherever we +please is dirty as well as dangerous. + +Some people throw where they like cooked food and other articles, which +decay and render the air impure. If all such rubbish be put underground, +the air would not be made impure, and good manure, too could be +obtained. In fact, no kind of decaying matter should be allowed to lie +exposed to the air. It is so easy for us to take this necessary +precaution, if only we are in earnest about it. + +Now we have seen how our own bad habits render the air impure, and what +we can do to keep it pure. Next we shall consider how to inhale the air. + +As already mentioned in the last chapter, the air is to be inhaled +through the nose, and not through the mouth. There are, however, very +few persons who know how to breathe correctly. Many people are in the +pernicious habit of inhaling through the mouth. If very cold air is +inhaled through the mouth, we catch cold and sore throat. Further, if we +inhale through the mouth, the particles of dust in the air go into the +lungs and cause great mischief. In London, for instance, in November, +the smoke which issues from the chimneys of great factories mixes with +the dense fog, producing a kind of yellow mixture. This contains tiny +particles of soot, which can be detected in the spittle of a man who +inhales through the mouth. To escape this, many women (who have not +learnt to breathe through the nose alone) put on a special kind of veil +over their faces, which act as sieves. If these veils are closely +examined, particles of dust can be detected in them. But God has given +to all of us a sieve of this kind inside the nose. The air which is +inhaled through the nostrils is sifted before it reaches the lungs, and +is also warmed in the process. So all men should learn to breathe +through the nose alone. And this is not at all difficult, if we remember +to keep our mouth firmly shut at all times, except when we are talking. +Those who have got into the habit of keeping their mouth open should +sleep with a bandage round the mouth, which would force them to breathe +through the nose. They should also take some twenty long respirations in +the open air, both in the morning and in the evening. In fact, all men +can practise this simple exercise and see for themselves how rapidly +their chest deepens. If the chest be measured at the beginning of the +practice, and again after an interval of two months, it will be seen how +much it has expanded in this short period. + +After learning how to inhale the air, we should cultivate the habit of +breathing fresh air, day in and day out. We are generally in the most +pernicious habit of keeping confined to the house or the office +throughout the day, and sleeping in narrow rooms at night, with all +doors and windows shut. As far as possible, we should remain in the open +air at all times. We should at least _sleep_ on the verandah or in the +open air. Those who cannot do this should at least keep the doors and +windows of the room fully open at all times. The air is our food for all +the twenty-four hours of the day. Why, then, should we be afraid of it? +It is a most foolish idea that we catch cold by inhaling the cool breeze +of the morning. Of course, those people who have spoiled their lungs by +the evil habit of sleeping within closed doors are likely to catch cold, +if they change their habit all on a sudden. But even they should not be +afraid of cold, for this cold can be speedily got rid of. Now-a-days, in +Europe, the houses for consumptives are being built in such a way that +they may get fresh air at all times. We know what terrible havoc is +wrought in India by epidemics. We should remember that these epidemics +are due to our habit of defiling the air, and of inhaling this poisonous +air. We should understand that even the most delicate people will be +benefitted by systematically inhaling fresh air. If we cultivate the +habit of keeping the air pure and of breathing only fresh air, we can +save ourselves from many a terrible disease. + +Sleeping with the face uncovered is as essential as sleeping in fresh +air. Many of our people are in the habit of sleeping with the face +covered, which means that they have to inhale the poisonous air which +has been exhaled by themselves. Fortunately however, some of the air +from outside does find its way through the interstices of the cloth, +else they should die of suffocation. But the small quantity of air that +gains entrance in this way is altogether inadequate. If we are suffering +from cold, we may cover the head with a piece of cloth, or put on a +night-cap, but the nose should be kept exposed _under all +circumstances_. + +Air and light are so intimately connected with each other that it is as +well to speak a few words here on the value of light. Light is as +indispensable to life as air itself. Hence it is that Hell is +represented as completely dark. Where light cannot penetrate, the air +can never be pure. If we enter a dark cellar, we can distinctly perceive +the smell of the foul air. The fact that we cannot see in the dark shows +that God has intended us to live and move in the light. And Nature has +given us just as much darkness as we require in the night. Yet, many +people are in the habit of sitting or sleeping in underground cellars, +devoid of air and light, even in the hottest summer! Those who thus +deprive themselves of air and light are always weak and haggard. + +Now-a-days, there are many doctors in Europe who cure their patients by +means of air-bath and sun-bath alone. Thousands of diseased persons have +been cured by mere exposure to the air and to the sunlight. We should +keep all doors and windows in our houses always open, in order to allow +the free entrance of air and light. + +Some readers may ask why, if air and light are so indispensable, those +who live and work in cellars are not visibly affected. Those who have +thought well over the matter would never put this question. Our aim +should be to attain the maximum of health by all legitimate means; _we +should not be content merely to live anyhow_. It has been indubitably +established that insufficient air and light give rise to disease. +Dwellers in towns are, as a rule, more delicate than those in the +country, for they get less air and light than the latter. Air and light, +then, are absolutely indispensable to health, and every one should +remember all that we have said on the matter, and act up to it to the +best of his ability. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +WATER + + +As has been already pointed out, air is the most indispensable to our +subsistence, while water comes next in order. Man cannot live for more +than a few minutes without air, but he can live for a few days without +water. And in the absence of other food, he can subsist on water alone +for many days. There is more than 70% of water in the composition of our +food-stuffs, as in that of the human body. + +Even though water is so indispensable, we take hardly any pains to keep +it pure. Epidemics are as much the outcome of our indifference to the +quality of the water we drink, as of the air we breathe. The drinking of +dirty water very often produces also the disease of the stone. + +Water may be impure in either of two ways,--by issuing from dirty places, +or by being defiled by us. Where the water issues from dirty places, we +should not drink it at all; nor do we generally drink it. But we do not +shrink from drinking the water which has been defiled by ourselves. +River-water, for instance, is regarded as quite good for drinking, +although we throw into it all sorts of rubbish, and also use it for +washing purposes. We should make it a rule never to drink the water in +which people bathe. The upper portion of a river should be set apart for +drinking water, the lower being reserved for bathing and washing +purposes. Where there is no such arrangement, it is a good practice to +dig in the sand, and take drinking water therefrom. This water is very +pure, since it has been filtered by passage through the sand. It is +generally risky to drink well-water, for unless it is well protected, +the dirty water at the top would trickle down into the well, and render +the water impure. Further, birds and insects often fall into the water +and die; sometimes birds build their nests inside the wells; and the +dirt from the feet of those who draw water from the well is also washed +down into the water. For all these reasons, we should be particularly +careful in drinking well-water. Water kept in tubs is also very often +impure. If it should be pure, the tubs should be washed clean at +frequent intervals, and should be kept covered; we should also see that +the tank or well from which the water is taken is kept in good +condition. Very few people, however, take such precautions to keep the +water pure. Hence the best way of removing the impurities of the water +is to boil it well, and, after cooling it, filter it carefully into +another vessel through a thick and clean piece of cloth. Our duty, +however, does not end with this. We should realise that we owe a duty to +our fellowmen in this matter. We should see to it that we do absolutely +nothing to defile the water which is used for drinking by the public. We +should scrupulously refrain from bathing or washing in the water which +is reserved for drinking; we should never answer the calls of nature +near the banks of a river, nor cremate the dead bodies there and throw +the ashes after cremation into the water. + +In spite of all the care that we may take, we find it so difficult to +keep water perfectly pure. It may have, for instance, salt dissolved in +it, or bits of grass and other decaying matter. Rain water is, of +course, the purest, but, before it reaches us, it generally becomes +impure by the absorption of the floating matter in the atmosphere. +Perfectly pure water has a most beneficial effect on the system; hence +doctors administer distilled water to their patients. Those who are +suffering from constipation are appreciably benefitted by the use of +distilled water. + +Many people do not know that water is of two kinds, _soft_ and _hard_. +Hard water is water in which some kind of salt has been dissolved. +Hence, soap does not readily lather in it, and food cannot be easily +boiled in it. Its taste is brackish, while soft water tastes sweet. It +is much safer to drink soft water, although some people hold that hard +water is better by virtue of the presence of nutritious matter dissolved +therein. Rain water is the best kind of soft water, and is therefore, +the best for drinking purposes. Hard water, if boiled and kept over the +fire for some half an hour, is rendered soft. Then it may be filtered +and drunk. + +The question is often asked, "When should one drink water, and how +much?" The only safe answer to this is this: one should drink water only +when one feels thirsty, and even then only just enough to quench the +thirst. There is no harm in drinking water during the meals or +immediately afterwards. Of course, we should not wash the food down with +water. If the food refuses to go down of itself, it means that either it +has not been well prepared or the stomach is not in need of it. + +Ordinarily, there is no need to drink water; and indeed, there _should_ +be none. As already mentioned, there is a large percentage of water in +our ordinary articles of food, and we also add water in cooking them. +Why then should we feel thirsty? Those people whose diet is free from +such articles as chillies and onions which create an artificial thirst, +have rarely any need to drink water. Those who feel unaccountably +thirsty must be suffering from some disease or other. + +We may be tempted to drink any kind of water that we come across, simply +because we see some people doing it with impunity. The reply to this has +already been given in connection with air. Our blood has in itself the +power of destroying many of the poisonous elements that enter into it, +but it has to be renewed and purified, just as the sharp edge of a sword +has to be mended when it has been once employed in action. Hence, if we +go on drinking impure water, we should not be surprised to find our +blood thoroughly poisoned in the end. + + + + +CHAPTER V + +FOOD + + +It is impossible to lay down hard and fast rules in the matter of food. +What sort of food should we eat, how much of it should be eaten, and at +what times,--these are questions on which doctors differ a great deal. +The ways of men are so diverse, that the very same food shows different +effects on different individuals. + +Although, however, it is impossible to say conclusively what sort of +food we should eat, it is the clear duty of every individual to bestow +serious thought on the matter. Needless to say, the body cannot subsist +without food. We undergo all sorts of sufferings and privations for the +sake of food. But, at the same time, it is indisputable that 99.9% of +men and women in the world eat merely to please the palate. They never +pause to think of the after-effects at the time of eating. Many people +take purgatives and digestive pills or powders in order to be able to +eat thoroughly well. Then there are some people who, after eating to the +utmost of their capacity, vomit out all that they have eaten, and +proceed to eat the same stuffs once more! Some people, indeed, eat so +sumptuously that, for two or three days together, they do not feel +hungry at all. In some cases, men have even been known to have died of +over-eating. I say all this from my own experience. When I think of my +old days, I am tempted to laugh at many things, and cannot help being +ashamed of some things. In those days I used to have tea in the morning, +breakfast two or three hours afterwards, dinner at one o'clock, tea +again at 3 p.m., and supper between 6 and 7! My condition at that time +was most pitiable. There was a great deal of superfluous fat on my body, +and bottles of medicine were always at hand. In order to be able to eat +well, I used to take purgatives very often, as well as some tonic or +other. In those days, I had not a _third_ of my present capacity for +work, in spite of the fact that I was then in the prime of youth. Such a +life is surely pitiable, and if we consider the matter seriously, we +must also admit it to be mean, sinful and thoroughly contemptible. + +Man is not born to eat, nor should he live to eat. His true function is +to know and serve his Maker; but, since the body is essential to this +service, we have perforce to eat. Even atheists will admit that we +should eat merely to preserve our health, and not more than is needed +for this purpose. + +Turn to the birds and beasts, and what do you find? They never eat +merely to please the palate, they never go on eating till their inside +is full to overflowing. On the other hand, they eat only to appease +their hunger, and even then only just as much as will appease their +hunger. They take the food provided by Nature, and do not cook their +food. Can it be that man alone is created to worship the palate? Can it +be that he alone is destined to be eternally suffering from disease? +Those animals that live a natural life of freedom never once die of +hunger. Among them there are no distinctions of rich and poor,--of those +who eat many times a day, and those who do not get even one meal in the +day. These abnormalities are found only among us human beings,--and yet +we regard ourselves as superior to the animal creation! Surely those who +spend their days in the worship of their stomach are worse than the +birds and beasts. + +A calm reflection will show that all sins like lying, cheating and +stealing are ultimately due to our subjection to the palate. He who is +able to control the palate, will easily be able to control the other +senses. If we tell lies, or commit theft or adultery, we are looked down +upon by society, but, strangely enough, no odium attaches to those who +slavishly pander to the palate! It would seem as though this were not a +question of morality at all! The fact is that even the best of us are +slaves to the palate. No one has yet adequately emphasised the +numberless evils that arise from our habit of pandering to the palate. +All civilised people would boycott the company of liars, thieves, and +adulterers; but they go on eating beyond all limits, and never regard it +as a sin at all. Pandering to the palate is not regarded by us as a sin, +since all of us are guilty of it, just as dacoity is not regarded as a +crime in a village of dacoits; but what is worse, we pride ourselves on +it! On occasions of marriage and other festivities, we regard it as a +sacred duty to worship the palate; even in times of funeral, we are not +ashamed of doing it. Has a guest come? We must gorge him with +sweetmeats. If, from time to time, we do not give feasts to our friends +and relations, or do not partake of the feasts given by them, we must +become objects of contempt. If, having invited our friends to eat with +us, we fail to cram them with rich stuffs, we must be regarded as +miserly. On holidays, of course, we must have specially rich food +prepared! Indeed, what is really a great sin has come to be looked upon +as a sign of wisdom! We have sedulously cultivated such false notions in +the matter of eating that we never realise our slavishness and our +beastliness. How can we save ourselves from this terrible state? + +Let us view the question from another standpoint. We find it invariably +the case in the world that Nature herself has provided for all +creatures, whether man or beast, or bird or insect, just enough food for +their sustenance. This is an eternal law of Nature. In the kingdom of +Nature, none goes to sleep, none forgets to do his duty, and none shows +a tendency to laziness. All the work is done to perfection, and +punctually to the minute. If we remember to order our lives strictly in +accordance with the immutable and eternal laws of Nature, we shall find +that there are no more deaths by starvation anywhere over the wide +world. Since Nature always provides just enough food to feed all created +beings, it follows that he who takes to himself more than his normal +share of food, is depriving another of his legitimate share. Is it not a +fact, that, in the kitchens of emperors and kings, of all rich men, in +general, much more food is prepared than is required to feed them and +all their dependents? That is to say, they snatch so much food from the +share of the poor. Is it, then, any wonder that the poor should die of +starvation? If this is true (and this fact has been admitted by the most +thoughtful men) it must necessarily follow that all the food that we eat +beyond our immediate need is food filched from the stomachs of the poor. +And to the extent to which we eat merely with a view to pleasing the +palate must our health necessarily suffer. After this preliminary +discussion, we can proceed to consider what kind of food is best for us. + +Before, however, we decide the question of the ideal food for us, we +have to consider what kinds of food are injurious to health, and to be +avoided. Under the term "food", we include all the things that are taken +into the body through the mouth,--including _wine_, _bhang_ and _opium_, +_tobacco_, _tea_, _coffee and cocoa_, _spices_ and _condiments_. I am +convinced that all these articles have to be completely eschewed, having +been led to this conviction partly from my own experience, and partly +from the experiences of others. + +Wine, bhang and opium have been condemned by all the religions of the +world, although the number of total abstainers is so limited. Drink has +brought about the ruin of whole families. The drunkard forfeits his +sanity; he has even been known to forget the distinction between mother, +wife and daughter. His life becomes a mere burden to him. Even men of +sound sense become helpless automatons when they take to drink; even +when not actually under its influence, their minds are too impotent to +do any work. Some people say that wine is harmless when used as +medicine, but even European doctors have begun to give up this view in +many cases. Some partisans of drink argue that, if wine can be used as +medicine with impunity, it can also be used as drink. But many poisons +are employed as medicines; do we ever dream of employing them as food? +It is quite possible that, in some diseases, wine may do some good, but +even then, no sensible, or thoughtful man should consent to use it _even +as medicine_, under any circumstances. As for opium, it is no less +injurious than wine, and is to be equally eschewed. Have we not seen a +mighty nation like the Chinese falling under the deadly spell of opium, +and rendering itself incapable of maintaining its independence? Have we +not seen the _jagirdars_ of our own land forfeiting their _jagirs_ under +the same fatal influence? + +So powerful is the spell that has been woven over the minds of men by +tobacco that it will take an age to break it. Young and old have equally +come under this fatal spell. Even the best men do not shrink from the +use of