OUR BABIES.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 13466, 5 July 1909, Page 3

OUR BABIES.

HEALTH AND HAPPINESS

A LECTURE FOR WOMEN.

DR. TRUBY KING'S ADDRESS

No. 11. POISOXS. Dr. King went on to speak of the growth of plants and animals, and the growth of and nutrition of nerve cells in .particular. Numerous slides were given, and it was explained how the

nerve colls, being suspended in the blood stream —or, rather, in lymph transuded from the blood —were exceedingly susceptible to any change in its composition. This was shown by

the paralysing of the higher cells when chloroform or other poisons were breathed or swallowed. Similarly, alcohol, produced by the action of the yeast microbe on sugar, rapidly affected the nervous system. Further, many poisons produced in tho alimentary canal by organisms which flourished, there if the passage of material along the intestine was unduly delayed gave rise to poisons of an extremely devitalising and detiressing kind. With very few exceptions indeed the jversons who had to be sent to asylums were suffering from such poison, due in a large proportion of cases to insufficient contact with the open air, insufficient exercises, carelessness as to food, etc. He scarcely need remind them of the depressing effect of constipation, because there were few women who were not affected in this way under tho com-rtiex hamperings and restrictions, •which were a part, but not an inevitable part, of our modern civilisation.

lt was shown that the energy and vitality of the Japanese was essentially due to their being more primitive than ourselves, and the fact that the great mass of _\he population lived as agriculturists, mainly in the open air, and with nothing in tho wav of lower animals or machinery to heltp* them. Of course, we could no\, ourselves revert to such a condition of life, but thero was no reason in a country like New Zealand why everyone should not have a reasonable amount of healthy outdoor exercise and recreation. He strongly recommended the formation of

healthy habits in the young, especially the habit of daily cold bathing, followed by active exercise for, say, twenty minutes. In addition, there should be an hour spent in active open-air exercise during some part of every day— wet or fine. Young men were so trained in connection with the best public schools in tho Old Country, and it was said by a leading educational authority that this should bo so ingrained a habit that any neglect of it would bo regarded with a sense of shamo similar to what would be.felt

if ordinary cleanliness wero not observed. The .one thing was as much a duty as the other —indeed, so far us health was concerned, the influence of

bathing and outdoor exercise was infinitely more important for health. If this was so with men, it was even more so with women, because in their case th© bodily functions wero more exacting and infinitely more important to the race. The contribution of man towards parenthood was utterly insignificant compared with the contribution of women. No doubt patriotism was all important in women as- well as in men, but tho most practical form of patriotism for women was that which showed itself in the motherhood of a healthy race. .■". ■ THE CAPRICE OF FASHION. Reference was next made to tho limitations of exercise and development which had been brought-About, especially in the case of women in our own' race, by utter unreasonableness of drSs. was shown how•(• the r. merc caprice of fashion had varied from time to time- how in the time t>f.the Plantagenets the shoes *bf the nobles were absurdly pointed* how in the time of the Tudors tho opposite extreme pre-vatf-d. and shoes were disproportionately oroad in front and padded in such a way as to give the foot a gouty look; how in the time of Elizabeth high heels

were introduced, and starched garments, corsets, otc. It was shown that courtiers vied with the women in tightlacing, which continued down to our own timo, as shown by Tennyson's scathing reference to Bulwer Lytton: "Tlio padded man who wears the stays." Since men had come to regard such bodily restrictions with soorn and contempt, and since nothing was considered more unmanly, why should it not bo considered unwomanly for the woman to so hamper her organs as to greatly injure her" own health, happiness, and effectiveness-in life.• besides inflicting untold disabilities and suffering on her progeny,- if she had any. Certain aspects of the anatomy and physiology of the body, were next dwelt on, and it was shown by means of a series of illustrations derived from thc most recent and highest authorities on the subject that the effect of the restraint habitually imposed by women on the free movement of the chest and abdomen resulted, not only in great restriction, in Tegard to breathing and lack of muscular development, but drove tho abdominal organs downwards in such a way as to entirely pervert their functions in many cases. AN AMAZING OPERATION. A most striking • and startling instance of this was shown in the effect on tho large intestine. A composite Rontgen ray photograph of 100 women, taken by Dr. Pancoast, of Philadelphia, showed the large intestine carried down from its normal level about the navel to the brink of the pelvis. During tho last fivo years a new operation had arisen in surgery, and a new book, "The Operative Treatment of Constipation," by a great London surgeon, had appeared. Tho operation was the removal of nearly the whole of the large intestine for disabilities brought about in the way he had describtd. The intestine became so kinked, distorted, distended, and displaced, that normal passage onwards of the intestinal contents became impossible, and putrefaction ensued, causing poisoning of the whole organism. The clearing of the complexion and restored activity and vitality which resulted from the excision of the displaced organ was remarkable; but who could suggest that an irreparable loss was not suffered when such extensive tracts were cut away, seeing that even the tiny appendix was "held by great authorities to be an organ which should not bo sacrificed unless there was real necessity. It was shown that the rest of the abdominal organs shared in these displacements, including the liver and kidneys. They were all familiar with the term, "floating kidney," which was comparatively common in women, but they were not -aware that that condition was generally only a part of the more widespread displacement. .Now, if these things took place with regard to the organs contained in the upper and middle parts of the abdomen, what must be the fate of those situated in what was called the pelvic basin. The pelvic basin was not a basin in the ordinary sense. It was a basin with the bottom cut out of it, and replaced by soft muscular and fibrous tissue. What w~as bound to happen, they all knew did happen—namely, that in the majority ot women there were saggings and pelvic displacements which interfered more or less gravely with health and happiness. If the muscles and organs generally were properly developed in girlhood, and if reasonable attention were given to hygiene and bodily health, they could do away almost entirely with these special disabilities cf women. A woman with a normal set of abdominal organs was . scarcely to be met with nowadays, and

