HEALTH HINTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XL, Issue 271, 13 November 1909, Page 15

HEALTH HINTS.

BREATHE THROUGH THE NOSE. One of the best preventive methods of combating the du3t nuisance ie to breathe through the nose. The importance of breathing through the nose canncVt be overraited, and children should be txlight it from early infancy. When the . tons-Ue are inflamed, it may be due to one of three diseases—simple tonsilitis, sc-nrJet fever, or diphtheria. It ie necessary to settle which it is as early ac possible .for the sake of isolation, and also because the sooner the proper treatment for diphtheria ds started the better is the chance of recovery. INFLAMMATION OF THE EYE§. Conjunctivitis, that is Inflammation of the membrane covering the eye, occurs, in many forms, of very varying degrees of severity. That of most frequent occurrence is known as catarrhal opthaimia. In this form the membrane becomes reddened, there is a gritty feeling in the eye and a sticking together of the lids on awaking in the morning. As all forms of conjunctivitis nre more or less contagious the greatest care should be tn-ken to prevent them spreading through a household. As far as possible the patient should be isolated and all towels or other cloths used by him should be kept for his sole employment. The treatment of the simple form of opthalmia consists in frequently bathing the t-ye with boroeic lotion and the application morning and evening of a little yellow oxide of mercury ointment. HOME TREATMENT OF CONSUMPTION. The majority of patients suffering from consumption are not in a position to avail themselves of the climatic advantages which this or that health resort may possess. Such, however, need by no I mpins be deprived of the benefits whic\ the open air treatment affords. No matter what the weather may be, the patient should epend almost the entirety of every day in the open air, he should be wrapped up with coats and blankets if the weather be cold, and should be protected from the rain, but the presence of cough, fever, night sweats, or of spitting blood offers no reason for the patient remaining indoors. At night time the bedroom door and windows should be kept wide open, for it cannot too strongly be insisted on that any hai\.i that might possibly result (from the breathing of cold air is trivial by the side of the inevitable harm caused by air which has already passed through the lungs.