tobacco. Its use, indeed, has become a matter of course with us, +and is spreading wider and wider every day. Very few people are aware of +the many tricks employed by the cigarette-manufacturers to bring us more +and more under its influence. They sprinkle opium or some perfumed acid +on the tobacco, so that we may find it all the more difficult to +extricate ourselves from its clutches. They spend thousands of pounds in +advertisements. Many European firms dealing in cigars keep their own +presses, have their own cinemas, institute lotteries, and give away +prizes, and, in short, spend money like water to achieve their end. Even +women have now begun to smoke. And poems have been composed on tobacco, +extolling it as the great friend of the poor! + +The evils of smoking are too numerous to mention. The habitual smoker +becomes such a bond slave to it that he knows no sense of shame or +compunction; he proceeds to emit the foul fumes even in the houses of +strangers! It is also a matter of common experience that smokers are +often tempted to commit all sorts of crimes. Children steal money from +their parents' purses; and even the prisoners in gaols manage to steal +cigarettes and keep them carefully concealed. The smoker will get on +without food, but he cannot dispense with his smoke! Soldiers on the +field of battle have been known to lose all capacity for fighting for +failure of the indispensable cigarette at the critical moment. + +The late Count Leo Tolstoi of Russia tells us the following story. A +certain man once took it into his head, for some reason, to murder his +wife. He actually drew the knife and was about to do the deed, when he +felt some compunction, and gave it up. Then he sat down to smoke and his +wits being turned under the influence of tobacco, he rose once more and +actually committed the murder. Tolstoi held the view that the poison of +tobacco is more subtle and irresistible, and hence far more dangerous, +than that of wine. + +Then the money that is spent on cigars and cigarettes by individuals is +frightfully large. I have myself come across instances of cigars +consuming as much as Rs. 75 a month for one man! + +Smoking also leads to an appreciable reduction of digestive powers. The +smoker feels no appetite for food, and in order to give it some flavour, +spices and condiments have to be freely used. His breath stinks, and, in +some cases, blisters are formed on his face, and the gums and teeth +turn black in colour. Many also fall a prey to terrible diseases. The +fumes of tobacco befoul the air around, and public health suffers in +consequence. I cannot understand how those who condemn drink can have +the temerity to defend smoking. The man who does not eschew tobacco in +all its forms can never be perfectly healthy, nor can he be a man of +pure and blameless character. + +I must say that tea, coffee and cocoa are equally injurious to health, +although I know that very few are likely to agree with me. There is a +kind of poison in all of them; and, in the case of tea and coffee, if +milk and sugar were not added, there would be absolutely no nutritious +element in them. By means of repeated and varied experiments it has been +established that there is nothing at all in these articles which is +capable of improving the blood. Until a few years ago, we used to drink +tea and coffee only on special occasions, but to-day they have become +universally indispensable. Things have come to such a pass that even +sickly persons often use them as substitutes for nourishing food! + +Fortunately for us, the costliness of cocoa has prevented its spread to +the same extent as tea and coffee, although, in the homes of the rich, +it is quite liberally used. + +That all these three articles are poisonous can be seen from the fact +that those who once take to them can never afterwards get on without +them. In the old days, I myself used to feel a distinct sense of +weariness or langour if I did not get my tea punctually at the usual +hour. Once some 400 women and children had gathered together at a +certain celebration. The executive committee had resolved against +providing tea to the visitors. The women, however, that had assembled +there, were in the habit of taking tea at 4 o'clock every evening. The +authorities were informed that, if these women were not given their +usual tea, they would be too ill to move about, and, needless to say, +they had to cancel their original resolution! But some slight delay in +the preparation of the tea led to a regular uproar, and the commotion +subsided only after the women had had their cup of tea! I can vouch for +the authenticity of this incident. In another instance, a certain woman +had lost all her digestive powers under the influence of tea, and had +become a prey to chronic headaches; but from the moment that she gave up +tea her health began steadily to improve. A doctor of the Battersea +Municipality in England has declared, after careful investigation, that +the brain-tissues of thousands of women in his district have been +diseased from excessive use of tea. I have myself come across many +instances of health being ruined by tea. + +Coffee does some good against _Kapha_ (phlegm) and _Vatha_ ('wind'), but +at the same time it weakens the body by destroying the vital fluid, and +by making the blood as thin as water. To those people who advocate +coffee on the ground that it is beneficial against "phlegm" and "wind", +we would recommend the juice of ginger as even better for the purpose. +And, on the other hand, let us remember that the evil effects of coffee +are too serious to be counter-balanced by its good. When the blood and +the vital fluid are poisoned by a stuff, can there be any hesitation in +giving it up altogether? + +Cocoa is fully as harmful as coffee, and it contains a poison which +deadens the perceptions of the skin. + +Those people who recognise the validity of moral considerations in these +matters should remember that tea, coffee and cocoa are prepared mostly +by labourers under indenture, which is only a fine name for slavery. If +we saw with our own eyes the oppressive treatment that is meted out to +the labourers in cocoa plantations, we should never again make use of +the stuff. Indeed, if we enquire minutely into the methods of +preparation of all our articles of food, we shall have to give up 90% of +them! + +A harmless and healthy substitute for coffee (tea or cocoa) can be +prepared as follows. Even habitual coffee-drinkers will be unable to +perceive any difference in taste between coffee and this substitute. +Good and well-sifted wheat is put into a frying-pan over the fire and +well fried, until it has turned completely red, and begun to grow dark +in colour. Then it is powdered just like coffee. A spoon of the powder +is then put into a cup, and boiling water poured on to it. Preferably +keep the thing over the fire for a minute, and add milk and sugar, if +necessary, and you get a delicious drink, which is much cheaper and +healthier than coffee. Those who want to save themselves the trouble of +preparing this powder may get their supply from the _Satyagraha Ashram, +Ahmedabad_. + +From the point of view of diet, the whole mankind may be divided into +_three_ broad divisions. (1) The first class, which is the largest, +consists of those who, whether by preference or out of necessity, live +on an exclusive vegetable diet. Under this division come the best part +of India, a large portion of Europe, and China and Japan. The staple +diet of the Italians is macaroni, of the Irish potato, of the Scotch +oatmeal, and of the Chinese and Japanese rice. (2) The second class +consists of those who live on a mixed diet. Under this class come most +of the people of England, the richer classes of China and Japan, the +richer Mussalmans of India, as well as those rich Hindus who have no +religious scruples about taking meat. (3) To the third class belong the +uncivilised peoples of the frigid zones, who live on an exclusive meat +diet. These are not very numerous, and they also introduce a vegetable +element into their diet, wherever they come in contact with the +civilised races of Europe. Man, then, can live on three kinds of diet; +but it is our duty to consider which of these is the healthiest for us. + +An examination of the structure of the human body leads to the +conclusion that man is intended by Nature to live on a vegetable diet. +There is the closest affinity between the organs of the human body and +those of the fruit-eating animals. The monkey, for instance, is so +similar to man in shape and structure, and it is a fruit-eating animal. +Its teeth and stomach are just like the teeth and stomach of man. From +this we may infer that man is intended to live on roots and fruits, and +not on meat. + +Scientists have found out by experiments that fruits have in them all +the elements that are required for man's sustenance. The plantain, the +orange, the date, the grape, the apple, the almond, the walnut, the +groundnut, the cocoanut,--all these fruits contain a large percentage of +nutritious elements. These scientists even hold that there is no need +for man to cook his food. They argue that he should be able to subsist +very well on food cooked by the Sun's warmth, even as all the lower +animals are able to do; and they say that the most nutritious elements +in the food are destroyed in the process of cooking, and that those +things that cannot be eaten uncooked could not have been intended for +our food by Nature. + +If this view be correct, it follows that we are at present wasting a lot +of our precious time in the cooking of our food. If we could live on +uncooked food alone, we should be saving so much time and energy, as +well as money, all of which may be utilised for more useful purposes. + +Some people will doubtless say that it is idle and foolish to speculate +on the possibility of men taking to uncooked food, since there is +absolutely no hope of their ever doing it. But we are not considering at +present what people will or will not do, but only what they _ought_ to +do. It is only when we know what the ideal kind of diet is that we shall +be able more and more to approximate our actual to the ideal. When we +say that a fruit-diet is the best, we do not, of course, expect all men +to take to it straightway. We only mean that, _if_ they should take to +this diet, it would be the best thing for them. + +There are many men in England who have tried a pure fruit-diet, and who +have recorded the results of their experience. They were people who took +to this diet, not out of religious scruples, but simply out of +considerations of health. A German doctor has written a bulky volume on +the subject, and established the value of a fruit-diet by many arguments +and evidences. He has cured many diseases by a fruit-diet combined with +open-air life. He goes so far as to say that the people of any country +can find all the elements of nutrition in the fruits of their own land. + +It may not be out of place to record my own experience in this +connection. For the last six months I have been living exclusively on +fruits--rejecting even milk and curd. My present dietary consists of +plantain, groundnut and olive oil, with some sour fruit like the lime. I +cannot say that my experiment has been altogether a success, but a +period of six months is all too short to arrive at any definite +conclusions on such a vital matter as a complete change of diet. This, +however, I can say, that, during this period, I have been able to keep +well where others have been attacked by disease, and my physical as well +as mental powers are now greater than before. I may not be able to lift +heavy loads, but I can now do hard labour for a much longer time without +fatigue. I can also do more mental work, and with better persistence +and resoluteness. I have tried a fruit-diet on many sickly people, +invariably with great advantage. I shall describe these experiences in +the section on diseases. Here I will only say that my own experience, as +well as my study of the subject, has confirmed me in the conviction that +a fruit-diet is the best for us. + +As I have already confessed, I do not think for a moment that people +will take to a fruit-diet as soon as they read this. It may even be that +all that I have written has no effect at all on a single reader, but I +believe it to be my bounden duty to set down what I hold to be the right +thing to the best of my light. + +If however, anybody does wish to try a fruit-diet, he should proceed +rather cautiously in order to obtain the best results. He should +carefully go through all the chapters of this book, and fully grasp the +fundamental principles, before he proceeds to do anything in practice. +My request to my readers is that they should reserve their final +judgments until they have read through all that I have got to say. + +A vegetable diet is the best after a fruit-diet. Under this term we +include all kinds of pot-herbs and cereals, as well as milk. Vegetables +are not as nutritious as fruits, since they lose part of their efficacy +in the process of cooking. We cannot, however, eat uncooked vegetables. +We will now proceed to consider which vegetables are the best for us. + +Wheat is the best of all the cereals. Man can live on wheat alone, for +in it we have in due proportion all the elements of nutrition. Many +kinds of edibles can be made of wheat, and they can all be easily +digested. The ready-made foods for children that are sold by chemists +are also made partly of wheat. Millet and maize belong to the same +genus, and cakes and loaves can also be made out of them, but they are +inferior to wheat in their food-value. We will now consider the best +form in which wheat may be taken. The white "mill flour" that is sold in +our bazars is quite useless; it contains no nutriment at all. An English +doctor tells us that a dog which was fed solely on this flour died, +while other dogs which were fed on better flour remained quite healthy. +There is a great demand for loaves made of this flour, since men eat +merely to satisfy their palate, and are rarely moved by considerations +of health. These loaves are devoid of taste and nutriment, as well as of +softness. They become so hard that they cannot be broken by the hand. +_The best form of flour is that which is made of well-sifted wheat in +the grind-mill at home._ This flour should be used without further +sifting. Loaves made of it are quite sweet to the taste, as well as +quite soft. It also lasts for a longer time than the "mill flour", since +it is far more nutritious, and may be used in smaller quantities. + +The loaf sold in the bazars is thoroughly useless. It may be quite white +and attractive in appearance, but it is invariably adulterated. The +worst of it is that it is made by fermentation. Many persons have +testified from experience that fermented dough is harmful to health. +Further, these loaves being made by besmearing the oven with fat, they +are objectionable to Hindu as well as Mussalman sentiment. To fill the +stomach with these bazar loaves instead of preparing good loaves at home +is at best a sign of indolence. + +Another and an easier way of taking wheat is this. Wheat is ground into +coarse grain, which is then well cooked and mixed with milk and sugar. +This gives a very delicious and healthy kind of food. + +Rice is quite useless as a food. Indeed, it is doubtful if men can +subsist upon mere rice, to the exclusion of such nutritious articles as +_dhall_, _ghee_ and milk. This is not the case with wheat, for man can +retain his strength by living on mere wheat boiled in water. + +We eat the pot-herbs mainly for their taste. As they have laxative +powers, they help to purify the blood up to a limit. Yet they are but +varieties of grass, and very hard to digest. Those who partake too much +of them have flabby bodies; they suffer very often from indigestion, and +go about in search of digestive pills and powders. Hence, if we take +them at all, we should do so in moderation. + +All the many varieties of pulse are very heavy, and hard of digestion. +Their merit is that those who eat them do not suffer from hunger for a +long time; but they also lead to indigestion in most cases. Those who do +hard labour may be able to digest them, and derive some good out of +them. But we who lead a sedentary life should be very chary of eating +them. + +Dr. Haig, a celebrated writer in England, tells us, on the basis of +repeated experiments, that the pulses are injurious to health, since +they generate a kind of acid in the system, which leads to several +diseases, and a premature old age. His arguments need not be given here, +but my own experience goes to confirm his view. Those, however, who are +unable or unwilling to eschew the pulses altogether, should use them +with great caution. + +Almost everywhere in India, the spices and condiments are freely used, +as nowhere else in the whole world. Even the African negroes dislike the +taste of our _masala_, and refuse to eat food mixed with it. And if the +Whites eat _masala_, their stomach gets out of order, and pimples also +appear on their faces, as I have found from my own experience. The fact +is that _masala_ is by no means savoury in itself, but we have so long +been accustomed to its use that its flavour appeals to us. But, as has +been already explained, it is wrong to eat anything for its mere taste. + +How comes it, then, that _masala_ is so freely eaten by us? Admittedly, +in order to help the digestion, and to be able to eat more. Pepper, +mustard, coriander and other condiments have the power of artificially +helping the digestion, and generating a sort of artificial hunger. But +it would be wrong to to infer from this that all the food has been +thoroughly digested, and assimilated into the system. Those who take too +much of _masala_ are often found to suffer from anaemia, and even from +diarrhea. I know a man who even died in the prime of youth out of too +much eating of pepper. Hence it is quite necessary to eschew all +condiments altogether. + +What has been said of _masala_ applies also to salt. Most people would +be scandalised at this suggestion, but it is a fact established by +experience. There is a school in England who even hold the view that +salt is more harmful than most condiments. As there is enough of salt in +the composition of the vegetables we use, we need not put any extra +salt into them. Nature herself has provided just as much salt as is +required for the upkeep of our health. All the extra salt that we use is +quite superfluous; all of it goes out of the body again in the form of +perspiration, or in other ways, and no portion of it seems to have any +useful function to perform in the body. One writer even holds that salt +poisons the blood. He says that those who use no salt at all have their +blood so pure that they are not affected even by snake-bite. We do not +know if this is a fact or not, but this much we know from experience, +that, in several diseases like piles and asthama, the disuse of salt at +once produces appreciably beneficial results. And, on the other hand, I +have not come across a single instance of a man being any the worse for +not using salt. I myself left off the use of salt two years ago, and I +have not only not suffered by it, but have even been benefitted in some +respects. I have not now to drink as much water as before, and am more +brisk and energetic. The reason for my disuse of salt was a very strange +one: for it was occasioned by the illness of somebody else! The person +whose illness led to it did not get worse after that, but remained in +the same condition; and it is my faith that, if only the diseased person +himself had given up the use of salt, he would have recovered +completely. + +Those who give up salt will also have to give up vegetables and _dhall_. +This is a very hard thing to do, as I have found from many tests. I am +convinced that vegetables and _dhall_ cannot be properly digested +without salt. This does not, of course, mean that salt improves the +digestion, but it only _appears_ to do so, just as pepper does, although +ultimately it leads to evil consequences. Of course, the man who +entirely gives up the use of salt may feel out of sorts for a few days; +but, if he keeps up his spirits, he is bound to be immensely benefitted +in the long run. + +I make bold to regard even milk as one of the articles to be eschewed! +This I do on the strength of my own experience which, however, need not +be described here in detail. The popular idea of the value of milk is a +pure superstition, but it is so deep-rooted that it is futile to think +of removing it. As I have said more than once, I do not cherish the hope +that my readers will accept all my views; I do not even believe that all +those who accept them in theory will adopt them in practice. +Nevertheless, I think it my duty to speak out what I believe to be the +truth, leaving my readers to form their own judgments. Many doctors hold +the view that milk gives rise to a kind of fever, and many books have +been written in support of this