My ancient family cookbook (see yesterday's blog) has some great (?) medical advice, and one gem on page 532 comes from a Dr. Murphy, who I suspect must be a long lost relative of Dr. Maureen. Dr Murphy has this to say about tobacco smoking (with my comments in parentheses): "I consider tobacco smoking one of the most injurious and deadly habits a boy or young man can indulge in. (Does this mean that girls and young women are safe?) It contracts the chest and weakens the lungs, thus predispoing to consumption (tuberculosis). It impairs the stomach, producing indigestion. It debilitates the brain and nervous system, inducing epileptic fits (really, Dr. Murphy?) and nervous depression. It stunts the growth and is one cause of the present race of pigmies. (Okay, just where did you get your medical degree?) It makes the young lazy and disinclined to work. (And what about us older folks? Oh, I forgot. I'm just automatically lazy.) It is one of the greatest curses of the present day." (Amen to that, Dr. M., even a century later.)
Tomorrow: skin care. Wait till you hear what the Woman's Favorite Cook Book has to say about pimples and wrinkles!!
2 comments:
actually this Dr. Murphy sounds a lot like my husband, pseudo-Dr. Maxwell, who likes to tell young men that he sees smoking that cigarettes will make their penises shrivel up.
Gotta love that Scott and his medical theories!
Post a Comment