The Diary of a Doctor Who Tells

Evening Star, Issue 23817, 22 February 1941, Page 3

The Diary of a Doctor Who Tells

Monday, February 17. “Potatoes are about the only 'egetables 1 can afford _ now,” [ s Kcniev when I inquired into the faniiU dietary. “ Kven fruit is more than we ean look at, except perhaps a banana once a week. . , It’s really difficult to know how to spend the food money to the best advantage these days.” “ I have an idea we, discussed it about a year ago,” 1 said. “Yes,” agreed -Mrs Henley. 'ton said to put practically all our money into milk, eggs, meat or fish, \egetables, fruits, butter, and cheese i think you also said that we should try and get wholemeal bread as well as tile ordinary sort.” , “ You’re finding your money won t run to all that each week? ” 1 asked.. “ Not when you realise that there are some other things that you simply have to have,” she replied. “ Oatmeal for breakfast? 1 suggested. Mrs Henley nodded. “ You’ve got a backyard? ” I asked. “ A very untidy one,” she sighed. “ I’m afraid John’s no gardener.” “ I suggest that the whole family become vegetable gardeners, just as thousands of families have had to do in England,” I said. “ And grow potatoes in that front bit as well. “ We could try, I suppose, ’ said Mrs Healey, doubtfully. “ There’s something else, too, 1 added. “ Why not keep a goat? The milk - is very good, as good as cow s, in fact, for most purposes.” il No one could milk it, M said Mrs Henley, definitely. “ Anyone could learn,” I replied. “ With your own milk supply, your own potatoes, peas, beans, green stuff and carrots, you’d save a good deal.” “ We’ll have to think about it.” said Mrs Henley, without any great enthusiasm.

In England in the last war every spare allotment had food growing on it, I expect it's being repeated this war. In this sunny land we have a better chance of growing things and have special advantages for a fruit tree or two. An important point about it all is that food doesn’t lose its vitamin quality at all when it comes straight from your own garden to your own table.

When Sir Frederick Kccblc advised F.nglaud to produce more lood the other day, lie warned them against continuing undue wastage: “ We throw a million tons of potatoes into the kitchen bucket in the form of peelings —and the best part of the potato, too. We -throw away the water in which we cook the green vegetables .... something like 30,000 tons of nutritious minerals every year.” “ Cook for victory, as well as grow for it.”

I read this week of a slightly deaf gentleman who was advised to take plenty of carrot in his diet—both witli and between meals. He returned a month later bursting with health, energy, and enthusiasm for his doctor. Keep on with the treatment.” said that gentleman, “ keep on with the carrot.” “ My God.” said the startled patient. “ I thought yon said claret! I’ve been having a couple of bottles a day.” Tuesday, February 18. “ I’ve come about my wrist ami knee joints. They’re sore and burning,” said young Mis live. ‘‘lt came on suddenly a couple of days ago. i felt oil' colour last Ifridav and Saturday. Is it rheumatism? ” “ Is your nock sore, too? ” I asked. “ Just at ilte hack,” she replied, “ I think there are a couple of lumps there.” Examination revealed she spoke the truth. ‘‘ Did you notice whether your skin was rod or not the day you were sick? ” 1 asked. “Yes,” she said: “it was a very hot day so 1 put it down to a heat rash.” I told Mrs Rye that I had no doubt that she'd just got over a mild attack of German measles and that the arthritis was a complication of it. “ There’s still a lot of it about,” I said. “ You’d better go home and rest for a few days till it clears up. Apply heat to the swollen joints.” Many people are uncertain whether they have had German measles before. The chief difference between the German and the ordinary variety is that the former is much milder, is unaccompanied by sore throat, is marked by enlarged glands in the neck and below the ear and is un-

Health Foods On A Budget o

accompanied by chest signs. In German measles the rash appears the day you first feel sick and in ordinary measles it mostly doesn’t come till about four days afterwards. Wednesday, February 19. A number of mothers and fathers are asking my advice about military weddings. They sometimes think that Iho family doctor may persuade the young people into a “ saner ” point of view. “ I’m sorry,” L said to the Whittleys to-day, “ Iml I’m on the young people’s side, so long as they have known one another a reasonable time, say a couple of years. Why .should they wait? ” “ Hut anything ean happen to the man,” said the mother. “He ean bo killed or perhaps worse still, badly maimed.” “In civil life lie can be in a ear accident witli the same risks,” I retorted. “ But supposing Helen has a baby after Harold lias been away only a very few months? It might be two or throe years before ho returns, if he docs return,” she protested. “‘1 sincerely hope she does have a baby,” 1 .said. “ Apart from the fact that this country wants every baby it can get. it will keep her happy and busy and will give Harold an added incentive to adore her and to light for her.” “ Rut after the war,” put in Mr Whittlcy, “what then? Everything's so dreadfully uncertain.” “ However uncertain it may he, said I, “ it’s going to be up to you and mo to’ sec that those youngsters have a fair start, a job of work to do and an inducement State-supported if necessary—to raise more than one in a family.”

It is not sufficiently realised that the twentieth century has been responsible—as has no century before it—for postponing marriage at least ten years later than has been the practice down the long years of history. This has much to do with iho low birth-rate ami is surely undesirable physically, psychologically, and nationally. Thursday, February 20. “ Hahy doesn't seem to want his bottle,” said Mrs Crown. “ He’s hungry enough, but as soon as the teat enters his mouth ho erics and turns away.” There were small white specks on the membrane of baby’s mouth, a typical “thrush.” 1 recommended the usual borax and glycerine to apply gently over the spots and emphasised the lined for scrupulous cleanliness of bottles and teats. The feeding was also thoroughly overhauled. Friday, February 21. There was a patient in the surgery this afternoon when Wendy came running in crying from the garden. “ Daddio, (laddie.” she said, knocking fiercely at the surgery door. “ It’s hurting.” Without apology I sprang up and let her in. “ ft’s my neck.” she said. On the side of the neck was a white lump surrounded by reddened tissue. With the help of my spectacles 1 detected si thin blackish-red shred in. the middle of the white. A bee-sting, A small pair of forceps soon removed the “ sting ” and I applied a styptic stick to the lump. “ It’s not sore any more ” said Wendy in a few moments, “ but it feels .stiff.” “It’ll he all rig hi in a minute,” I replied. “Oo and bathe it with cold water and ask mummic to iput blue bag ou. if you like.” “ Well,” said the patient, who had been sympathetically silent through the proceedings. “ T’ve learnt something even if it’s only to get a small pair of forceps for my first-aid kit.” “ Always useful for splinters, too,” I said, “ especially that nasty sort that gets hist down under the top of the nail.” “ I read somewhere the other clay that bee-stings cure rheumatism,” said my patient. “Is there anything in the idea? ” “ Favourable results are reported in some quarters,” 1 said cautiously, “ but *1 don’t think it’s quite understood yet. Some people point out that bee-keepers rarely-—if ever—have rheumatism and that has led to a good deal of research into the matter. Ithoumatism is a sort of general term .for a good rnanv different ailments affecting joints. It is unlikely that any one ‘ cure ’ will suit all cases.” (Names in this diary are fictitious.) Copyright.