THE FACTS OF LIFE

Evening Star, Issue 24482, 17 April 1943, Page 3

THE FACTS OF LIFE

Monday, April 12. Two strangers, man and wile, walked nervously iiuo tue consulting room tonight. The man cleared Jus throat. " I'm Mr Sanson," he said, " this is my wife. I—er—we—er." He looked eutreatingly at the woman. " Oui little daughter is outside," said Mrs Sanson. " We've been reading things in the Press lately and realise that we should perhaps teh her. ..." "The facts of life," Mr Sanson managed in a voice far from his own. i was almost getting embarrassed myself. The undertaking looked like becoming a ceremony. " If you don't mind my asking," 1 said, " why pick on me and not your family doctor?" " We thought it better to bring ner to a complete stranger who would just tell her things in a matter-of-fact way," said the man. " Bring her in," i said, losing patience a bit. " Oh, no," said the mother, alarmed, " let us get outside first. We'll send her in. Be gentle with her, doctor. She's very young." It occurred to me that it might do them both a lot of good to stay. I refrained from saying so. They left, and in walked a young woman about 19. I gazed, opeumo'uth. She sat down and " Good-evening, doctor." "What's this all about?" 1 said at length. ■ " Don't ask me," she said. " Dad and mother merely said they wanted me 10 see a new doctor about my headaches."' I just looked at her. "You might like to know that I've been told to tell you the facts of life," I said. An amused twitch played about h»r lips. "Poor dears." she said'. " They left me to find out for myself years ago. However, if you'd answer a few questions that worry me a bit, I won't let this opportunity pass." " Go ahead," I invited, and she did. It's not unusual to find youngsters in late 'teens who have never heard about the full functions of their body from anyone competent to instruct, fwice 1 have b'een visited by tearful brides wiio hadn't literally the faintest idea of the origin of life.

This hush-hush business about sex is unpardonable in a civilised community at the best of times. To-day,, when thousands of young people are thrown together without benefits of-home surroundings and advice, it borders on criminal. If parents, have been so brought up that they themselves find it difficult to discuss the Almighty's plan for the carrying on of the human race, dozens of books tell of things plainly and well. When should a child be told about sex? It should be a gradual unfolding rather than a dramatic recitation. 'Wendy at eight knew about fowls and roosters and eggs, and about male and female locusts. She knew something of the botanical side of things, and the information was given her :'n the same way as any other information. Life to-day can have its dangers at home as well as overseas. All parents must accept the responsibility of acquainting their children filth possible dangers at home. Tuesday, April 13. Mrs Dratton complained to me today of foodstuff shortages. "It's awful we can't get tinned fruit when the children love it," she said. " But you can buy some kind of fruit." I said. " Most of us could have a couple of fruit trees in our . üburban gardens if we really tried. And we can all grow vegetables." " Well. I think we ought to be able to get. fruit," she objected, crossly. " Now "if only we were a bit short of meat, it wouldn't matter. We eat far too much fleshy food." "Who said so?" I retorted, just as crossly. Sweeping statements like this always annoy me a trifle. " Well . . . it's well known," said Mrs Dratton. " Not to me," I replied. " I'm all for flesh foods, especially for children, who can make good use of the protein they contain. Meat is about man's richest protein food, as well as containing the minerals iron, 'copper, and phosphorus." " But it* hasn't any vitamins," said Mrs Dratton, having a pure shot in the dark. " Stefansson, the Arctic explorer, lived exclusively on meat for nine years in the Arctic. Actually few things have more vitamin B value than liver, heart, and kidneys. And is anything higher in other vitamin value than the oil of the liver of certain fish?"

Wednesday, April 14. " Quick, Doc," panted an excited Mnall boy as lie rushed past Patricia, the secretary, into the surgery this afternoon. " There's a man nearly dead just down the road." " What do you mean by 'nearly dead.' sonny?" I asked. "He's unconscious and they're doing artificial perspiration on him," he replied. " Better ring the ambulance," I told Patricia as I left. respiration was being done with a vengeance on the unconscious figure, who was not at all blue. I smelled his breath—definitely fruity. A diabetic. . The ambulance arrived. "Take him straight to hospital," I said, as my friend the attendant came up. " and tell them J think he's a diabetic and wants insulin immediately. I. haven't any in my pocket, and you'll pet him there quicker than I can get home for some." People drop unconscious from a variety of reasons, from concussion to a " stroke." Artificial respiration is not a cure for unconsciousness, except when the unconsciousness is due to asphyxia. Thursday, April 15. A new patient arrived to-day. a mother with a two-year-old boy. ' The boy needed attention, too, and it was vital that I have information of his medical history since he was born. The mother knew little, saying vaguely that she had been sick for a good while, and relatives had looked after the child. Why can't each child get a little medical history book at birth? Its doctor and the head nurse at any clinic it attends could record all necessary. It would be invaluable in afterlife . . . even if it only stopped someone's appendix being removed twice. Friday, April 16. Three things for thought from this week's reading:— Causes of blindness: Four major diseases have led to nine-tenths of the cases of partial or complete blindness—(l) The severe inflammation of the eye.s of new-born babes due to gonorrhoea; (2) trachoma or chronic granular lids; (3) cataract; (4) glaucoma. Children's Conduct: The mental habits of children reflect mental habits of their parents, as children are great imitators. Parents wno reveal anxiety