Earth Laughs In Flowers

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 220, 17 September 1938, Page 3 (Supplement)

Earth Laughs In Flowers

One of oar handsomest flowers, beautiful in the extreme, the \ov>hm, is just beginning to shower the banks of river and tidal creeks with a yellow haze. It makes one think of that immortal who wrote: **.Kowhai s gold, flung for gift on Taupo's face, a sign YELLOW KOWHAI that spring is come." So spring IS here— with yellow blossoms nodding breezily to their neighbours, and inviting the shining black tuis to drink their nectar and help in Nature's marvellous colour scheme; brightening many a place from the far sun-drenched north of the North Island to the glistening , south of the South Island. • The Maoris, who used to gather sprays of these golden blossoms and suspend them as ornaments in their ears, have many proverbs about kowhai, especially for the planting of the Also, they used this tree medicinally. For internal pains they boiled the bark vith that of manuka, stained it and drank the "lea." And they used it for rubbing on a patient's back or side—was that complaint lumbago? Another part was used . . . the inner bark would cure that irksome malady hakihaki, or Maori itch. Kowhai has many relations, for it belongs to the second largest family of plants in the world and has many more aunts and cousins in New Zealand than we fortunate mortals could ever have. Kowhai has reason to be proud of its family, though, for it is one of the most serviceable to man. claiming gum arabic and other resins and valuable dyes among its connections, not to mention lentils and beans!

at the back of the tongue. My object in writing these notes is not to make Ton into surgeons, but to help yon to realise .he importance of asking advice early. So doctor will object if you ask liiin about your lump; it may only be a harmless, fatty tumour. Need for Slutted Advice The special parts of the body to watch carefully are the tongue, the lower bowel, and the organs peculiar to the female Bex. Much can be done to relieve human suffering if ulcere, growths or irregularities in patients over forty «*■" be diagnosed and dealt with at the earliest possible moment. The regrettable thing is that yon good people so often do the wrong thing. One nervous man may find a poor little innocent cyst in the skin of his neck, and suffer mental agonies for fear it may be cancer, and it takes him months to screw up his courage to go and ask a doctor. Another man finds a lump which is really dangerous, and he takes a dose of salts or pets on a poultice—which is about as much good as trying to mend a puncture in a motor tyre with stamp paper. Yon must get skilled advice; that is what doctors are trained for. Defective Cbrculatiom I think you have learned that every organ of the body owes its health and strength to the circulation of the blood. The rich fluid brings fresh supplies of food and sustenance to the part, and carries away harmful waste products. Any part where the circulation :s sluggish is soon seen to degenerate. This is true of the ankles and legs through which the circulation is slow and feeble owing to the pressure of varicose veins. The skin is no longer white and cl<»ar; it becomes stained; the flesh is not firm but swollen, and it can be pitted with the tips of the fingers like dough. If this process continues the skin "breaks and an ulcer forms. This is cal'.M a varicose ulcer. If there is only one large vein, and it gives pain, it may bp removed by operation. Several Wge veins could be taken out in this way, but it is impossible to operate successfully on multitudes of small veins. The only thing to do is to try bandages or elattis stockings. How to Pat On Weight Thin people should eat plenty of fatforming foods, such as butter, cream, bacon, and suet puddings. Eggs and in ilk are necessary, and olive oil or codliver oil is beneficial—if it can be taken. Sugary and starchy foods are fattening, but they should not be taken to excess. Nourishing meat and vegetable soups, meat, fish, poultry, potatoes, bread, cereals, lentils, peas, beans, honey, treacle and jam are some of the things that can be eaten in moderation. Avoid strong tea and coffee, vinegar, pickles, | highly-epiced food and acids.