view. The disease bearing germs that +live in the air rapidly gain an entrance into the milk, and render it +poisonous, so that it is very difficult to keep milk in a state of +perfect purity. In Africa elaborate rules have been laid down for the +conduct of the dairies, saying how the milk should be boiled and +preserved, how the vessels should be kept clean, and so on. When so much +pains have to be taken in this matter, it is certainly to be considered +how far it is worth while to employ milk as an article of food. + +Moreover, the purity or otherwise of the milk depends upon the cow's +food, and the state of its health. Doctors have testified to the fact +that those who drink the milk of consumptive cows fall a prey to +consumption themselves. It is very rare to come across a cow that is +perfectly healthy. That is to say, perfectly pure milk is very hard to +obtain, since it is tainted at its very source. Everybody knows that a +child that sucks the breast of its mother contracts any disease that she +might be suffering from. And often when a little child is ill, medicine +is administered to its mother, so that its effect might reach the child +through the milk of her breast. Just in the same way, the health of the +man who drinks the milk of a cow will be the same as that of the cow +itself. When the use of milk is fraught with so much danger, would it +not be the part of wisdom to eschew it altogether, especially when +there are excellent substitutes? Olive oil, for instance serves this +purpose to some extent; and sweet almond is a most efficient substitute. +The almond is first soaked in hot water, and its husk removed. Then it +is well crushed, and mixed thoroughly well with water. This gives a +drink which contains all the good properties of milk, and is at the same +time free from its evil effects. + +Now let us consider this question from the point of view of Natural law. +The calf drinks its mother's milk only until its teeth have grown; and +it begins to eat as soon as it has its teeth. Clearly, this is also what +man is intended to do. Nature does not intend us to go on drinking milk +after we have ceased to be infants. We should learn to live on fruits +like the apple and the almond, or on wheat _roti_, after we have our +teeth. Although this is not the place to consider the saving in money +that might be effected by giving up milk, it is certainly a point to be +kept in mind. Nor is there any need for any of the articles produced +from milk. The sourness of lime is quite a good substitute for that of +buttermilk; and as for _ghee_, thousands of Indians manage with oil even +now. + +A careful examination of the structure of the human body shows that meat +is not the natural food of man. Dr. Haig and Dr. Kingsford have very +clearly demonstrated the evil effects of meat on the body of man. They +have shown that meat generates just the same kind of acid in the body as +the pulses. It leads to the decay of the teeth, as well as to +rheumatism; it also gives rise to evil passions like anger, which, as we +have already seen, are but forms of disease. + +To sum up, then, we find that those who live on fruits alone are very +rare, but it is quite easy to live on a combination of fruits, wheat and +olive oil, and it is also eminently conducive to sound health. The +plantain comes easy first among the fruits; but the date, the grape, the +plum and the orange, to name only a few, are all quite nourishing, and +may be taken along with the _roti_. The _roti_ does not suffer in taste +by being besmeared with olive oil. This diet dispenses with salt, +pepper, milk and sugar, and is quite simple and cheap. It is, of course, +foolish to eat sugar for its own sake. Too much sweetmeat weakens the +teeth, and injures the health. Excellent edibles can be made of wheat +and the fruits, and a combination of health and taste secured. + +The next question to consider is how much food should be taken, and how +many times a day. But, as this is a subject of vital importance, we will +devote a separate chapter to it. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +HOW MUCH AND HOW MANY TIMES SHOULD WE EAT? + + +There is a great divergence of opinion among doctors as to the quantity +of food that we should take. One doctor holds that we should eat to the +utmost of our capacity, and he has calculated the quantities of +different kinds of food that we can take. Another holds the view that +the food of labourers should differ in quantity as well as in quality +from that of persons engaged in mental work, while a third doctor +contends that the prince and the peasant should eat exactly the same +quantity of food. This much, however, will be generally admitted, that +the weak cannot eat just as much as the strong. In the same way, a woman +eats less than a man, and children and old men eat less than young men. +One writer goes so far as to say that, if only we would masticate our +food thoroughly well, so that every particle of it is mixed with the +saliva, then we should not have to eat more than five or ten tolas of +food. This he says on the basis of numberless experiments, and his book +has been sold in thousands. All this shows that it is futile to think of +prescribing the quantity of food for men. + +Most doctors admit that 99% of human beings eat more than is needed. +Indeed, this is a fact of everyday experience, and does not require to +be proclaimed by any doctor. There is no fear at all of men ruining +their health by eating _too little_; and the great need is for a +reduction in the quantity of food that we generally take. + +As said above, it is of the utmost importance to masticate the food +thoroughly well. By so doing, we shall be able to extract the maximum of +nutriment from the minimum of food. Experienced persons point out that +the fæces of a man whose food is wholesome, and who does not eat too +much, will be small in quantity, quite solid and smooth, dark in colour, +and free from all foul smell. The man who does not have such fæces +should understand that he has eaten too much of unwholesome food, and +has failed to masticate it well. Also, if a man does not get sleep at +night, or if his sleep be troubled by dreams, and if his tongue be dirty +in the morning, he should know that he has been guilty of excessive +eating. And if he has to get up several times at night to make water, it +means that he has taken too much liquid food at night. By these and +other tests, every man can arrive at the exact quantity of food that is +needed for him. Many men suffer from foul breath, which shows that their +food has not been well digested. In many cases, again, too much eating +gives rise to pimples on the face, and in the nose; and many people +suffer from wind in the stomach. The root of all these troubles is, to +put it plainly, that we have converted our stomach into a latrine, and +we carry this latrine about with us. When we consider the matter in a +sober light, we cannot help feeling an unmixed contempt for ourselves. +If we want to avoid the sin of over-eating, we should take a vow never +to have anything to do with feasts of all kinds. Of course, we should +feed those who come to us as guests, but only so as not to violate the +laws of health. Do we ever think of inviting our friends to clean their +teeth with us, or to take a glass of water? Is not eating as strictly a +matter of health as these things? Why, then, should we make so much fuss +about it? We have become such gluttons by habit that our tongues are +ever craving for abnormal sensations. Hence we think it a sacred duty to +cram our guests with rich food, and we cherish the hope that they will +do likewise for us, when their turn comes! If, an hour after eating, we +ask a clean-bodied friend to smell our mouth, and if he should tell us +his exact feelings, we should have to hide our heads in utter shame! But +some people are so shameless that they take purgatives soon after +eating, that they might be able to eat still more or they even vomit out +what they have eaten in order to sit down again to the feast at once! + +Since even the best of us are more or less guilty of over-eating, our +wise forefathers have prescribed frequent fasts as a religious duty. +Indeed, merely from the point of view of health, it will be highly +beneficial to fast at least once a fortnight. Many pious Hindus take +only one meal a day during the rainy season. This is a practice based +upon the soundest hygienic principles. For, when the air is damp and the +sky cloudy, the digestive organs are weaker than usual, and hence there +should be a reduction in the quantity of food. + +And now we will consider how may meals we may take in the day. +Numberless people in India are content with only two meals. Those who do +hard labour take three meals, but a system of four meals has arisen +after the invention of English medicines! Of late, several societies +have been formed in England and in America in order to exhort the people +to take only two meals a day. They say that we should not take a +breakfast early in the morning, since our sleep itself serves the +purpose of the breakfast. As soon as we get up in the morning we should +prepare to work rather than to eat. We should take our meal only after +working for three hours. Those who hold these views take only two meals +a day, and do not even take tea in the interval. An experienced doctor +by name Deway has written an excellent book on Fasting, in which he has +shown the benefits of dispensing with the breakfast. I can also say from +my experience that there is absolutely no need to eat more than twice, +for a man who has passed the period of youth, and whose body has +attained its fullest growth. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +EXERCISE + + +Exercise is as much of a vital necessity for man as air, water and food, +in the sense that no man who does not take exercise regularly, can be +perfectly healthy. By "exercise" we do not mean merely walking, or games +like hockey, football, and cricket; we include under the term all +physical and mental activity. Exercise, even as food, is as essential to +the mind as to the body. The mind is much weakened by want of exercise +as the body, and a feeble mind is, indeed, a form of disease. An +athlete, for instance, who is an expert in wrestling, cannot be regarded +as a really _healthy_ man, unless his mind is equally efficient. As +already explained, "a sound mind in a sound body" alone constitutes true +health. + +Which, then, are those exercises which keep the body and the mind +equally efficient? Indeed, Nature has so arranged it that we can be +engaged in physical as well as mental work at the same time. The vast +majority of men on earth live by field-labour. The farmer has to do +strenuous bodily exercise at any cost, for he has to work for 8 or 10 +hours, or sometimes even more, in order to earn his bread and clothing. +And efficient labour is impossible unless the mind is also in good +condition. He has to attend to all the many details of cultivation; he +must have a good knowledge of soils and seasons, and perhaps also of the +movements of the sun, the moon, and the stars. Even the ablest men will +be beaten by the farmer in these matters. He knows the state of his +immediate surroundings thoroughly well, he can find the directions by +looking at the stars in the night, and tell a great many things from the +ways of birds and beasts. He knows, for instance, that rain is about to +fall when a particular class of birds gather together, and begin to make +noise. He knows as much of the earth and the sky as is necessary for his +work. As he has to bring up his children, he must know something of +_Dharma Sastra_. Since he lives under the broad open sky, he easily +realises the greatness of God. + +Of course, all men cannot be farmers, nor is this book written for them. +We have however, described the life of the farmer, as we are convinced +that it is the _natural life_ for man. To the extent to which we +deviate from these natural conditions must we suffer in health. From the +farmer's life we learn that we should work for at least 8 hours a day, +and it should involve mental work as well. + +Merchants and others leading a sedentary life have indeed, to do some +mental work, but their work is too one-sided and too inadequate to be +called _exercise_. + +For such people the wise men of the West have devised games like cricket +and football, and such minor games as are played at parties and festive +gatherings. As for mental work the reading of such books as involve no +mental strain is prescribed. No doubt these games do give exercise to +the body, but it is a question if they are equally beneficial to the +mind. How many of the best players of football and cricket are men of +superior mental powers? What have we seen of the mental equipment of +those Indian Princes who have earned a distinction as players? On the +other hand, how many of the ablest men care to play these games? We can +affirm from our experience that there are very few players among those +who are gifted with great mental powers. The people of England are +extremely fond of games, but their own poet, Kipling, speaks very +disparagingly of the mental capacity of the players. + +Here in India, however, we have chosen quite a different path! Our men +do arduous mental work, but give little or no exercise to the body. +Their bodies are enfeebled by excessive mental strain, and they fall a +prey to serious diseases; and just when the world expects to benefit by +their work, they bid it eternal farewell! Our work should be neither +exclusively physical nor exclusively mental, nor such as ministers +merely to the pleasure of the moment. The ideal kind of exercise is that +which gives vigour to the body as well as to the mind; only such +exercise can keep a man truly healthy, and such a man is the farmer. + +But what shall he do who is no farmer? The exercise which games like the +cricket give is too inadequate, and something else has to be devised. +The best thing for ordinary men would be to keep a small garden near the +house, and work in it for a few hours every day. Some may ask, "What can +we do if the house we live in be not our own?" This is a foolish +question to ask, for, whoever may be the owner of the house, he cannot +object to his ground being improved by digging and cultivation. And we +shall have the satisfaction of feeling that we have helped to keep +somebody else's ground neat and clean. Those who do not find time for +such exercise or who may not like it, may resort to walking, which is +the next best exercise. Truly has this been described as the Queen of +all exercises. The main reason why our _Sadhus_ and _Fakirs_ are strong +as a class is that they go about from one end of the country to the +other only on foot. Thoreau, the great American writer, has said many +remarkable things on walking as an exercise. He says that the writings +of those who keep indoors and never go out into the open air, will be as +weak as their bodies. Referring to his own experience, he says that all +his best works were written when he was walking the most. He was such an +inveterate walker that four or five hours a day was quite an ordinary +thing with him! Our passion for exercise should become so strong that we +cannot bring ourselves to dispense with it on any account. We hardly +realise how weak and futile is our mental work when unaccompanied by +hard physical exercise. Walking gives movement to every portion of the +body, and ensures vigorous circulation of the blood; for, when we walk +fast, fresh air is inhaled into the lungs. Then there is the inestimable +joy that natural objects give us, the joy that comes from a +contemplation of the beauties of nature. It is, of course, useless to +walk along lanes and streets, or to take the same path every day. We +should go out into the fields and forests where we can have a taste of +Nature. Walking a mile or two is no walking at all; at least ten or +twelve miles are necessary for exercise. Those who cannot walk so much +every day can at least do so on Sundays. Once a man who was suffering +from indigestion went to the doctor to take medicine. He was advised to +walk a little every day, but he pleaded that he was too weak to walk at +all. Then the doctor took him into his carriage for a drive. On the way +he deliberately dropped his whip, and the sick man, out of courtesy, got +down to take it. The doctor, however, drove on without waiting for him, +and the poor man had to trudge behind the carriage. When the doctor was +satisfied that he had walked long enough, he took him into the carriage +again, and explained that it was a device adopted to make him walk. As +the man had begun to feel hungry by this time, he realised the value of +the doctor's advice, and forgot the affair of the whip. He then went +home and had a hearty meal. Let those who are suffering from indigestion +and kindred diseases try for themselves, and they will at once realise +the value of walking as an exercise. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +DRESS + + +Dress is also a matter of health to a certain extent. European ladies, +for instance, have such queer notions of beauty that their dress is +contrived with a view to straitening the waist and the feet, which, in +its turn, leads to several diseases. The feet of Chinese women are +deliberately straitened to such an extent that they are smaller even +than the feet of our little children, and, as a result, their health is +injured. These two instances show how the health may be affected by the +nature of the dress. But the choice of our dress does not rest always in +our hands, for we have perforce to adopt the manners of our elders. The +chief object of dress has been forgotten, and it has come to be regarded +as indicative of a man's religion, country, race and profession. In this +state of things, it is very difficult to discuss the question of dress +strictly from the point of view of health, but such a discussion must +necessarily do us good. Under the term dress, we include all such things +as boots and shoes, as well as jewellery and the like. + +What is the chief object of dress? Man in his primitive state had no +dress at all; he went about naked, and exposing almost the whole body. +His skin was firm and strong, he was able to stand sun and shower, and +never once suffered from cold and kindred ailments. As has already been +explained, we inhale the air not only through the nostrils, but also +through the numberless pores of the skin. So when we cover the body with +clothing, we are preventing this natural function of the skin. But when +the people of the colder countries grew more and more indolent, they +began to feel the need to cover their bodies. They were no longer able +to stand the cold, and the use of dress came into being, until at length +it came to be looked upon not merely as a necessity, but as an ornament. +Subsequently it has also come to be regarded as an indication of +country, race etc. + +In fact, Nature herself has provided an excellent covering for us in our +skin. The idea that the body looks unseemly in undress is absurd, for +the very best pictures are those that display the naked body. When we +cover up the most ordinary parts of our body, it is as though we felt +ashamed of them in their natural condition, and as though we found fault +with Nature's own arrangement. We think it a duty to go on multiplying +the trappings and ornaments for our body, as we grow richer and richer. +We 'adorn' our body in all sorts of hideous ways, and pride ourselves on +our handsomeness! If our eyes were not blinded by foolish habit, we +should see that the body looks most handsome only in its nakedness, as +it enjoys its best health only in that condition. Dress, indeed, +detracts from the natural beauty of the body. But, not content with +dress alone, man began to wear jewels also. This is mere madness, for +it is hard to understand how these jewels can add an iota to the body's +natural beauty. But women have gone beyond all bounds of sense or +decency in this matter. They are not ashamed to wear anklets which are +so heavy that they can hardly lift their feet, or to pierce their nose +and ears hideously for putting on rings, or to stud their wrists and +fingers with rings and bracelets of several kinds. These ornaments only +serve to help the accumulation of dirt in the body; there is indeed no +limit to the dirt on the nose and ears. We mistake this filthiness for +beauty, and throw money away to secure it; and we do not even shrink +from putting our lives at the mercy of thieves. There is no limit to the +pains we take to satisfy the silly notions of vanity that we have so +sedulously cultivated. Women, indeed, have become so infatuated that +they are not prepared to remove the ear-ring even if the ears are +diseased; even if the hand is swollen and suffering from frightful pain, +they would not remove the bracelets; and they are unwilling to remove +the ring from a swollen finger, since they imagine that their beauty +would suffer by so doing! + +A thorough reform in dress is by no means an easy matter, but it is +surely possible for all of us to renounce our jewels and all superfluous +clothing. We may keep some few things for the sake of convention, and +throw off all the rest. Those who are free from the superstition that +dress is an ornament can surely effect many changes in their dress, and +keep themselves in good health. + +Now-a-days the notion has gained ground that European dress is necessary +for maintaining our decency and prestige! This is not the place to +discuss this question in detail. Here it will be enough to point out +that, although the dress of Europeans might be good enough for the cold +countries of Europe, it is hopelessly unsuited to India. Indian dress, +alone, can be good for Indians, whether they be Hindu or Musalman. Our +dress being loose and open, air is not shut out; and being white for the +most part, it does not absorb the heat. Black dress feels hot, since all +the sun's rays are absorbed into it, and, in its turn, into the body. + +The practice of covering the head with the turban has become quite +common with us. Nevertheless we should try to keep the head bare as +far as possible. To grow the hair, and to dress it by combing and +brushing, parting in the middle and so on, is nothing short of +barbarous. Dust and dirt, as well as nits and lice, accumulate in the +hair, and if a boil were to arise on the head, it cannot be properly +treated. Especially for those who use a turban, it would be stupid to +grow the hair. + +The feet also are common agents of disease. The feet of those who wear +boots and shoes grow dirty, and begin to exude a lot of stinking +perspiration. So great is the stink that those who are sensitive to +smells will hardly be able to stand by the side of one who is removing +his shoes and socks. Our common names for the shoe speak of it as the +"protector of the feet" and the "enemy of the thorn" showing that shoes +should be worn only when we have to walk along a thorny path, or over +very cold or hot ground, and that only the soles should be covered, and +not the entire feet. And this purpose is served excellently well by the +_sandal_. Some people who are accustomed to the use of shoes often +suffer from headaches, of pain in the feet, or weakness of the body. Let +them try the experiment of walking with bare feet, and then they will at +once find out the benefit of keeping the feet bare, and free from sweat +by exposure to the air. