NATIONALISING HEALTH

Evening Star, Issue 15515, 10 June 1914, Page 10

NATIONALISING HEALTH

LESSON FROM BATTLE CREEK. The Rev. Dr Waddell gave a lecture last night in the St. Andrew’s Bible School Hall. His subject, was ‘A Great Health University’ (Battle) Creek, America), and the lecture was given (as is characteristic of the man) in a rgood cause—the church mission fund. The hall was crowded. The lecture was capitally illustrated, both with pictures and with words, the doctor being in good vein. In discussing the famous sanatorium he mentioned that its principles were that Nature alone could cure. To grow acquainted with Nature’s ways was the, only road to physical fitness. The great curative agent at Battle Creek was the water cure, and the facilities for this treatment were the most complete in the world. A fin© set of hoi and cold baths was provided. The bathrooms were beautifully constructed, with every device for the application of water to the body. Altogether there were upwards of 200 different methods of application. There were two swimming pools, one under a roof for us© in winter, and the other in the open air, for us© during the summer months. .Swimming was commended as on© of the best means of exercise. Light, properly ‘ applied, was also recognised and adopted as a curative agent. There was a sun bath, which, was one of the most popular features of the sanatorium.

The sanatorium is (the lecturer said) a very large one, capable of dealing with some 7,000 people in a year. The staff consists of about 500 persons. The training school is one of the best in America. Speaking of , the national effects of such a thorough institution as Battle Creek Sanatorium, Dr Waddell remarked that the State in New Zealand was nationalising its industries, but its greatest industry was the production of healthy mon and women, and this industry it could' not afford to neglect. In this connection the speaker congratulated the people of Otago on the splendid response they had mad© to the appeal for funds for the erection of the new medical wing at the University. Reverting to his subject, Dr Waddell entered a. strong plea for the establishment in Now Zealand of something to perform in some measure the functions of the Battle Creek Sanatorium. Men and women had been appointed, he said, to teach hygiene to the children. But it was necessary to go further. It was not sufficient for the training to be for a few minutes at a time, and to form, a mere adjunct to the syllabus. It should be an important part of school work. Moreover, it was not enough to confine it to boys and girls. There should be a largo institution for grown-up people, where ail the resources of science could be gathered under one roof, and available for the poor of the community. Physicians could be employed by this, and, instead of waiting for people to poison themselves and then come to them for relief, the doctors could see that no food poisons went on to the markets.

The lecture was keenly appreciated. A word of praise is due to the lantern operator, Mr D. Simpson.