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THE AESTHETIC VALUE OF LIFE

The experiences of life fall into three [3] great categories for every human being. The first category is the biological. This consists of our instincts and our appetites, including our genetic, inherited characteristics. The biological category of is principally compulsory in its influence upon us. We cannot suppress our appetites and instincts completely without disastrous effects on both our mental and physical selves. We attempt to understand these biological functions and thereby keep them in rein. We can endeavor to be the master of our own vital forces instead of being driven by them. Man must regard the biological side of life as a tremendous dynamic force. In this regard it is a marvelous, perfect, and mysterious cosmic phenomenon. But a dynamic force must have purpose or its energy is dissipated. Our responsibility is to set goals. In this regard we may use the analogy of the candle flame. The chemical properties of the candle and of the air keep the f...

THE MOST FEARED DISEASE OF THE 19TH CENTURY

                  The year was 1854, and London was in the grip of yet another outbreak of cholera –an intestinal ailment characterized by severe diarrhea and dehydration. The disease struck with alarming speed. Many who awoke in good health were dead by nightfall. There was no known cure. It was the most feared disease of the century, and the cause remained a mystery. Some thought cholera was contracted by inhaling offensive odors from decaying organic matter. Their suspicions were understandable. The River Thames, which coursed through London, emitted a horrible stench. Did the foul-smelling air carry the disease? Five years earlier, a physician named John Snow had suggested that cholera was caused, not by contaminated air, but by contaminated water. Another physician, William Budd, believed that a funguslike living organism carried the disease. During the 1854 epidemic, Snow tes...

COLOR-VISION DEFICIENCY

                                        When I get dressed, my wife checks that the colors I choose match, says Michael. At breakfast she selects a piece of fruit for me because I can’t see if the fruit is ripe. At work I can’t always see where to click on the computer screen, since items are often distinguished by color. When I’m driving, red and green traffic lights appear the same to me, so I observe whether the illuminated light is on top or on the bottom. Horizontal lights, however, can present a problem.                                               ...

RECOGNIZING SERIOUS SLEEP DISORDERS

                             Sometimes one’s symptoms may indicate a serious sleep disorder. Chronic insomnia, which last more than a month, is often related to more serious problems, including depression. Chronic insomnia may also be a symptom of a serious physical ailment.                                                                          [A] SLEEP APNEA Ronaldo suffered from excessive daytime sleepiness. When he drove the family car, his wife had to watch him carefully, as he tended t...