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +SEXUAL RELATIONS + + +I would specially request those who have carefully read through the book +so far to read through this chapter with even greater care, and ponder +well over its subject-matter. There are still several more chapters to +be written, and they will, of course, be found useful in their own way. +But not one of them is nearly as important as this. As I have already +said, there is not a single matter mentioned in this book which is not +based on my personal experience, or which I do not believe to be +strictly true. + +Many are the keys to health, and they are all quite essential; but the +one thing needful, above all others, is _Brahmacharya_. Of course, pure +air, pure water, and wholesome food do contribute to health. But how can +we be healthy if we expend all the health that we acquire? How can we +help being paupers if we spend all the money that we earn? There can be +no doubt that men and women can never be virile or strong unless they +observe true _Brahmacharya_. + +What do we mean by _Brahmacharya_? We mean by it that men and women +should refrain from enjoying each other. That is to say, they should not +touch each other with a carnal thought, they should not think of it even +in their dreams. Their mutual glances should be free from all suggestion +of carnality. The hidden strength that God has given us should be +conserved by rigid self-discipline, and transmitted into energy and +power,--not merely of body, but also of mind and soul. + +But what is the spectacle that we actually see around us? Men and +women, old and young, without exception, are seen entangled in the coils +of sensuality. Blinded by lust, they lose all sense of right and wrong. +I have myself seen even boys and girls behaving like mad men under its +fatal influence. I too have behaved likewise under similar influences, +and it could not well be otherwise. For the sake of a momentary +pleasure, we sacrifice in an instant all the stock of vitality that we +have accumulated. The infatuation over, we find ourselves in a miserable +condition. The next morning, we feel hopelessly weak and tired, and the +mind refuses to do its work. Then, we try to remedy the mischief by +taking all sorts of 'nervine tonics' and put ourselves under the +doctor's mercy for repairing the waste, and for recovering the capacity +for enjoyment. So the days pass and the years, until at length old age +comes upon us, and finds us utterly emasculated in body and in mind. + +But the law of Nature is just the reverse of this. The older we grow, +the keener should grow our intellect also; the longer we live, the +greater should be our capacity to transmit the fruits of our accumulated +experience to our fellowmen. And such is indeed the case with those who +have been true _Brahmacharies_. They know no fear of death, and they do +not forget good even in the hour of death; nor do they indulge in vain +complaints. They die with a smile on their lips, and boldly face the day +of judgment. They are the true men and women; and of them alone can it +be said that they have conserved their health. + +We hardly realise the fact that incontinence is the root-cause of all +the vanity, anger, fear and jealousy in the world. If our mind is not +under our control, if we behave once or more every day more foolishly +than even little children, what sins may we not commit consciously or +unconsciously? How can we pause to think of the consequences of our +actions, however vile or sinful they may be? + +But you may ask, "Who has ever seen a true _Brahmachary_ in this sense? +If all men should turn _Brahmacharies_, would not humanity be extinct, +and the whole world go to rack and ruin?" We will leave aside the +religious aspect of this question, and discuss it simply from the +secular point of view. To my mind, these questions only bespeak our +weakness and our cowardliness. We have not the strength of will to +observe _Brahmacharya_, and, therefore, set about finding pretexts for +evading our duty. The race of true _Brahmacharies_ is by no means +extinct; but, if they were to be had merely for the asking, of what +value would _Brahmacharya_ be? Thousands of hardy labourers have to go +and dig deep into the bowels of the earth in search of diamonds, and at +length they get perhaps merely a handful of them out of heaps and heaps +of rock. How much greater, then, should be the labour involved in the +discovery of the infinitely more precious diamond of a _Brahmachary_? If +the observance of _Brahmacharya_ should mean the ruin of the world, why +should we regret it? Are we God that we should be so anxious about its +future? He who created it will surely see to its preservation. It is +none of our business to enquire if other people practise _Brahmacharya_ +or not. When we turn merchant or lawyer or doctor, do we ever pause to +consider what the fate of the world would be if all men were to do +likewise? The true _Brahmachary_ will, in the long run, discover for +himself answers to such questions. + +But how can men engrossed by the cares of the material world put these +ideas into practice? What shall the married people do? What shall they +do who have children? And what shall be done by those people who cannot +control their lust? The best solution for all such difficulties has +already been given. We should keep this ideal constantly before us, and +try to approximate to it more and more to the utmost of our capacity. +When little children are taught to write the letters of the alphabet, we +show them the perfect shapes of the letters, and they try to reproduce +them as best they can. Just in the same way, if we steadily work up to +the ideal of _Brahmacharya_, we may ultimately succeed in realising it. +What if we have married already? The law of Nature is that +_Brahmacharya_ may be broken only when the husband and wife feel a +strong desire for a child. Those who, remembering this law, violate +_Brahmacharya_ once in four or five years cannot be said to be slaves to +lust, nor can they appreciably lose their stock of vitality. But, alas, +how rare are those men and women who yield to the sexual craving merely +for the sake of an offspring! The vast majority, who may be numbered in +thousands, turn to sexual enjoyment merely to satisfy their carnal +passion, with the result that children are born to them quite against +their will. In the madness of sexual passion, we give no thought to the +consequences of our acts. In this respect, men are even more to blame +than women. The man is blinded so much by his lust that he never cares +to remember that his wife is weak and incapable of rearing a child. In +the West indeed, people have trespassed even against the claims of +common decency. They indulge in sexual pleasures, and devise measures in +order to evade the responsibilities of parenthood. Many books have been +written on this subject, and a regular trade is being carried on in +providing the means of preventing conception. We are as yet free from +this sin, but we do not shrink from imposing the heavy burden of +maternity on our women, and we are not concerned even to find that our +children are weak, impotent and imbecile. Every time we get children, we +bless Providence, and so seek to hide from ourselves the wickedness of +our acts. Should we not rather deem it a sign of God's anger to have +children who are weak, sensual, crippled and impotent? Is it a matter +for joy that mere boys and girls should have children? Is it not rather +a curse of God? We all know that the premature fruit of a too young +plant weakens the parent, and so we try all means of delaying the +appearance of fruit. But we sing hymns of praise and thanks-giving to +God when a child is born of a boy-father and a girl-mother! Could +anything be more dreadful? Do we think that the world is going to be +saved by the countless swarms of such impotent children endlessly +multiplying in India or elsewhere in the world? Verily we are, in this +respect, far worse than even the lower animals; for, the bull and the +cow are brought together solely with the object of having a calf. Man +and woman should regard it as sacred duty to keep apart from the moment +of conception up to the time when the child has ceased to suck its +mother's breast. But we go on in our merry fashion blissfully forgetful +of this sacred obligation. This incurable disease enfeebles our mind and +leads us to an early grave, after making us drag a miserable existence +for a short while. Married people should understand the true function of +marriage, and should not violate the law of _Brahmacharya_ except with a +view to having a child for the continuation of the race. + +But this is so difficult under our present conditions of life. Our diet, +our ways of life, our common talk, and our environments are all equally +calculated to rouse and keep alive our sensual appetite; and sensuality +is like a poison, eating into our vitals. Some people may doubt the +possibility of our being able to free ourselves from this bondage. This +book is written not for those who go about with such doubtings of heart, +but only for those who are really in earnest, and who have the courage +to take active steps for their improvement. Those who are quite content +with their present abject condition may even be offended to read all +this; but I hope this will be of some service to those who are heartily +disgusted with their own miserable existence. + +From all that has been said, it follows that those who are still +unmarried should try to remain so; but, if they cannot help marrying, +they should do so as late as possible. Young men, for instance, should +take a vow to remain unmarried till the age of 25 or 30. We shall not +explain here all the benefits other than physical that result from this; +but those who want to enjoy them can do so for themselves. + +My request to those parents who may read these pages is that they should +not tie a mill-stone round the necks of their sons by marrying them in +their teens. They should look also to the welfare of their sons, and not +only to their own interests. They should throw aside all silly notions +of caste-pride or 'respectability', and cease to indulge in such +heartless practices. Let them, rather, if they are true well-wishers of +their children, look to their physical, mental and moral improvements. +What greater disservice can they do to their sons than compelling them +to enter upon a married life, with all its tremendous responsibilities +and cares, even while they are mere boys? + +Then again, the true laws of health demand that the man that loses his +wife, as well as the woman that loses her husband, should remain single +ever after. There is a difference of opinion among doctors as to whether +young men and women need ever let their vital fluid escape, some +answering the question in the affirmative, others in the negative. But +this cannot justify our taking advantage of it for sensual enjoyment. I +can affirm, without the slightest hesitation, from my own experience as +well as that of others, that sexual enjoyment is not only not necessary +for the preservation of health, but is positively detrimental to it. All +the strength of body and mind that has taken long to acquire, is lost +altogether by the escape of the vital fluid, and it takes a long time to +regain this lost strength, and even then there is no saying that it can +be thoroughly recovered. A broken vessel may be made to do its work +after mending, but it can never be anything but a broken vessel. + +As has already been pointed out, the preservation of our vitality is +impossible without pure air, pure water, pure and wholesome food, as +well as pure thoughts. So vital indeed is the relation between our +health and the life that we lead that we can never be perfectly healthy +unless we lead a clean life. The earnest man who, forgetting the errors +of the past, begins to live a life of purity will be able to reap the +fruit of it straightway. Those who have practised true _Brahmacharya_ +even for a short period will have seen how their body and mind improve +steadily in strength and power, and they will not, at any cost, be +willing to part with this treasure. I have myself been guilty of lapses +even after having fully understood the value of _Brahmacharya_, and +have, of course, paid dearly for it. I am filled with shame and remorse +when I think of the terrible contrast between my condition before and +after these lapses. But from the errors of the past I have now learnt to +preserve this treasure in tact, and I fully hope, with God's grace, to +continue to preserve it in the future; for I have in my own person, +witnessed the inestimable benefits of _Brahmacharya_. I was married +early in life, and had become the father of children as a mere youth. +When, at length, I awoke to the reality of my situation, I found myself +sunk in the lowest depths of degradation. I shall consider myself amply +rewarded for writing these pages if at least a single reader is able to +take warning from my failings and experiences, and to profit thereby. +Many people have told me (and I also believe it) that I am full of +energy and enthusiasm, and that my mind is by so means weak; some even +accuse me of rashness. There is disease in my body as well as in my +mind; nevertheless, when compared with my friends, I may call myself +perfectly healthy and strong. If even after twenty years of sensual +enjoyment, I have been able to reach this state, how much better should +I have been if only I had kept myself pure during those twenty years as +well? It is my full conviction that, if only I had lived a life of +_Brahmacharya_ all through, my energy and enthusiasm would have been a +thousandfold greater and I should have been able to devote them all to +the furtherance of my country's cause as of my own. If this can be +affirmed of an ordinary man like myself, how much more wonderful must be +the gain in power,--physical, mental, as well as moral--that unbroken +_Brahmacharya_ can bring to us! + +When so strict is the law of _Brahmacharya_, what shall we say of those +guilty of the unpardonable sin of illegitimate sexual enjoyment? The +evil that arises from adultery and prostitution is a vital question of +religion and morality and cannot be fully dealt with in a treatise on +health. Here we are only concerned to point out how thousands who are +guilty of these sins are afflicted by syphilis and other unmentionable +diseases. The inflexible decree of Providence happily condemns these +wretches to a life of unmitigated suffering. Their short span of life is +spent in abject bondage to quacks in a futile quest after a remedy that +will rid them of their suffering. If there were no adultery at all, +there would be no work for at least 50% of doctors. So inextricably +indeed has venereal disease caught mankind in its clutches that even the +best doctors have been forced to admit that, so long as adultery and +prostitution continue, there is no hope for the human race. The +medicines for these diseases are so poisonous that, although they may +appear to have done some good for the time being, they give rise to +other and still more terrible diseases which are handed down from +generation to generation. + +In concluding this chapter, we will briefly point out how married people +can preserve their _Brahmacharya_ intact. It is not enough to observe +the laws of health as regards air, water and food. The man should +altogether cease to sleep in privacy with his wife. Little reflection is +needed to show that the only possible motive for privacy between man and +wife is the desire for sexual enjoyment. They should sleep apart at +night, and be incessantly engaged in good works during the day. They +should read such books as fill them with noble thoughts and meditate +over the lives of great men, and live in the constant realisation of the +fact that sensual enjoyment is the root of all disease. Whenever they +feel a prompting for enjoyment, they should bathe in cold water, so that +the heat of passion may be cooled down, and be refined into the energy +of virtuous activity. This is a hard thing to do, but we have been born +into this world that we might wrestle with difficulties and temptations, +and conquer them; and he who has not the will to do it can never enjoy +the supreme blessing of true health. + + + + +PART II + +SOME SIMPLE TREATMENTS + + + + +CHAPTER I + +AIR-TREATMENT + + +We have now done with the discussion of the foundations of health, as +well as the means of its preservation. If all men and women were to obey +all the laws of health, and practice strict Brahmacharya, there would be +no need at all for the chapters which follow, for such men and women +would then be free from all ailments, whether of the body or of the +mind. But where can such men and women be found? Where are they who have +not been afflicted by disease? The more strictly, however, we observe +the laws which have been explained in this book, the more shall we be +free from disease. But when diseases do attack us, it is our duty to +deal with them properly, and the following chapters are intended to show +how to do it. + +Pure air, which is so essential to the preservation of health, is also +essential to the cure of diseases. If, for instance, a man who is +suffering from gout is treated with air heated by steam, he perspires +profusely, and his joints are eased. This kind of vapour-treatment is +known as "Turkish Bath." + +If a man who is suffering from high fever is stripped naked, and made to +sleep in the open air, there is an immediate fall in the temperature, +and he feels a distinct relief. And if, when he feels cold, he is +wrapped in a blanket, he perspires at once, and the fever ceases. But +what we generally do is just the reverse of this. Even if the patient is +willing to remain in the open air, we close all the doors and windows of +the room in which he lies, and cover his whole body (including the head +and ears) with blankets, with the result that he is frightened, and is +rendered still weaker. If the fever is the outcome of too much heat, the +sort of air-treatment described above is perfectly harmless, and its +effect can be instantly felt. Of course, care should be taken that the +patient does not begin to shiver in the open air. If he cannot remain +naked, he may well be covered with blankets. + +Change of air is an effective remedy for latent fever and other +diseases. The common practice of taking a change of air is only an +application of the principle of air-treatment. We often change our +residence in the belief that a house constantly infested by disease is +the