424
Selected Messages Book 2
far more essential to them than their food. They will do better, and
recover sooner, deprived of food, than of fresh air.
Many invalids have been confined weeks and months in close
rooms, shutting out the light, and pure, invigorating air of heaven, as
though air was a deadly enemy, when it was just the medicine the
sick needed to make them well. The whole system was debilitated
and diseased for want of air, and nature was sinking under her load
of accumulating impurities, in addition to the fashionable poisons
administered by physicians, until she was overpowered, and broke
down in her efforts, and the sick died. They might have lived. Heaven
willed not their death. They died victims to their own ignorance, and
that of their friends, and the ignorance and deception of physicians,
who gave them fashionable poisons, and would not allow them pure
water to drink, and fresh air to breathe, to invigorate the vital organs,
purify the blood, and help nature in her task in overcoming the bad
conditions of the system. These valuable remedies which Heaven
has provided, without money and without price, were cast aside, and
considered not only as worthless, but even as dangerous enemies, while
poisons, prescribed by physicians, were in blind confidence taken.
Thousands have died for want of pure water, and pure air, who
might have lived. And thousands of living invalids, who are a burden
to themselves and others, think that their lives depend upon taking
medicines from the doctors. They are continually guarding themselves
against the air, and avoiding the use of water. These blessings they
need in order to become well. If they would become enlightened,
and let medicine alone, and accustom themselves to outdoor exercise,
and to air in their houses, summer and winter, and use soft water for
drinking and bathing purposes, they would be comparatively well and
happy, instead of dragging out a miserable existence.
It is the duty of attendants and nurses in the sick-room to have a
special care of their own health, especially in critical cases of fever
and consumption. One person should not be kept closely confined to
the sick-room. It is safer to have two or three to depend upon, who
[457]
are careful and understanding nurses, and these changing and sharing
the care and confinement of the sick-room. Each should have exercise
in the open air, as often as possible. This is important to sick-bed
attendants, especially if the friends of the sick are among that class
who continue to regard air, if admitted into the sick-room, as an enemy,