TALKS ON HEALTH

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 July 1933, Page 9

TALKS ON HEALTH

LIFE-GIVING LIGHT* [by a family DOCTOR.J Once upon a time there lived a potato. And the potato was thrown into a dark cellar lighted only by the few dismal rays that struggled through a grating in the corner. When the warm spring came the potato threw out a shoot, and every day, in spite of the absence of light and sunshine, it grew a little bit. It wanted to live, even in its unnatural surroundings, but it was a pale, limp, feeble little plant, and after a few weeks of brave effort it djed. Then the house was pulled down by some workmen, and when they opened up the cellar there they found the poor little potato plant, staik and stiff and cold —dead. But stay; my story is not finished. Look at the pathetic little plant and study it carefully. In which direction did it grow? Did it grow upwards, or to the north or to the south, the east, the west? No; it grew towards the light. Alcn 0 in the cellar, untaught by any teacher, guided by no human touch, impelled only by its God-given instinct, and obedient to the grand' immutable law of Creation, it had striven towaids the light. And if there had been a hundred more brothers and sisters of this potato scattered around tho floor of the cellar, they would all have grown towards the light. Potatoes have eyes, but they cannot read this column. They required no instruction; they have an innate perception that life without light is a poor thing; and so my little potato plant struggled towards the grating, feeling that if only it could reach the light all would be well. And it was only when it foiynl It was striving towards an unattainable ideal that its potato-soul fled.

PITY THE KIDDIES. If I were not a Christian I should be a sun worshipper, and I should be very proud of my religion. And all that I have written applies with double force to your children. They have not the instinct of the animal or vegetable kingdom—an all-wise Providence has substituted for instinct the guidance of a wise father, a loving mother. Give your children a chance. ,If you wish your son and heir to be a credit to you, give him sun and air.. Ah! teach your little children that the sunbeams love them, and let your lessons take the practical form of giving them a house full of light. Do your best: make the best of things. I know it is difficult, but think of the potato, and put up a fight.

INSOMNIA AND ITS CURE. I will tell you a few useful facts about sleeplessness. There arc many causes, and each case must be studied separately. Having ascertained the cause, we can set about the cure. You will kindly note the scientific method of a trained professional man. First find the cause, then try the cure. You, unfortunately, argue in a very different strain. You say, “Never mind the cause—take drugs.” You walk into a shop and buy a bottle of tablets for sileeiyiei|sness, not caring wfrat the cause is; the tablets may deaden your brain, but they will not give you refreshing sleep, and they are, to some extent, poisonous. I wonder how much longer* you will all retain that absurd idea that all treatment consists in emptying the. contents of a chemist’s shop into your stomachs. It is so utterly wrong, so wildly foolish, that I am aghast at your ignorance. Drugs, drugs, drugs, and no common sense. My voice is feeble and is scarcely heard; the drug-quacks bawl into your ears with megaphones that their pills will cure you of anything from ringworm to housemaid’s knee, and you put all your trust in the quack. I know quite well that pill merchants ride in thousand-guinea motor-cars while I can hardly afford 1 to have my boots soled; but my time will come. Having made those few pleasant remarks on quacks who persuade uneducated people to acquire a pernicious drug habit, I will now deal with sleeplessness. Mind you, I do not wish the quacks any harm: I only hope that when they die they are sent to a place where they are compelled to live on their own merchandise.

Sometimes a long walk will cure insomnia. Take the train out to some pleasant spot and walk home; walk until you are tired out; the physical fatigue will do you no harm. You will bo so weary that you will be thankful to fall into bed. A warm bath may induce sleep, and' is worth trying. If all plans fail, then a change of air and scene or a sea-voyage may be necessary. Anyway, there are scores of methods to adopt before you buy drugs. Self-drugging I shall never cease to condemn. SENSELESS SUPERSTITIONS. It is time some common superstitions were killed outright; it is astonishing how old women’s stories linger on. There is the quaint idea, which takes a lot of killing, that weak eyes can be strengthened by piercing the ears for ear-rings. ' I believe this superstition started . among sailors, who are amongst the moat credulous of men. It is a senseless procedure, and ought to be discontinued. I have frequently had patients run in to see me in the greatest trepidation because they have a cut between the thumb and first finger, and they are afraid it moans lock-jaw. There is not the smallest foundation for this superstition; lock-jaw is due to a specific germ, and if that germ gets into the system lock-jaw will result, whether the cut is on the top of the head or on the sole of the foot, or on the hand. The lock-jaw bacillus lives in the earth, particularly where there is horse-dung; hence ostlers and farm hands are more liable to this disease, and should be careful to cleanse all cuts with great care. Another curious idea that possesses a few people is that a dentist will not take out a tooth if the face is swollen; they think he would lather wait until the swelling has gone down. This is a great mistake, and' has often led to trouble. The swelling is due to an abscess, and if neglected it may burst on to the face and leave an ugly scar, or it may, in some cases, lead to bloodpoisoning.