DISCIPLINE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 13 October 1924, Page 8

DISCIPLINE.

IN ITS RELATION TO HEALTH. At the Red Cross rooms. New Plymouth, on Tuesday evening, Dr. Eadie Brown gave an interesting and highly instructive lecture entitled, “Discipline—in its relation to health’ before a large gathering. Dr. Brown likened himself to an illfavoured company sergeant-major who endeavours to discipline his troops. Although critical, he was constructive - in his criticism, and- this naturally enhanced the value of his discourse. Dis--1 cipline he divided into three sections, I namely, duty to the community at I large j duty to our fellows ; and, duty I to ourselves. I In a perfectly natural state, and I isolated from h4s fellows, man would I find no call for discipline in any shape a or form. He would have no duties to ! perform, and, apart from providing 4 shelter and food for himself, no cares | to worry him. However, the more thickly populated a place became the less good health was experienced, and i: o the necessity for well organised public service and careful attention to the environment. .Each one of us was responsible for the conditions which prevailed, as the prevention of disease was by - no means the work of the medical men only. It was, more than any other, a department of medicine in which success could only be obtained by the united efforts of the public and the medical profession, if the welfare of the nation was to be safeguarded. In a young country, such as New Zealand, people were inclined to become careless. • To-day that was not of much consequence as Nature played a large part in keening the people j healthy. However, the day was not J far removed when the population j would have increased to such limits as 1 to make such carelessness dangerous. I New Plymouth, for instance, was no j longer a village ; indeed it was rapidly advancing towards the day when, a* Wanganui, it could of a eudden lay cDim to the title of city. In the course of his professional duties in the town. Dr. Brown said, he had come, to the realisation that the sanitation of New Plymouth wa>i by no means as it should be. “Our town is growing with almost mush-room-like rapidity,’’ he said, “and it does not reflect too much credit on our foresight that the foundations upon which we are building are so very insecure.” Fortunately, Nature had endowed the people with a. climate thatkept them healthy, but, unless more j care was displayed bv the people, they j would in time find themselves fervently endeavouring to ward off outbreaks | of disease. | Tims discipline in its relation to l health found the people not playing | the game, and so failing to do their I duty to the community. The people j should do all in their power to protect public health and safeguard the interests of the community. As a duty to his neighbour eacn person should see that if in any way bis family or himself were at all affected by some disease, the strictest rules of segregation were observed. As an instance of neglect under these circumstances, the doctor stated that, when the schools were examined by the Government doctor, several diphtheria cases were discovered. These children were instantly segregated from their fellow scholars, yet many j parents took not the slightest care to ' see that segregation was religiously observed. Moreover, some parents were wont to take refuge behind the conscientious objectors’ clause when they were approached about having their ; children vaccinated. To take such 1 views was rank absurdity, for the parj cuts must realise that such a practice ! was after all only a sensible precaution against the spreading of disease. In regard to one’s own health, it was necessary for the doctor often to be called in to homes, not only to cure but to prevent,. The, dav, howr ever, was not *ar distant when the rising generation perhaps would be schooled sufficiently to cope with the symptoms of disease and take the . necessary precautions to fend it off. Man had improved as the years went bv. but still he was inclined to act as . the ostrich, and hide his head when confronted with any illness; the next : generation, perhaps, would be differ- - ent. In this respect, the speaker re- .

* C -Sockffiy bei,lJ4 ' d ° ne Jv le • I ! lCKi , ern conditions of living were, indeed, very comfortable but a"t the same time responsible for many weaknesses of the flesh which affS humamty The foodstuffs were tSefL rt T * le for , the mal health -f t'day, being too well cooked, and people were inclined to eat about three times too much, with the result that their tn ge cS, ° rga Q S W6re literall >’ worked to cle«-th. Some years ago, aicouol " as Warned ior most diseases but +his supposition had been explode,. ll nou:d benefit us numb \ r> ri i Ve . tto n ra< S e Spartan mode of living. New Zealand women were much more sensible than women of other countries and, as. an instance, had disciplined themselves in the use of cos- ? e fe S '. v lt . Wa , S an eXce Ption to find . . " Zealand woman buffering m health from such .abuses. The speaker emphasised the benefit bLrS; Sh - - air f lld - sunii S ht as a sure health-pmng tome. Doors and windows .alike should be left open, both m summer and winter. Sun bathing taken m moderation at the start was also a great health-giver. A good temper and an active sense of humour should be diligently cultivated, as disease abhorred nothing more than a contented mind. A healthy mind was tenanted in a healthy body and the care of the body was of paramount importance. Discipline was called ior as the body consisted of a number of organs, any one of which might go wrong if badly treated Long periods of invalidity ' were often the outcome of neglect of a simple ill in youth. Men between the ages of 45 and 50 and women between 3o and 45 ,were generally in the need of at. overhaul, so to speak, and, as was the case with an engine, delay ganeially meant a serious collapse of some part in the end, rendering the remainder of the machine useless for further work.

In conclusion, the speaker jokingly remarked that if the rising generations were gradually taught to discipline themsetlves, the ! question of what was one to do with his sons when they grew un would be supplanted bv what could there possibly .be done with +he innumerable grandfathers, etc ? Herald.