he doubted whether in the whole multitude before him there was one woman whose feet had not been greatly damaged by boots which took little or no account of tho design of this marvellous piece of mechanism. Without good feet and comfortable shoes the best form of exercise was rendered irksome, and they must always bear in mind that to get the fullest benefit from exercise it should be enjoyable. Speaking to a fashionable London audience, Professor Romanes had said: —

I am sure that there are very few among you who could walk five or six miles a day without fatigue. This merely shows to what a state of enervation habitual neglect of exercise has reduced you. Such enfeebled persons ought to begin at once to I give their constitutions some chanco { of recovery; they ought regularly to : take as much exercise as they can ; endure without distressing fatigue; j and in a' few months they would bo surprised to find how greatly th*? length of their walks may bo incrca-s- j ed, and with -what, immense benefit they are attended. Rejnember that feelings are no safe guide' as to tho amount of muscular exercise that is requisite for maintaining full . and. sustained... health. By ha-bi--tual neglect of sufficient exer-' cisc ; the J system "may, and docs,' accommodate-■ itself i'td eucK' neglect;s so that not only may the desire, for exercise cease to be a fair measure' if its need, but positive exhaustion - may attend a much smaller amount' of exercise than is necessary to long continuance of sound health. How-, ev.er strong and well, therefore, a.7 woman may feel, notwithstanding her neglect of exercise; she cught to, remember that she is playing a most dangerous game, and that sooner or later her sin will find her out, in the* form either of dyspepsia,.-liver, kidney or other disease, which so surely creep upon the offender against Nature's laws of-health. Next only to air and food, muscular exercisers of all things most essential to the vi-, tality of the organism. Reverting to the grai-e disabilities i which women brought on themselves and on the race as the combined result of neglect of regular habits,, fresh, air. and good food, exercise and freedom from bodily restrictions, Dr. King said he did not mean to suggest for a moment that tho women themselves were directly .responsible for this state ot matters. The • fault" lay with the organisation of our modern civilis&tion and society. They had been kept in utter ignorance of the things which were most essential for themselves, - and for the race. Now that knowledge'was being forced upon them, there was no longer any excuse for allowing the rising generation to carry on the' evil tradition of the last century. So far as the women of to-day were concerned, it was fortunate that* it was never too late to mend. They could not become what they might have been, but it was wonderful how much could be done, even by middle-aged human beings, who would only conform, however tardily, to the laws of Nature. Finally, the lecturer mado a strong appeal to his hearers to bear in mind that tho great sphere of woman's happiness and influence must always lie in the home. The education that mad_ for health and domesticity was in the highest interest of woman herself, and they should never forget that the form of training which sent a girl out into the world with a sound mind in a sound body gave her also the be*', chance in the battle of life if she should have to earn her own living. Nothing could be more short-sighted than the sacrifice of future womanhood to the stress of competitive attainments or accomplishment* of the schoonoon.. The ultimate capability of tho individual, even from the mental point of view, was best arrived at by due attention to the claims of both body and mind—c.specially during the rapid growth of adolescence. _\,s regards the highest aspirations of the spirit, altruism was recognised, even from a scientific and evolutional point of view, as an outgrowth of family life. A'child started with pure selfishness, but through love of home and parents, lovo of mates, love of children, love of family, clan and country, we arrived ultimately at a broadening interest and sympathy in the welfare of all mankind. Women were naturally more unselfish than men, and unselfishness marked the highest development of home life.