resort of evil spirits. This is a mere delusion, for the real "evil +spirits" in such cases are the foul air inside the house. A change of +residence ensures a change of air, and with it the cure of the diseases +brought on by it. Indeed, so vital is the relation between health and +air that the good or evil effects of even a slight change are +instantaneously felt. For a change of air the rich can afford to go to +distant places, but even the poor can go from one village to another, or +at least from one house to another. Even a change of room in the same +house often brings great relief to a sick man. But, of course, care +should be taken to see that the change of air is really for the better. +Thus, for instance, a disease that has been brought on by damp air +cannot be cured by a change to a damper locality. It is because +sufficient attention is not paid to simple precautions like this that a +change of air is often so ineffectual. + +This chapter has been devoted to some simple instances of the +application of air to the treatment of disease, while the chapter on Air +in Part I of this book contains a general consideration of the value of +pure air to health. Hence I would request my readers to read these two +chapters side by side. + + + + +CHAPTER II + +WATER-CURE + + +Since air is invisible, we cannot perceive the wonderful way in which it +does its work. But the work of water and its curative effects can be +easily seen and understood. + +All people know something of the use of steam as a curative agent. We +often employ it in cases of fever, and very often severe headaches can +be cured only by its application. In cases of rheumatic pain in the +joints, rapid relief is obtained by the use of steam followed by a cold +bath. Boils and ulcers not cured by simple dressing with ointments can +be completely healed by the application of steam. + +In case of extreme fatigue, a steam-bath or a hot-water bath immediately +followed by a cold bath will be found very effective. So too, in cases +of sleeplessness, instant relief is often obtained by sleeping in the +open air after a steam-bath followed by a cold bath. + +Hot water can always be used as a substitute for steam. When there is +severe pain in the stomach, instant relief is obtained by warming with a +bottle filled with boiling water placed over a thick cloth wrapped round +the waist. Whenever there is a desire to vomit, it can be done by +drinking plenty of hot water. Those who are suffering from constipation +often derive great benefit by drinking a glass of hot water either at +bedtime or soon after rising and cleaning the teeth in the morning. Sir +Gordon Spring attributed his excellent health to the practice of +drinking a glass of hot water every day before going to bed and after +getting up in the morning. The bowels of many people move only after +taking tea in the morning, and they foolishly suppose that it is the tea +which has produced this effect. But, as a matter of fact, tea only does +harm, and it is really the hot water in the tea that moves the bowels. + +A special kind of cot is often used for steam-baths, but it is not quite +essential. A spirit or kerosine oil stove, or a wood or coal fire, +should be kept burning under an ordinary cane chair. Over the fire +should be placed a vessel of water with the mouth covered; and over the +chair a sheet or blanket is so spread that it may hang down in the front +and protect the patient from the heat of the fire. Then the patient +should be seated in the chair and wrapped round with sheets or blankets. +Then the vessel should be uncovered, so that the patient may be exposed +to the steam issuing from it. Our common practice of covering the head +also of the patient is a needless precaution. The heat of the steam +presses through the body right up to the head, and gives rise to profuse +perspiration on the face. If the patient is too weak to sit up, he may +be made to lie down on a cot with interstices, taking care to see that +none of the steam escapes. Of course, care should also be taken to see +that the patient's clothes or the blankets used do not catch fire; and +due consideration should be paid to the state of the patient's health, +as an inconsiderate application of steam is fraught with danger. The +patient, indeed, feels weak after a steam bath, but this weakness does +not last long. Too frequent use of steam, however, enfeebles the +constitution, and it is of the highest importance to apply steam with +due deliberation. Steam may also be applied to any single part of the +body; in cases of headache, for instance, there is no need to expose the +whole body to the steam. The head should be held just over a +narrow-mouthed jar of boiling water, and wrapped round with a cloth. +Then the steam should be inhaled through the nose so that it may ascend +into the head. If the nasal passage is blocked, it will also be opened +by this process. Likewise, if there be inflamation in any part of the +body, it alone need be exposed to the steam. + +Very few realise the curative value of cold water, in spite of the fact +that it is even more valuable in this respect than hot water, and can be +made use of by even the weakest persons. In fever, small-pox, and +skin-diseases, the application of a sheet dipped in cold water is very +beneficial, and often produces startling results; and anybody may try it +without the least risk. Dizziness or delirium can be instantly relieved +by tying round the head a cloth dipped in melted ice. People suffering +from constipation often derive great benefit by tying round the stomach +for some time a piece of cloth dipped in melted ice. Involuntary seminal +discharges can also be often prevented by the same means. Bleeding in +any part of the body may be stopped by the application of a bandage +dipped in ice-cold water. Bleeding from the nose is stopped by pouring +cold water over the head. Nasal diseases, cold and headache, may be +cured by drawing pure cold water up the nose. The water may be drawn +through one nostril and discharged through the other, or drawn through +both nostrils and discharged through the mouth. There is no harm in the +water going even into the stomach provided the nostrils are clean. And +indeed, this is the best way to keep the nostrils clean. Those who are +unable to draw the water up the nostrils may use a syringe, but after a +few attempts, it can be done quite easily. All should learn to do this, +since it is very simple, and at the same time a most effective remedy +against headaches, bad smells in the nose, as well as dirty +accumulations in the nasal passage. + +Many people are afraid of taking an enema, and some even think that the +body is weakened by it; but such fears are baseless. There is no more +effective means of producing an instant evacuation of the bowels. It has +proved effective in many diseases where all other remedies have been +futile; it thoroughly cleans the bowels, and prevents the accumulation +of poisonous matter. If those who suffer from rheumatic complaints or +indigestion or pains caused by an unhealthy condition of the bowels take +an enema of 2 lbs. of water, they would see how instantaneous is its +effect. One writer on this subject says that once he was suffering from +chronic indigestion and, all remedies proving futile; he had grown +emaciated, but the application of the enema at once restored him his +appetite, and altogether cured him of his complaint in a few days. Even +ailments like jaundice can be cured by the application of the enema. If +the enema has to be frequently employed, cold water should be used, for +the repeated use of hot water is likely to enfeeble the constitution. + +Dr. Louis Kuhne of Germany has, after repeated experiments, arrived at +the conclusion that water-cure is the best for all diseases. His books +on this subject are so popular that they are now available in almost all +the languages of the world, including those of India. He contends that +the abdomen is the seat of all diseases. When there is too much heat in +the abdomen, it manifests itself in the form of fever, rheumatism, +eruptions on the body, and the like. The efficacy of water-cure had, +indeed, been recognised by several people long before Kuhne, but it was +he who, for the first time, pointed out the common origin of all +diseases. His views need not be accepted by us in their entirety, but it +is an undoubted fact that his principles and methods have proved +effective in many diseases. To give only one instance out of many that +have come within my experience, in a bad case of rheumatism, a thorough +cure was effected by Kuhne's system, after all other remedies had been +tried, and had proved utterly ineffectual. + +Dr. Kuhne holds that the heat in the abdomen abates by the application +of cold water, and has, therefore, prescribed the bathing of the abdomen +and the surrounding parts with thoroughly cold water. And for the +greater convenience of bathing, he has devised a special kind of tin +bath. This, however, is not quite indispensable; the tin tubs of an oval +shape and of different sizes to suit people of different heights, +available in our bazaars, will do equally well. The tub should be filled +three-fourths with cold water, and the patient should seat himself in it +in such a fashion that his feet and the upper part of the body remain +outside the water, and the rest of the body up to the hips inside it. +The feet may preferably be placed on a low foot-stool. The patient +should sit in the water quite naked, but, if he feels cold, the feet and +the upper part of the body should be covered with a blanket. If a shirt +is worn, it should be kept entirely outside the water. The bath should +be taken in a room where there is plenty of fresh air and light. The +patient should then slowly rub (or cause to be rubbed) the abdomen with +a small rough towel from 5 to 30 minutes or more. The effect is +instantly felt in most cases. In cases of rheumatism, the wind in the +stomach escapes in the form of eructations and the like, and in cases of +fever, the thermometre falls by one or two degrees. The bowels are +readily cleaned by this process; fatigue disappears; sleeplessness is +removed, and extreme drowsiness gives place to vigour. This contrariness +of result is more apparent than real; for want of sleep, and the excess +of it, are both brought on by the same cause. So too, dysentery and +constipation, which are both the outcome of indigestion, are cured by +this method. Piles of long standing can also be got rid of by this bath, +with proper regulation of diet. Those who are troubled by the necessity +for constant spitting should at once resort to this treatment for a +cure. By its means the weak can become strong; and even chronic +rheumatism has been cured by it. It is also an effective remedy for +haemorrhages, headaches, and blood-poisoning. Kuhne prescribes it as an +invaluable remedy even for diseases like the cancer. A pregnant woman +who takes to it regularly will have an easy child-birth. In short, all +persons, without distinction of age or sex, can take to it with +advantage. + +There is another kind of bath, known as the "Wet-Sheet-Pack", which is +an unfailing remedy for various diseases. This bath is taken in the +following manner. A table or chair is placed in the open air, big enough +to allow of the patient lying on it at full length. On it are spread +(hanging on either side) some four blankets, less or more according to +the state of the weather. Over them are spread two white thick sheets +well dipped in cold water, and a pillow is placed under the blankets at +one end. Then the patient is stripped naked (with the exception of a +small waist-cloth, if he so wishes), and made to lie down on the sheets, +with his hands placed in the arm-pits. Then the sheets and blankets are, +one after another, wrapped round his body, taking care that the parts +hanging under the feet are well tucked in so as to cover them. If the +patient is exposed to the sun, a wet cloth is put over his head and +face, keeping the nose always open. At first the patient will +experience some shivering, but this will soon give place to an agreeably +warm sensation. He can lie in this position from 5 minutes to an hour or +more. After a time he begins to perspire, or at times falls asleep. Soon +after coming out of the sheets he should bathe in cold-water. This is an +excellent remedy for small-pox and fever, and skin-diseases like the +itch, the ringworm, and pimples and blotches. Even the worst forms of +chicken-pox and small-pox are completely cured by this process. People +can easily learn to take the "Wet-Sheet-Pack" themselves, and to apply +it to others, and can thus see for themselves its wonderful effect. As +the whole dirt of the body sticks to the sheets in the process of taking +this bath, they ought not to be used again without being well washed in +boiling water. + +Needless to say, the full benefit of these baths cannot be derived +unless the rules already mentioned as to diet, exercise and the like are +strictly observed. If a rheumatic patient, for instance, were to take to +Kuhne's bath or to the "Wet-Sheet-Pack," while eating unwholesome food, +living in impure air, and neglecting his exercise, how can he possibly +derive any good out of it? It is only when accompanied by strict +observance of all the laws of health that water-cure can be of any +effect; and when so employed, its effects are sure and immediate. + + + + +CHAPTER III + +THE USE OF EARTH + + +We will now proceed to describe the curative properties of earth, which +are, in some cases, even more remarkable than those of water. That earth +should have such properties need not cause us any surprise, for our own +body is compounded of the earthly element. Indeed, we do make use of +earth as a purifying agent. We wash the ground with earth to remove bad +smells, we put it over decaying matter to prevent the pollution of the +air, we wash our hands with it, and even employ it to clean the private +parts. Yogis besmear their bodies with it; some people use it as a cure +for boils and ulcers; and dead bodies are buried in the earth so that +they may not vitiate the atmosphere. All this shows that earth has many +valuable properties as a purifying and curative agent. + +Just as Dr. Kuhne has devoted special attention to the subject of +water-cure, another German doctor has made a special study of earth and +its properties. He goes so far as to say that it can be used with +success in the treatment of even the most complicated diseases. He says +that once in a case of snake-bite, where everybody else had given up +the man for dead, he restored him to life by causing him to be covered +up with earth for some time. There is no reason to doubt the veracity of +this report. It is well known that great heat is generated in the body +by burying it in the earth; and although we cannot explain how exactly +the effect is produced, it is undeniable that earth does possess the +property of absorbing the poison. Indeed, every case of snake-bite may +not be cured in this way; but it should certainly be tried in every +case. And I can say from my own experience that, in cases of +scorpion-sting and the like, the use of mud is particularly beneficial. + +I have myself tried with success the following forms of earth-cure. +Constipation, dysentery, and chronic stomach-ache have been cured by the +use of a mud-poultice over the abdomen for two or three days. Instant +relief has been obtained in cases of headache by applying a mud-bandage +round the head. Sore eye has also been cured by the same method; hurts +of all kinds, whether accompanied by inflammation or not, have been +healed likewise. In the old days I could not keep well without a regular +use of Eno's Fruit-salt and the like. But, since 1904, when I learnt the +value of earth-cure, I have had not a single occasion to use them. A +mud-poultice over the abdomen and the head, gives distinct relief in a +state of high fever. Skin-diseases like the itch, the ringworm, and +boils, have been cured with the use of mud, though no doubt ulcers from +which pus issues are not so easily cured. Burns and scalds are likewise +healed by mud, which also prevents inflammation. Piles, too, are cured +by the same treatment. When the hands and feet become red and swollen +owing to frost, mud is an unfailing remedy, and pain in the joints is +also relieved by it. From these and other experiments in mud-cure, I +have come to the conclusion that earth is an invaluable element in the +domestic treatment of diseases. + +All kinds of earth are not, of course, equally beneficial. Dry earth dug +out from a clean spot has been found the most effective. It should not +be too sticky. Mud which is midway between sand and clay is the best. It +should, of course, be free from cow-dung and other rubbish. It should be +well sifted in a fine sieve, and then soaked in cold water to the +consistency of well-kneaded dough before use. Then it should be tied up +in a piece of clean, unstarched cloth, and used in the form of a thick +poultice. The poultice should be removed before the mud begins to dry +up; ordinarily it will last from two to three hours. Mud once used +should never be used again, but a cloth once used can be used again, +after being well washed, provided it is free from blood and other dirty +matter. If the poultice has to be applied to the abdomen, it should +first be covered over with a warm cloth. Everybody should keep a tinful +of earth ready for use, so as not to have to hunt for it whenever an +occasion arises for its use. Otherwise, much precious time may be wasted +in cases (as of scorpion-sting) where delay would be dangerous. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + +FEVER AND ITS CURE + + +We now pass on to consider some particular diseases and the means of +curing them. And first, fever. + +We generally apply the term "fever" to a condition of heat in the body, +but English doctors have distinguished many varieties of this disease, +each with its own system of treatment. But, following the common +practice and the principles elaborated in these chapters, we may say +that all fevers can be cured in one and the same manner. I have tried +this single treatment for all varieties from simple fever up to Bubonic +Plague, with invariably satisfactory results. In 1904, there was a +severe outbreak of plague among the Indians in South Africa. It was so +severe that, out of 23 persons that were affected, as many as 21 died +within the space of 24 hours; and of the remaining two, who were removed +to the hospital, only one survived, and that one was the man to whom was +applied the mud-poultice. We cannot, of course, conclude from this that +it was the mud-poultice that saved him, but, in any case, it is +undeniable that it did him no harm. They were both suffering from high +fever brought on by inflammation of the lungs, and had been rendered +unconscious. The man on whom was tried the mud-poultice was so bad that +he was spitting blood, and I afterwards learnt from the doctor that he +had been insufficiently fed on milk alone. + +As most fevers are caused by disorders of the bowels, the very first +thing to do is to starve the patient. It is a mere superstition that a +weak man will get weaker by starving. As we have already seen, only that +portion of our food is really useful which is assimilated into the +blood, and the remainder only clogs the bowels. In fever the digestive +organs are very weak, the tongue gets coated, and the lips are hard and +dry. If any food is given to the patient in this condition, it will +remain undigested and aid the fever. Starving the patient gives his +digestive organs time to perform their work; hence the need to starve +him for a day or two. At the same time, he should take at least two +baths every day according to the Kuhne's system. If he is too weak or +ill to bathe, a mud-poultice should be applied to his abdomen. If the +head aches or feels too hot, a poultice should also be applied to the +head. The patient should, as far as possible, be placed in the open air, +and should be well covered. At meal-time, he should be given the juice +of lime, well filtered and mixed with cold or boiling water, and if +possible, without any sugar. This has a very beneficial effect, and +should alone be given if the patient's teeth can bear its sourness. +Afterwards, he may be given a half or the whole of a plantain, well +mixed with a spoon of olive oil, mixed with a spoon of lime juice. If he +feels thirsty, he should be given water boiled and cooled, or the juice +of lime,--never unboiled water. His clothes should be as few as possible, +and should be frequently changed. Even persons suffering from typhoid +and the like diseases have been completely cured by this simple +treatment, and are enjoying perfect health at present. A seeming cure +may also be effected by quinine, but it really brings other diseases in +its train. Even in malarial fever, in which quinine is supposed to be +most effective, I have rarely seen it bring permanent relief; on the +other hand, I have actually seen