GENERAL NEWS.

Manawatu Times, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 12808, 4 June 1914, Page 3

GENERAL NEWS.

In the course of a lecture on "Eugenics," Dr. Benham, of Dunedin, said: "It must be the fervent hope of everyone who has the engenic ideal at heart that no inspector of schools will introduce sex hygiene in the syllabus of New Zealand as a compulsory subject. The time is not yet ripe for it. Many years must pass by before it will be desirable, and then it must not be made a compulsory subject. It can, it seems to me, only b'i taught at all by comparatively few teachers who have special qualifications, quite apart from the knowledge of the physiological principles and biological facts involved." A cure for confirmed drunkards by menas of an anti-alcohol serum called antiethyline, taken from horses, was discovered in Paris in 1900, and has been submitted to scientific tests during the past 12 years. More than 250 drunkards, of both sexes, and ages varying from 20 to 50 years, and of different nationalities have been treated and medical reports just made show a result of 83 per cent of completely cured. Simultaneous observations of drunkards treated by ordinary methods in special asylums show only 30 per cent cured. The new treatment consists of a series of subcutaneous injections of the serum, which retains the specific qualities for more than a year. The serum administered in progressive doses neutralises the action and effects of alcohol, while the patients gradually lose their craving..

An illustration of the advantages of membership of a friendly'society ha? been disclosed recently in Invercargill. A young married man who joined a lodge IS months ago, had the misfortune recently to meet his death by an accident, leaving a widow and two infant children. The lodge paid out the sum of £7O from the funeral fund to the widow, and as the member's contributions only amounted to £5, the substantial nature of the benefits membership confers will be appreciated.