EVIL OF WASHING.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1118, 4 May 1911, Page 9

EVIL OF WASHING.

DOCTOR'S. NOVEL THEORIES. Soma novel views on tho subjects of bacteriology and hygiene have been advanced by Sir Almroth Wright, M.D., F.K.S., in an address at the theatre, Civil Service Commission, '■ Burlington Gardens,' AV. (says the "Daily Mail"). Jle remarked that there was a widespread belief that if people had got disease they could keep it away by following the rules of individual hygiene. Those rules were that they must eat a lot, havo a certain amount of hard exercise, wash, and have plenty of fresh air. He was persuaded that they were ■ quite wrong. Ho did not say'that those things did not add to the pleasures of lifts. There was a belief that by washing peoplo washed off the microbes. AVo did take off a certain amount of microbes, but we-also destroyed the-protective, skin which was all round our bodies like tho tiles of a house. AVhen one had a -horny hand no microbe could ever gat near the skin. If one had a skin like a. tortoise, microbes would never get through, io have a Turkish bath was to take away ono's horny protection, and he objected to that. "'A great deal of washing increases the microbes of tho skin, ho declared, "so I do not think cleanliness is to bo recommended, as an hygienic mothod." With regard to the belief that m cases of consumption fresh air would make things right, lie asked why it was that it onlv applied to tubercular disease. He hold it to be a dreadful superstition. The whole of the doctrine of fresh air required to be revised. Kich people surrounded themselves with all sorts of luxury, and took absolutely no interest in getting rid of the microbes that surrounded them. He had been in consultation with twenty-one doctors round a rich man's bed and none ot them knew' anything about him. Most people will be content to chance the death-dealing microbes, one cannot help thinking.