several cases of malarial patients +being permanently cured by the treatment described above. + +Many people subsist on milk alone during fever, but my experience is +that it really does harm in the initial stages, as it is hard to digest. +If milk has to be given, it is best given in the form of +"wheat-coffee",[1] or with a small quantity of rice-flour well boiled in +water; but in extreme forms of fever, it ought not to be given at all. +In such a condition, the juice of lime may always be given with great +success. As soon as the tongue gets clean, plantain may be included in +the diet, and given in the form described above. If there be +constipation, a hot-water enema with borax should be applied in +preference to purgatives, after which a diet of olive oil will serve to +keep the bowels free. + + [1] Part II, chap. IV + + + + +CHAPTER V + +CONSTIPATION, DYSENTERY, GRIPES AND PILES + + +It may at first sight appear strange to have four different ailments put +together in this chapter, but, as a matter of fact, they are all so +closely connected, and may be cured more or less in the same way. When +the stomach gets clogged by undigested matter, it leads to one or other +of these diseases, according to the varying constitutions of +individuals. In some it produces constipation. The bowels do not move, +or move only partly, and there is great straining at stools, until it +results in bleeding, or at times in the discharge of mucus, or piles. In +others, it leads to diarrhea, which often ends in dysentery. In others +again, it may give rise to gripes, accompanied by pain in the stomach +and the discharge of mucus. + +In all these cases, the patient loses his appetite, his body gets pale +and weak, his tongue gets coated, and his breath foul. Many also suffer +from headache and other complaints. Constipation, indeed, is so common +that hundreds of pills and powders have been invented to cure it. The +chief function of such patent medicines as Mother Siegel's Syrup and +Eno's Fruit-salt is to relieve constipation, and hence thousands of +people go in for them in the vain hope of being cured for good. Any +_Vaid_ or _Hakim_ will tell you that constipation and the like are the +result of indigestion, and that the best way to cure them is to remove +the causes of indigestion; but the more candid among them will confess +that they are forced to manufacture pills and powders, since the +patients are not really prepared to renounce their bad habits, but at +the same time want to get cured. Indeed the present-day advertisments of +such medicines go to the extent of promising to those that would buy +them that they need observe no directions as to diet and the like, but +may eat and drink whatever they like. But my readers need not be told +that this is a mere string of lies. All purgatives are invariably +injurious to health. Even the mildest of them, even if they relieve the +constipation, give rise to other forms of disease. If they should do any +good at all, the patient should thoroughly change his ways of life, so +as not to have to turn to purgatives again; otherwise, there can be no +doubt that they must give rise to new diseases, even supposing that they +serve to get rid of the old. + +The very first thing to do in cases of constipation and the like is to +reduce the quantity of food, especially such heavy things as ghee, sugar +and cream of milk. Of course, he should eschew altogether wine, tobacco, +bhang, tea, coffee, cocoa, and loaves made of "mill flour." The diet +should consist for the most part of fresh fruits with olive oil. + +The patient should be made to starve for 36 hours before treatment +begins. During this time and after, mud-poultices should be applied to +the abdomen during sleep; and, as has been already said, one or two +"Kuhne baths" should also be taken. The patient should be made to walk +for at least two hours every day. I have myself seen severe cases of +constipation, dysentery, piles and gripes effectively cured by this +simple treatment. Piles may not, of course, completely disappear, but +they will certainly cease to give trouble. The sufferer from gripes +should take special care not to take any food except lime-juice in hot +water, so long as there is discharge of blood or mucus. If there is +excessive griping pain in the stomach, it can be cured by warming with a +bottle of hot water or a piece of well-heated brick. Needless to say, +the patient should live constantly in the open air. + +Fruits like the French plum, the raisin, the orange and the grape, are +particularly useful in constipation. This does not, of course, mean that +these fruits may be eaten even where there is no hunger. They ought not +to be eaten at all in cases of gripes accompanied by a bad taste in the +mouth. + + + + +CHAPTER VI + +CONTAGIOUS DISEASES: SMALL-POX + + +Now we will proceed to deal with the treatment of contagious diseases. +They have a common origin, but, since small-pox is by far the most +important of them, we will give a separate chapter to it, dealing with +the rest in another chapter. We are all terribly afraid of the +small-pox, and have very crude notions about it. We in India even +worship it as a deity. In fact it is caused, just like other diseases, +by the blood getting impure owing to some disorder of the bowels; and +the poison that accumulates in the system is expelled in the form of +small-pox. If this view is correct, then there is absolutely no need to +be afraid of small-pox. If it were really a contagious disease, everyone +should catch it by merely touching the patient; but this is not always +the case. Hence there is really no harm in touching the patient, +provided we take some essential precautions in doing so. We cannot, of +course, assert that small-pox is never transmitted by touch, for those +that are physically in a condition favourable to its transmission will +catch it. This is why, in a locality where small-pox has appeared, many +people are found attacked by it at the same time. This has given rise to +the superstition that it is a contagious disease, and hence to the +attempt to mislead the people into the belief that vaccination is an +effective means of preventing it. The process of vaccination consists in +injecting into the skin the liquid that is obtained by applying the +discharge from the body of a small-pox patient to the udder of a cow. +The original theory was that a single vaccination would suffice to keep +a man immune from this disease for life; but, when it was found that +even vaccinated persons were attacked by the disease, a new theory came +into being that the vaccination should be renewed after a certain +period, and to-day it has become the rule for all persons--whether +already vaccinated or not--to get themselves vaccinated whenever +small-pox rages as an epidemic in any locality, so that it is no +uncommon thing to come across people who have been vaccinated five or +six times, or even more. + +Vaccination is a barbarous practice, and it is one of the most fatal of +all the delusions current in our time, not to be found even among the +so-called savage races of the world. Its supporters are not content with +its adoption by those who have no objection to it, but seek to impose it +with the aid of penal laws and rigorous punishments on all people alike. +The practice of vaccination is not very old, dating as it does only from +1798 A.D. But, during this comparatively short period that has elapsed, +millions have fallen a prey to the delusion that those who get +themselves vaccinated are safe from the attack of small-pox. No one can +say that small-pox will necessarily attack those who have not been +vaccinated; for many cases have been observed of unvaccinated people +being free from its attack. From the fact that some people who are not +vaccinated do get the disease, we cannot, of course, conclude that they +would have been immune if only they had got themselves vaccinated. + +Moreover, vaccination is a very dirty process, for the serum which is +introduced into the human body includes not only that of the cow, but +also of the actual small-pox patient. An average man would even vomit at +the mere sight of this stuff. If the hand happens to touch it, it is +always washed with soap. The mere suggestion of tasting it fills us with +indignation and disgust. But how few of those who get themselves +vaccinated realise that they are in effect eating this filthy stuff! +Most people know that, in several diseases, medicines and liquid food +are injected into the blood, and that they are assimilated into the +system more rapidly than if they were taken through the mouth. The only +difference, in fact, between injection and the ordinary process of +eating through the mouth is that the assimilation in the former case is +instantaneous, while that in the latter is slow. And yet we do not +shrink from getting ourselves vaccinated! As has been well said, cowards +die a living death, and our craze for vaccination is solely due to the +fear of death or disfigurement by small-pox. + +I cannot also help feeling that vaccination is a violation of the +dictates of religion and morality. The drinking of the blood of even +dead animals is looked upon with horror even by habitual meat-eaters. +Yet, what is vaccination but the taking in of the poisoned blood of an +innocent living animal? Better far were it for God-fearing men that they +should a thousand times become the victims of small-pox and even die a +terrible death than that they should be guilty of such an act of +sacrilege. + +Several of the most thoughtful men in England have laboriously +investigated the manifold evils of vaccination, and an Anti-Vaccination +Society has also been formed there. The members of this society have +declared open war against vaccination, and many have even gone to gaol +for this cause. Their objections to vaccination are briefly as follows: + +(1) The preparation of the vaccine from the udder of cows or calves +entails untold suffering on thousands of innocent creatures, and this +cannot possibly be justified by any gains resulting from vaccination. + +(2) Vaccination, instead of doing good, works considerable mischief by +giving rise to many new diseases. Even its advocates cannot deny that, +after its introduction, many new diseases have come into being. + +(3) The vaccine that is prepared from the blood of a small-pox patient +is likely to contain and transmit the germs of all the several diseases +that he may be suffering from. + +(4) There is no guarantee that small-pox will not attack the vaccinated. +Dr. Jenner, the inventor of vaccination, originally supposed that +perfect immunity could be secured by a single injection on a single arm; +but when it was found to fail, it was asserted that vaccination on both +the arms would serve the purpose; and when even this proved ineffectual, +it came to be held that both the arms should be vaccinated at more than +one place, and that it should also be renewed once in seven years. +Finally, the period of immunity has further been reduced to three years! +All this clearly shows that doctors themselves have no definite views on +the matter. The truth is, as we have already said, that there is no +saying that small-pox will not attack the vaccinated, or that all cases +of immunity must needs be due to vaccination. + +(5) The vaccine is a filthy substance, and it is foolish to expect that +one kind of filth can be removed by another. + +By these and similar arguments, this society has already produced a +large volume of public opinion against vaccination. In a certain town, +for instance, a large proportion of the people refuse to be vaccinated, +and yet statistics prove that they are singularly free from disease. The +fact of the matter is that it is only the self-interest of doctors that +stands in the way of the abolition of this inhuman practice, for the +fear of losing the large incomes that they at present derive from this +source blinds them to the countless evils which it brings. There are, +however, a few doctors who recognise these evils, and who are determined +opponents of vaccination. + +Those who are conscientious objectors to vaccination should, of course, +have the courage to face all penalties or persecutions to which they may +be subjected by law, and stand alone, if need be, against the whole +world, in defence of their conviction. Those who object to it merely on +the grounds of health should acquire a complete mastery of the subject, +and should be able to convince others of the correctness of their views, +and convert them into adopting those views in practice. But those who +have neither definite views on the subject nor courage enough to stand +up for their convictions should no doubt obey the laws of the state, and +shape their conduct in deference to the opinions and practices of the +world around them. + +Those who object to vaccination should observe all the more strictly the +laws of health already explained; for the strict observance of these +laws ensures in the system those vital forces which counteract all +disease germs, and is, therefore, the best protection against small-pox +as well as other diseases. If, while objecting to the introduction of +the poisonous vaccine into the system, they surrendered themselves to +the still more fatal poison of sensuality, they would undoubtedly +forfeit their right to ask the world to accept their views on the +matter. + +When small-pox has actually appeared, the best treatment is the +"Wet-Sheet-Pack", which should be applied three times a day. It relieves +the fever, and the sores heal rapidly. There is no need at all to apply +oils or ointments on the sores. If possible, a mud-poultice should be +applied in one or two places. The diet should consist of rice, and light +fresh fruits, all rich fruits like date and almond being avoided. +Normally the sores should begin to heal under the "Wet-Sheet-Pack" in +less than a week; if they do not, it means that the poison in the system +has not been completely expelled. Instead of looking upon small-pox as a +terrible disease, we should regard it as one of Nature's best expedients +for getting rid of the accumulated poison in the body, and the +restoration of normal health. + +After an attack of small-pox, the patient remains weak for sometime, and +in some cases even suffers from other ailments. But this is due not to +the small-pox itself; but to the wrong remedies employed to cure it. +Thus, the use of quinine in fever often results in deafness, and even +leads to the extreme form of it known as "quininism". So too, the +employment of mercury in venereal diseases leads to many new forms of +disease. Then again, too frequent use of purgatives in constipation +brings on ailments like the piles. The only sound system of treatment is +that which attempts to remove the root-causes of disease by a strict +observance of the fundamental laws of health. Even the costly _Bhasmas_ +which are supposed to be unfailing remedies for such diseases are in +effect highly injurious; for, although they may seem to do some good, +they excite the evil passions, and ultimately ruin the health. + +After the vesicles on the body have given place to scabs, olive oil +should be constantly applied, and the patient bathed every day. Then the +scabs rapidly fall off, and even the pocks soon disappear, the skin +recovering its normal colour and freshness. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + +OTHER CONTAGIOUS DISEASES + + +We do not dread chicken-pox so much as its elder sister, since it is not +so fatal, and does not cause disfigurement and the like. It is, however, +exactly the same as small-pox in other respects, and should therefore +be dealt with in the same way. + +Bubonic Plague is a terrible disease, and has accounted for the death of +millions of our people since the year 1896, when it first made its real +entry into our land. The doctors, in spite of all their investigations, +have not yet been able to invent a sure remedy for it. Now-a-days the +practice of inoculation has come into vogue, and the belief has gained +ground that an attack of plague may be obviated by it. But inoculation +for plague is as bad and as sinful as vaccination for small-pox. +Although no sure remedy has been devised for this disease, we will +venture to suggest the following treatment to those who have full faith +in Providence, and who are not afraid of death. + +(1) The "Wet-Sheet-Pack" should be applied as soon as the first symptoms +of fever appear. + +(2) A thick mud-poultice should be applied to the bubo. + +(3) The patient should be completely starved. + +(4) If he feels thirsty, he should be given lime-juice in cold water. + +(5) He should be made to lie in the open air. + +(6) There should not be more than one attendant by the side of the +patient. + +We can confidently assert that, if plague can be cured by any treatment +at all, it can be cured by this. + +Though the exact origin and causes of plague are yet unknown, it is +undoubted that rats have something to do with its communication. We +should, therefore, take all precautions, in a plague-infected area, to +prevent the approach of rats in our dwellings; if we cannot get rid of +them, we should vacate the house. + +The best remedy to prevent an attack of plague is, of course, to follow +strictly the laws of health,--to live in the open air, to eat plain +wholesome food and in moderation, to take good exercise, to keep the +house neat and clean, to avoid all evil habits, and, in short, lead a +life of utter simplicity and purity. Even in normal times our lives +should be such, but, in times of plague and other epidemics, we should +be doubly careful. + +Pneumonic Plague is an even more dangerous form of this disease. Its +attack is sudden and almost invariably fatal. The patient has very high +fever, feels extreme difficulty in breathing, and in most cases, is +rendered unconscious. This form of plague broke out in Johannesburg in +1904, and as has been already said,[2] only one man escaped alive out of +the 23 who were attacked. The treatment for this disease is just the +same as that for Bubonic Plague, with this difference that the poultice +should be applied in this case to both sides of the chest. If there be +no time to try the "Wet-Sheet-Pack", a thin poultice of mud should be +applied to the head. Needless to say, here as in other cases, prevention +is better than cure. + + [2] Part I, chap. V + +We are terribly afraid of cholera, as of plague, but in fact, it is much +less fatal. Here the "Wet-Sheet-Pack", however, is of no effect, but the +mud-poultice should be applied to the stomach, and where there is a +tingling sensation, the affected part should be warmed with a bottle +filled with warm water. The feet should be rubbed with mustard-oil, and +the patient should be starved. Care should be taken to see that he does +not get alarmed. If the motions are too frequent, the patient should not +be repeatedly taken out of bed, but a flat shallow vessel should be +placed underneath to receive the stools. If these precautions are taken +in due time, there is little fear of danger. This disease generally +breaks out in the hot season, when we generally eat all sorts of unripe +and over-ripe fruits in immoderate quantities and in addition to our +ordinary food. The water also that we drink during this season is often +dirty, as the quantity of it in wells and tanks is small, and we take no +trouble to boil or filter it. Then again, the stools of the patients +being allowed to lie exposed, the germs of the disease are communicated +through the air. Indeed, when we consider how little heed we pay to +these most elementary facts and principles, we can only wonder that we +are not more often attacked by these terrible diseases. + +During the prevalence of cholera, we should eat light food in +moderation. We should breathe plenty of fresh air; and the water that we +drink should always be thoroughly boiled, and filtered with a thick +clean piece of cloth. The stools of the patient should be covered up +with a thick layer of earth. Indeed, even in normal times, we should +invariably cover up the stools with ashes or loose earth. If we do so, +there would be much less danger of the spread of disease. Even the lower +animals like the cat take this precaution, but we are worse than they in +this respect. + +It should also be thoroughly impressed on the minds of persons suffering +from contagious diseases, as well as those around them, that they +should, under no circumstances, give way to panic, for fear always +paralyses the nerves and increases the danger of fatality. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + +MATERNITY AND CHILD-BIRTH + + +Our object in the foregoing chapters has been to point out the unity of +origin and treatment of some of the more common diseases. We are, +indeed, fully aware that those who are the constant victims of disease, +and who are constantly oppressed by the fear of death, will still +continue to put themselves at the mercy of doctors, in spite of all that +we might say against it. We venture to think, however, that there would +be at least a few who are willing to cure themselves of their diseases +by purely natural processes, so as to save themselves from all further +attacks; and such persons would surely find it worth while to follow the +simple directions we have given. Before concluding this book, we will +also give a few hints on maternity and the care of the child, as well as +some common accidents. + +In the lower orders of the animal creation, the pangs of child-birth are +altogether unknown. The same should really be the case with perfectly +healthy women. In fact, most women in the country regard child-birth as +quite an ordinary matter; they continue to do their normal work till +almost the last moment, and experience hardly any pain at the time of +delivery. Women employed in labour have also been known to be able very +often to return to work almost immediately after child-birth. + +How comes it, then, that women in towns and cities have to endure so +much pain and suffering at the time of child-birth? And why is it that +they have to receive special treatment before and after the delivery? + +The answer is simple and obvious. The women in towns have to lead an +unnatural life. Their food, their costume, their mode of life, in +general, offend against the natural laws of healthy living. Further, +besides becoming pregnant at a premature age, they are the sad victims +of men's lust even after pregnancy, as well as immediately after +child-birth, so that conception again takes place at too short an +interval. This is the state of utter misery and wretchedness in which +lakhs of our young girls and women find themselves in our country +to-day. To my mind, life under such conditions is little removed from +the tortures of hell. So long as men continue to behave so monstrously, +there can be no hope of happiness for our women. Many men put the blame +on the women's shoulders; but it is none of our business here to weigh +the relative guilt of man and woman in this matter. We are only +concerned to recognise the existence of the evil, and to point out its +cure. Let all married people realise, once for all, that, so long as +sexual enjoyment at a premature age, as well as during pregnancy and +soon after child-birth, does not cease to exist in our land, an easy and +painless child-birth must remain a wild dream. Women silently endure the +pangs of child-birth, as well as the subsequent period of confinement, +under the wrong notion that they are inevitable, but they fail to see +how their own ignorance and weakness of will make their children grow +weaker and droop from day to day. It is the clear duty of every man and +woman to try to avert this calamity at any cost. If even a single man +and woman should do their duty in this matter, to that extent it would +mean the elevation of the world. And this is clearly a matter in which +no man need or should wait for another's example. + +It follows, then, that the very first duty of the husband is wholly to +abstain from all sexual intercourse with the wife from the moment of +conception. And great is the responsibility that rests on the wife +during the nine months that follow. She should be made to realise that +the character of the child to be born will depend entirely on her life +and conduct during this sacred period. If she fills her mind with love +for all things that are good and noble, the child will also manifest the +same disposition; if, on the other hand, she gives way to anger and +other evil passions, her child will necessarily inherit the same. Hence +in these nine months, she should engage herself constantly in good +works, free her mind from all fear and worry, give no room for any evil +thoughts or feelings, keep out all untruth from her life, and waste not +a moment in idle talk or deed. The child that is born of such a +mother,--how can it help being noble and strong? + +The pregnant woman should, of course, keep her body as pure as her mind. +She should breathe plenty of fresh air, and eat only so much of plain +and wholesome food as she can easily digest. If she attends to all the +directions already given in the matter of diet etc., she would have no +need at all to seek the aid of doctors. If she suffers from +constipation, the proportion of olive oil in the diet should be +increased; and in cases of nausea or vomitting, she should take juice of +lime in water without sugar. All spices and condiments should be +scrupulously avoided. + +The yearning for various new things that attends a woman in pregnancy +may be restrained by the use of "Kuhne Baths". This is also useful in +increasing her strength and vitality, and in easing the pangs of +child-birth. It is also necessary to steel her mind against such +yearnings by nipping in the bud each desire as it comes. The parents +should be constantly mindful of the welfare of the child in the womb. + +It is also the husband's duty during this period to refrain from all +wranglings with his wife, and to conduct himself in such a way as to +make her cheerful and happy. She should be relieved of the heavier +duties of household management, and made to walk for some time every day +in fresh air. And on no account should she be given any drugs or +medicines during the period. + + + + +CHAPTER IX + +CARE OF THE CHILD + + +We do not propose in this chapter to describe the duties of a midwife or +wet nurse, but only to point out how the child should be cared for after +birth. Those who have read the foregoing chapters need not be told how +injurious it is to keep the mother during the period of confinement in a +dark and ill-ventilated closet and to make her lie on a dirty bed with a +fire underneath. These practices, however time-honoured they may be, are +nevertheless fraught with dangerous consequences. No doubt, during the +cold season, the mother should be kept warm, but this is best done by +using good blankets. If the apartment is too cold and a fire has to be +kept, it must be lighted outside and only brought in when all the smoke +has disappeared, and even then it should not be kept under the cot on +which she lies. Warmth may also be given by keeping bottles of hot water +on the bed. All the clothes and sheets should be thoroughly cleansed +after child-birth, and before being used again. + +As the health of the child will depend entirely on that of the mother, +special attention must be paid to her diet and mode of living. If she is +fed on wheat, with plenty of good fruits like the plantain, and olive +oil she would feel warm and strong, and have plenty of milk. Olive oil +gives aperient properties to the mother's milk, and thus serves to keep +the child free from constipation. If the child is unwell, attention must +be turned to the state of the mother's health. Administering drugs to +the child is as good as murdering it, for the child with its delicate +constitution, easily succumbs to their poisonous effects. Hence the +medicine should be administered to the mother, so that its beneficial +properties may be transmitted to the child through her milk. If the +child suffers, as it often does, from cough or loose bowels, there is no +cause for alarm; we should wait for a day or so, and try to get at the +root of the trouble, and then remove it. Making fuss over it and falling +into a panic only makes matters worse. + +The child should invariably be bathed in tepid water. Its clothing +should be as little as possible; for a few months it is best to have +none at all. The child should be laid on a thin soft white sheet and +covered with a warm cloth. This will obviate the need for the use of +shirts, prevent the clothes from getting dirty, and make the child hardy +and strong. A fine piece of cloth folded into four should be placed over +the navel-string, and kept in position by a band over it. The practice +of tying a thread to the navel-string and hanging it round the neck is +highly injurious. The navel-band should be kept loose. If the part round +the navel be moist, fine well-sifted flour may be gently applied over +it. + +As long as the supply of the mother's milk is sufficient, the child +should be fed exclusively on it; but, when it gets insufficient, fried +wheat well powdered, and mixed with hot water and a little of jaggery, +may be used as a substitute with quite good results. Half a plantain +well mashed and mixed with half a spoonful of olive oil is also +particularly beneficial. If cow's milk has to be given, it should at +first be mixed with water in the proportion of three to one, and then +heated until it just begins to boil, when a little of pure jaggery +should also be added. The use of sugar instead of jaggery is harmful. +The child should gradually be accustomed to a fruit-diet, so that its +blood may be kept pure from the very beginning, and it may grow manly +and bright. Those mothers who begin to feed their children on things +like rice, vegetables and _dhall_, as soon as or even before its teeth +have appeared, are doing them infinite harm. Needless to say, coffee and +tea should be strictly eschewed. + +When the child has grown big enough to walk, it may be clothed with +_kurta_ and the like, but its feet should still be kept bare, so that it +may be free to roam about at will. The use of shoes prevents the free +circulation of blood and the development of hardy feet and legs. +Dressing the child in silk or lace cloths, with cap and coat, and +ornaments, is a barbarous practice. Our attempt to enhance by such +ridiculous means the beauty that Nature has given, only bespeaks our +vanity and ignorance. We should always remember that the education of +the child really begins from its very birth, and is best given by the +parents themselves. The use of threats and punishments, and the practice +of gorging the children with food, are an outrage on the principles of +true education. As the old saying has it, "like parent, like child"; +hence the example and practice of the parents necessarily shape the +conduct and character of the children. If they are weaklings, their +children also grow up weak and delicate; if they talk clearly and +distinctly, so too will the children; but if they talk with a lisp, the +children will also learn to do so. If they use foul language, or are +addicted to bad habits, the children necessarily imitate them, and +develop into bad characters. In fact, there is no field of human +activity in which the child does not imitate the example of its parents. + +We see, then, how heavy is the responsibility that rests on the +shoulders of parents. The very first duty of a man is to give such +education to his children as will make them honest and truthful, and an +ornament to the society in which they live. In the animal and vegetable +kingdoms, the offspring invariably takes after the parent. Man alone has +violated this law of Nature. It is only among men that we see such +incongruities as vicious children being born to virtuous parents, or +sickly ones to the healthy. This is due to the fact that we +thoughtlessly become parents when we are not mature enough to assume the +responsibilities of that position. It is the solemn duty of all virtuous +parents to train their children in noble ways. This requires that both +the father and the mother should themselves have received a sound +education. Where the parents lack such education and are aware of their +imperfections, it is their duty to entrust their children to the care of +proper guardians. It is foolish to expect that a high character can be +developed in the children by merely sending them to school. Where the +training given at school is inconsistent with that given at home, there +can be no hope of improvement for the child. + +As already pointed out, the true education of the child begins from the +very moment of its birth. The rudiments of knowledge are imbibed almost +in the course of play. This, indeed, was the ancient tradition; the +practice of sending children to school is a growth of yesterday. If only +the parents would do their duty by their children, there would be no +limit to the possibilities of their advancement. But, in fact, we make +playthings of our children. We deck their persons with fine clothes and +jewels, we gorge them with sweetmeats, and spoil them from their very +infancy by fondlings and caresses. We let them go unchecked on their way +in our false affection for them. Being ourselves miserly, sensuous, +dishonest, slothful and uncleanly, is it to be wondered at that our +children should follow in our foot steps, and turn out weak and vicious, +selfish and slothful, sensuous and immoral? Let all thoughtful parents +ponder well over these matters; for on them depends the future of our +land. + + + + +CHAPTER X + +SOME ACCIDENTS: DROWNING + + +We will now turn our attention to some of the more common accidents, and +the methods of dealing with them. A knowledge of these things is +essential to everybody, so that timely help may be rendered, and the +loss of many precious lives averted. Even children should be taught to +deal with these cases, as in that way they are the more likely to grow +up kind and thoughtful citizens. + +And first we will deal with drowning. As man cannot live without air for +more than 5 minutes at the most, little life generally remains in a +drowning man taken out of water. Immediate steps should, therefore, be +taken to bring him back to life. Two things have specially to be done +for these,--artificial respiration, and the application of warmth. We +should not forget that very often such 'First aid' has to be rendered by +the side of tanks and rivers, where all the needed materials are not +easily available, and such aid can be most effectual only when there are +at least two or three men on the spot. The first-aider should also +possess the qualities of resourcefulness, patience, and briskness; if he +himself loses his presence of mind, he can do nothing. So too, if the +attendants begin to discuss methods, or quarrel over details, there is +no hope for the man. The best one in the party should lead, and the +others should implicitly follow his directions. + +As soon as the man is taken out of water, his wet clothes should be +removed, and his body wiped dry. Then he should be made to lie on his +face, with his hands under the head. Then, with our hand on his chest, +we should remove from his mouth the water and dirt that might have got +in. At this time his tongue would come out of his mouth, when it should +be caught hold of with a kerchief, and held till consciousness returns. +Then he should at once be turned over, with the head and the chest a +little raised above the feet. Then one of the attendants should kneel by +his head, and slowly spread out and straighten his arms on either side. +By this means his ribs will be raised, and the air outside can enter +into his body; then his hands should be quickly brought back and folded +on his chest, so that the chest may contract and the air be expelled. In +addition to this, hot and cold water should be taken in the hands and +poured on his chest. If a fire can be lighted or procured, the man +should be warmed with it. Then all the available clothes should be +wrapped round his body, which should be thoroughly rubbed for warmth. +All this should be tried for a long time without losing hope. In some +cases, such methods have to be applied for several hours on end before +breathing is restored. As soon as signs of consciousness appear, some +hot drink should be administered. The juice of lime in hot water, or +decoction of cloves, pepper, and the bark of the bay-tree, will be found +specially effective. The smell of tobacco may also prove useful. People +should not be allowed to crowd round the patient, and obstruct the free +passage of air. + +The signs of death in such cases are the following. The complete +cessation of breathing and the beating of heart and lungs, as indicated +by a piece of peacock-feather held near the nose remaining quite steady, +or a mirror held near the mouth being undimmed by the moisture in the +breath; the eyes remaining fixed and half-open, with heavy eye-lids; the +jaws getting fixed; the fingers getting crooked; the tongue protruding +between the teeth; the mouth getting frothy; nose getting red; the whole +body turning pale. If all these signs simultaneously appear, we may +conclude that the man is dead. In some rare cases, life may still remain +even when all these signs are present. The only conclusive test of death +is the setting in of decomposition. Hence the patient should never be +given up for lost, until after a long and patient application of +remedial measures. + + + + +CHAPTER XI + +SOME ACCIDENTS--(_Contd._) + +BURNS AND SCALDS + + +Very often when a man's clothes catch fire, we get into a panic, and, +instead of helping the injured, make matters worse by our ignorance. It +is our duty, therefore, to know exactly what to do in such cases. + +The person whose clothes have caught fire should not lose his presence +of mind. If the fire is only at one edge of the cloth, it should at once +be squeezed out with the hands; but if it has spread over the whole +cloth or a large portion of it, the man should at once lie down and roll +on the floor. If a thick cloth like a carpet be available, it should at +once be wrapped round his body; and if water is at hand, it should also +be poured over it. As soon as the fire has been put out, we should find +out if there are burns in any part of the body. The cloth would +generally stick to the body where there are burns, in which case it +should not be forcibly torn off, but gently snipped off with a pair of +scissors, leaving the affected parts undisturbed, and taking care to see +that the skin does not come off. Immediately after this, poultices of +pure mud should be applied to all these places, and kept in position by +bandages. This will instantly relieve the burning, and ease the +patient's suffering. The poultices may as well be applied over the +portions of the cloth which stick on to the body. They should be renewed +as soon as they begin to get dry; there is no reason to fear the touch +of cold water. + +Where this sort of first aid has not been rendered, the following +directions will be found very useful. Fresh plantain leaves well smeared +with olive or sweet oil should be applied over the burns. If plantain +leaves are not available, pieces of cloth may be used. A mixture of +linseed oil and lime-water in equal proportions may also be applied with +great advantage. The portions of cloth which adhere to the burns may be +easily removed by moistening them with a mixture of tepid milk and +water. The first bandage of oil should be removed after two days, and +afterwards fresh bandages applied every day. If blisters have formed on +the burnt surface, they should be pricked, but the skin need not +necessarily be removed. + +If the skin has simply got red by the burn, there is no more effective +remedy than the application of a mud poultice. If the fingers have been +burnt, care should be taken, when the poultice is applied, that they do +not touch against one another. This same treatment may be applied in +cases of acid-burns, and scalds of every description. + + + + +CHAPTER XII + +SOME ACCIDENTS--(_Contd._) + +SNAKE-BITE + + +There is no limit to the superstitions current among us in regard to +snakes. From time immemorial we have cultivated a terrible fear of the +snake; we even dread the very mention of its name. The Hindus worship +the serpent, and have set apart a day in the year (_Nagapanchami_) for +that purpose. They suppose that the earth is supported by the great +serpent Sesha. God Vishnu is called _Seshasayee_, as he is supposed to +sleep on the Serpent-God; and God Siva is supposed to have a garland of +serpents round his neck! We say that such and such a thing cannot be +described even by the thousand-tongued Adisesha, implying our belief in +the snake's knowledge and discretion. The serpent Karkotaka is said to +have bitten King Nala and deformed him, so that he might not suffer any +harm in the course of his wanderings. Such conceptions are also to be +met with among the Christian nations of the West. In English a man is +very often described to be as wise and cunning as a serpent. And in the +Bible, Satan is said to have assumed the shape of a serpent in order to +tempt Eve. + +The real reason for the popular dread of snakes is obvious. If the +snake's poison should spread over the whole body, death must +necessarily ensue; and since the idea of death is so dreadful to us, we +dread the very name of a snake. Hence, our worship of the snake is +really based on our fear. If the snake were a little creature, it would +hardly be worshipped by us; but since it is a big creature, and a +strangely fascinating one, it has come to be deified and worshipped. + +The Western scientists of to-day hold that the snake is merely a +creature of instinct, and it should be destroyed forthwith wherever +found. From the official statistics, we gather that not less than 20,000 +persons die every year in India of snake-bite alone. The destruction of +every venomous snake is rewarded by the state, but it is really a +question