Almanach

1843 · réf. 69152 — New York: Saxton & Miles No. 205 Broadway 1843. Rare Almanac with a Domestic Bent A scarce American almanac promoting diet reform particularly for women. The first fourteen pages are devoted to the year 1844. Each month includes a calendar with solar and lunar information alongside "various phenomenon" including important dates and anniversaries and maxims. The remainder of the volume has a variety of selections covering topics including health and diet phrenology household economy and marriage. Of particular interest is the section headed "Flesh Eaters" beginning on page 17 a lengthy exploration of the interplay between diet and disease culminating in the guidance that "Fruit is the best adapted for the food of man; next comes the seeds such as wheat corn &c; next comes vegetables as they are termed then follows the lean flesh of the clean animals such as the deer sheep &c." "The Effects of Tight Dress" pp. 37-41 enumerates and illustrates the detrimental effects of constrictive women's fashion as they were understood at the time: "It is necessary to give health to the lungs that the body should be well nourished in order to form good blood; it is also necessary we should breathe pure air and likewise that the lungs should not be encroached on by tight dress in any form." Contrasting illustrations show a figure "as she came from the hand of God" juxtaposed against "a deformed female made so by artificial means." As was common in the popular health movement of the Jacksonian-era breadmaking was utilized to illustrate domestic and moral proficiency and the author notes that: "Men of discernment will take notice that women who have well proportioned bodies make the best bread for they are able to work the dough much more thoroughly without causing an uneasiness about the chest." A publisher's advertisement on the final page identifies the proprietors of Saxton & Miles as Charles M. Saxton and Earl E. Miles "dealers in Books in every department of Literature at very reduced prices for cash." The firm focused on books relating to domestic economy farming and agriculture and was active under this name from 1842 to 1847. Other publications from the press include Gunn's Domestic Medicine and the monthly periodical The American Agriculturist. OCLC locates just three copies at the New-York Historical Society University of California Berkeley and the American Antiquarian Society with no copies recorded in Rare Book Hub. Printed paper wrappers stab-stich binding. Light spotting. Minor losses to blank margins of a few leaves. Very good. DRAKE 8067. OCLC 83877363. unknown