if the country has benefitted by it in any way. We find from +experience that a snake never bites wantonly, but only as a retaliatory +measure when it is molested in any way. Does this not bespeak its +discretion, or at the least its innocence? The attempt to rid Hindustan, +or any portion thereof, of snakes is as ridiculous and futile as trying +to wrestle with the air. It may be possible to prevent snakes coming to +a particular place by a systematic process of extermination, but this +can never be done on a large scale. In a vast country like India, it +would be an altogether foolish enterprise to try to avoid snake-bites by +wholesale destruction of the snakes. + +Let us never forget that the serpents have been created by the same God +who created us and all other creatures. God's ways are inscrutable, but +we may rest assured that He did not create animals like the lion and the +tiger, the serpent and the scorpion, in order to bring about the +destruction of the human race. If the serpents were to meet in council +and conclude that man has been created by God for their destruction, +seeing that he generally destroys a snake wherever found, should we +approve of their conclusion? Surely not. In the same way, we are wrong +in regarding the serpent as a natural enemy of man. + +The great St. Francis of Asissi, who used to roam about the forests, was +not hurt by the serpents or the wild beasts, but they even lived on +terms of intimacy with him. So too, thousands of _Yogis_ and _Fakirs_ +live in the forests of Hindustan, amidst lions and tigers and serpents, +but we never hear of their meeting death at the hands of these animals. +It might, however, be contended that they must certainly be meeting +their death in the forests, but that we do not hear of it, as we live so +far away. Granted; but we cannot deny that the number of _Yogis_ that +live in the forests is nothing in comparison with that of the serpents +and wild beasts, so that, if these animals were really the natural +enemies of man, the whole race of _Yogis_ and other dwellers in the +forests should become very rapidly extinct, especially since they have +no weapons with which to defend themselves against their attacks. But +they have by no means become extinct, and we may conclude, therefore, +that they have been allowed to live unmolested in the forests by the +serpents and wild beasts. In fact, I have implicit faith in the doctrine +that, so long as man is not inimical to the other creatures, they will +not be inimical to him. Love is the greatest of the attributes of man. +Without it the worship of God would be an empty nothing. It is, in +short, the root of all religion whatsoever. + +Besides, why should we not regard the cruelty of the serpents and the +wild beasts as merely the product and reflection of man's own nature? +Are we any the less murderous than they? Are not our tongues as venomous +as the serpent's fangs? Do we not prey upon our innocent brethren much +in the same way as lions and leopards? All scriptures proclaim that, +when man becomes absolutely harmless, all the other animals will begin +to live on terms of intimacy with him. When feuds and conflicts as +fierce as that between the lion and the lamb are going on within our own +breasts, is it any wonder that such things should go on in the external +world? For, we are but the reflection of the world around us; all the +features of the external world are found reflected in the inner world +of our mind. When we change our nature, the world around should also +inevitably change. Do we not find that the world assumes a totally +different aspect to those individual men and women who change their own +nature by strenuous self-discipline? This is the great mystery of God's +creation as well as the great secret of true happiness. Our happiness or +otherwise rests entirely upon what we are; we have no need to depend on +other people at all in this matter. + +Our excuse for writing at such length on snake-bite is this. Rather than +merely prescribe cure for snake-bite, we thought it as well to go a +little more deeply into the matter, and point out the best way of +getting rid of our foolish fears. If even a single reader were to adopt +in practice the principles we have been discussing, we shall consider +our effort amply rewarded. Moreover, our object in writing these pages +is not merely to give the generally accepted hygienic principles, but to +go to the root of the matter, and deal with the most fundamental +principles of health. + +Modern investigations have also shown that the man who is perfectly +healthy, whose blood has not been tainted by excess of heat, and whose +food is wholesome and _Satvic_, is not immediately affected by the +poison of the snake, but that, on the other hand, its effect is +instantaneous as well as fatal on the man whose blood has been tainted +by drink or unwholesome food. One doctor goes so far as to say that the +blood of the man who eschews salt and the like, and lives exclusively on +a fruit-diet, remains so pure that no kind of poison can have any effect +on him. I have not had enough experience myself to say how far this is +true. The man whose diet has been free from salt and the like for only +one or two years cannot be said to have attained this stage of perfect +immunity, for the blood which has been tainted and poisoned by bad +practices continued for years cannot be brought back to its normal state +of purity in the short period of a year or two. + +It has further been scientifically demonstrated that a man under the +influence of fear or anger is much more and much sooner, affected by +poison than when in the normal condition. Everybody knows how fear and +anger make the pulse and the heart beat faster than the normal rate, and +the quicker the flow of blood in the veins, the greater the heat +generated. But the heat generated by evil passions is not healthy, but +extremely harmful. Anger is, indeed, nothing but a variety of fever. +Hence the best antidote against snake-bite is to use pure and _Satvic_ +food in moderation, to rid our minds of all evil passions like anger and +fear, to refrain from giving way to panic, to retain perfect confidence +in the saving power of a pure and godly life, and to remain +self-possessed in the full faith that we are ever in God's hands, and +that the span of life which He has allotted to us can on no account be +curtailed or exceeded. + +Dr. Fitz-Seaman, the Director of the Port Elizabeth Museum, who has +devoted a large portion of his life to the study of snakes, their +varieties and their habits, and who is a great authority on snake-bite +and its cure, has told us, as a result of his numerous experiments, that +the majority of the so-called deaths by snake-bite are really caused by +fear and the wrong remedies applied by quacks. + +We should remember that all snakes are not venomous, and that even the +bite of all venomous snakes is not immediately fatal either. Moreover, +the snakes do not always get an opportunity of injecting their venom +into the body of their victim. We should not, therefore, give way to +panic even when we are bitten by a venomous serpent, especially since +very simple remedies are available, which can be applied by ourselves +without any aid from others. + +The part of the body immediately above the point at which the snake has +bitten should be tied round with tight bandage, which should be further +strengthened by means of strong pencils or pieces of wood, so that the +poison may not ascend through the veins. Then the wound should be cut +half an inch deep with the fine point of a knife, so that the poisoned +blood may freely flow, and the hollow should be filled with the dark-red +powder sold in the bazaars and known as Potassium Permanganate. If this +is not available, the blood issuing from the wound should be well sucked +and spat out, by the patient himself or by somebody else, until all the +poison has been removed. Of course, no man who has a wound on the lips +or the tongue should be allowed to suck this poisoned blood. This +treatment should be applied within 7 minutes of the accident,--that is to +say, before the poison has had time to ascend and diffuse through the +body. As already mentioned, the German doctor who has specialised in +mud-cure, claims to have cured snake-bite by burying the patient under +fresh earth. Although I have not tried the use of mud in snake-bites, I +have unbounded faith in its efficacy from my experience in other cases. +After the application of Potassium Permanganate (or the sucking out of +the blood, in the alternative,) a poultice of mud half an inch in +thickness, and big enough to cover the whole region around and above the +affected part, should be applied. There should be kept in every home a +quantity of well-sifted and powdered mud in a tin ready for use. It +should be so kept as to be exposed to light and air, and free from +dampness. Suitable bandages of cloth should also be kept so as to be +within reach when needed. These will be found useful not only in +snake-bite, but in numberless other cases as well. + +If the patient has lost consciousness, or if respiration seems to have +ceased, the process of artificial respiration already described in +connection with drowning should be resorted to. Hot water, or preferably +a decoction of cloves and the bark of the bay-tree, is very useful for +recovering consciousness. The patient should be kept in the open air, +but if his body seems to have taken cold, bottles of hot water should be +employed, or a piece of flannel dipped in hot water and wrung out should +be rubbed over the body, to produce warmth. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII + +SOME ACCIDENTS--(_Contd._) + +SCORPION-STING + + +Our familiar expression, "May God never give any man the pain of +scorpion-sting", shows how keen that pain is. In fact, this pain is even +sharper than that of snake-bite, but we do not dread it so much, since +it is much less fatal. Indeed, as Dr. Moor has said, the man whose +blood is perfectly pure has little to fear from the sting of a scorpion. + +The treatment for scorpion-sting is very simple. The affected part +should be cut into with a sharp-pointed knife, and the blood that issues +from it slightly sucked out. A small bandage tied tightly above this +portion would prevent the spread of the poison, while a poultice of mud +would give immediate relief to the pain. + +Some writers advise us to tie a thick bandage of cloth over the affected +part, wetted with a mixture of vinegar and water in equal proportions, +or to keep the region around it immersed in salt water. But the poultice +of mud is certainly the most effective remedy of all, as may be +personally tested by those who may have the misfortune to be stung by +scorpions. The poultice should be as thick as possible; even two seers +of mud would not be too much for the purpose. If the finger be stung, +for instance, the poultice should extend up to the elbow. If the hand be +kept immersed for sometime in wet mud in a pretty large vessel, it would +give instant relief to the pain. + +The stings of the centipede and other animals should be dealt with +exactly as that of the scorpion. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV + +CONCLUSION + + +I have now said all that I had intended to say on the subject of health. +And now, before finally taking leave of my readers, I will say a word or +two on my object in writing these pages. + +One question which I have asked myself again and again, in the course of +writing this book, is why I of all persons should write it. Is there any +justification at all for one like me, who am no doctor, and whose +knowledge of the matters dealt with in these pages must be necessarily +imperfect, attempting to write a book of this kind? + +My defence is this. The "science" of medicine is itself based upon +imperfect knowledge, most of it being mere quackery. But this book, at +any rate, has been prompted by the purest of motives. The attempt is +here made not so much to show how to cure diseases as to point out the +means of preventing them. And a little reflection will show that the +prevention of disease is a comparatively simple matter, not requiring +much specialist knowledge, although it is by no means an easy thing to +put these principles into practice. Our object has been to show the +unity of origin and treatment of all diseases, so that all people may +learn to treat their diseases themselves when they do arise, as they +often do, in spite of great care in the observance of the laws of +health. + +But, after all, why is good health so essential, so anxiously to be +sought for? Our ordinary conduct would seem to indicate that we attach +little value to health. If health is to be sought for in order that we +might indulge in luxury and pleasure, or pride ourselves over our body +and regard it as an end in itself, then indeed it would be far better +that we should have bodies tainted with bad blood, by fat, and the like. + +All religions agree in regarding the human body as an abode of God. Our +body has been given to us on the understanding that we should render +devoted service to God with its aid. It is our duty to keep it pure and +unstained from within as well as from without, so as to render it back +to the Giver, when the time comes for it, in the state of purity in +which we got it. If we fulfil the terms of the contract to God's +satisfaction, He will surely reward us, and make us heirs to +immortality. + +The bodies of all created beings have been gifted with the same senses, +and the same capacity for seeing, hearing, smelling and the like; but +the human body is supreme among them all, and hence we call it a +"_Chintamani_," or a giver of all good. Man alone can worship God with +knowledge and understanding. Where devotion to God is void of +understanding, there can be no true salvation, and without salvation +there can be no true happiness. The body can be of real service only +when we realise it to be a temple of God and make use of it for God's +worship; otherwise it is no better than a filthy vessel of bones, flesh +and blood, and the air and water issuing from it are worse than poison. +The things that come out of the body through the pores and other +passages are so filthy that we cannot touch them or even think of them +without disgust; and it requires very great effort to keep them +tolerably clean. Is it not most disgraceful that, for the sake of this +body, we should stoop to falsehood and deceit, licentious practices and +even worse? Is it not equally shameful that, for the sake of these +vices, we should be so anxious to preserve this fragile frame of ours at +any cost? + +This is the truth of the matter in regard to our body; for the very +things which are the best or the most useful have inherent in them +capabilities of a corresponding mischief. Otherwise, we should hardly be +able to appreciate them at their true worth. The light of the sun, which +is the source of our life, and without which we cannot live for an hour, +is also capable of burning all things to ashes. So too, a king may do +infinite good to his subjects, or be the source of untold mischief. +Indeed, the body may be a good servant, but, when it becomes a master, +its powers of evil are unlimited. + +There is an incessant struggle going on within us between our Soul and +Satan for the control of our body. If the soul gains the ascendancy, the +body becomes a most potent instrument of good; but, if the devil is +victorious in the struggle, it becomes a hot-bed of vice. Hell itself +would be preferable to the body which is the slave of vice, which is +constantly filled with decaying matter and which emits filthy odours, +whose hands and feet are employed in unworthy deeds, whose tongue is +employed in eating things that ought not to be eaten or in uttering +language that ought not to be uttered, whose eyes are employed in seeing +things that ought not to be seen, whose ears are employed in the hearing +of things that ought not to be heard, and whose nose is employed in the +smelling of things that ought not to be smelt. But, while hell is never +mistaken for heaven by anybody, our body which is rendered worse than +hell by ourselves is, strangely enough, regarded by us as almost +heavenly! So monstrous is our vanity, and so pitiful our pride, in this +matter! Those who make use of a palace as a latrine, or vice versa, +must certainly reap the fruit of their folly. So too, if, while our body +is really in the Devil's hands, we should fancy that we are enjoying +true health, we shall have only ourselves to thank for the terrible +consequences that are sure to follow. + +To conclude, then our attempt in these pages has been to teach the great +truth that perfect health can be attained only by living in obedience to +the laws of God, and defying the power of Satan. True happiness is +impossible without true health, and true health is impossible without a +rigid control of the palate. All the other senses will automatically +come under our control when the palate has been brought under control. +And he who has conquered his senses has really conquered the whole +world, and he becomes a part of God. We cannot realise Rama by reading +the Ramayana, or Krishna by reading the Gita, or God by reading the +Koran, or Christ by reading the Bible; the only means of realising them +is by developing a pure and noble character. Character is based on +virtuous action, and virtuous action is grounded on Truth. Truth, then, +is the source and foundation of all things that are good and great. +Hence, a fearless and unflinching pursuit of the ideal of Truth and +Righteousness is the key-note of true health as of all else. And if we +have succeeded (in however feeble a measure) in bringing this grand +fact home to our reader, our object in writing these pages would have +been amply fulfilled. + + +--FINIS-- + + + + +_ERRATA_ + + + _Page_ _Line_ _For_ _Read_ + + 2 2 _êvam_ _êva_ + 11 8 beings being + 40 3 _Kapah_ _Kapha_ + 41 6 had begun begun + 51 16 detial detail + 66 21 admire pride + 67 26 surley surely + 87 14 would should + 97 4 fus pus + 100 2 according according to + 102 16 Sriget Siegel + 104 11 wick brick + 108 15 vaccinations vaccination + 110 22 difference deference + 111 25 patients patient + 120 1 passion passions + 128 28 and end + 130 22 piece pair + 132 4 superstitious superstitions + 134 3, 9 god God + 137 25 vareity a variety + 138 3 Godly godly + 144 10 is are + 33 18 brid bird + 79 3 that omit + 88 2 some none + + +THE HUXLEY PRESS, G. T. MADRAS. + + +======================================================================== + + + + +Ganesan's New Publications + + +THE FAILURE OF EUROPEAN CIVILISATION + + By S. E. Stokes with Foreword by C. F. Andrews. Re. 1-0. + +In this book Mr. Stokes shows how European civilisation by its +prejudices of colour and race has miserably failed to satisfy the laws +of true progress and needs of the modern world, and warns India of +destroying her unique culture by falling a prey to white imperialism. + + +NATIONAL SELF-REALISATION + + By S. E. Stokes Re. 1-8. + +Students of current Indian politics and workers for Swaraj will find in +this publication a very useful discussion of India's ultimate goal and +the methods of attaining it. The author though an American is well known +as a sincere friend of the oppressed and to use the words of Mahatma +Gandhi "Mr. Stokes is a convinced non-co-operator and a congressman. I +think I am right in saying that he has come to it by slow degrees. No +Indian is giving such battle to the Government as Mr. Stokes. He has +veritably become the guide, philosopher and friend of the Hillmen". + + +ESSAYS: POLITICAL AND NATIONAL + + By S. E. Stokes Rs. 2. + +This collection of essays is intended to stimulate thought on some of +the important problems that India has to solve in the field of +Education, religion and other aspects of national life. + + +THE TRUTH ABOUT INDIA + + By H. M. Hyndman As. 12. + +This small book gives the main facts about India's plight under alien +domination in a boldly frank and appealing manner. The pages breathe +throughout the true Englishman's inextinguishable fire of freedom and +righteous indignation at oppression and exploitation of weak nations. +The author exposes the methods by which British domination was +established in India and discusses the political and economic effects of +such rule, uttering grave words of warning against the final nemesis. +The book deserves to be widely read and translated in the various +vernaculars as a very necessary corrective to the distorted version of +British Indian history taught in our schools. + + +Post Box No. 427, Triplicane, Madras S.E. + + +======================================================================== + + +Transcriber's Notes: Obvious errors in spelling and punctuation have +been silently corrected. Similarly errors listed in the Errata at the +end have also been corrected. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Guide to Health, by Mahatma Gandhi + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 40373 *** |