Too Much Health Advice

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6627, 14 August 1931, Page 10

Too Much Health Advice

Under this heading “The Journal of the Indiana State Medical Associa-tion”-voices a suspicion, that has been for some time fermenting in the lay mind. Advice about health is surely salutary, but when it overwhelms us like an avalanche, and from so many contradictory standpoints that one knows not where to turn, it is time for someone to call a halt. The warning note comes from the side of medical authority. Says 1 ‘ The Journal”: v * ‘ Our readers are probably familiar with the story of Mrs, Shelley’s ‘ Frankenstein ’ —a student who took pieces from cemeteries and dissecting rooms-and fashioned from them a monster in the form of a man. Once the thing was made, however, it could not be controlled, and turned upon its maker, and destroyed him. “The story strangely reminds us of

the ‘Frankenstein monster’ that is being created out of unrelated bits of over-emphasise 1 health lore. “Without doubt this present interest in health and hygiene is most commendable, and promises much good. Ic is, however, being carried to extremes, and is getting to bo a burden. “The housewife is caught in a maze of vitamins, calories, carbohydrates, and ‘acid-producing’ foods, and does not know which way to turn. She is up- against the problem of fattening the children, ‘slendering’ herself, and satisfying the brute that comes 'home hungry and tired in the evening, and it has just about got her down. “Raising a baby in theso days is a big undertaking, and one frequently hears a mother say that she does not ■see how she could possibly take care of two, when one takes her whole time. As a result we are killing the' goose that laid the golden eggs.

“In order to raise a- few children well' we are making such a fuss about it that most of the children are being raised by folks who have no standards

-whatsoever . If a mother might be expected, to do all-the things that some of the health cranks are advocating, she would need to have a Ph.D. degree from the university, but not many of the Ph.D./s have children, so thst sug l gestion doesn’t seenr to help a bit. "After all, we doubt if there is anything so unhealthful, mentally as well as physically, as excessive attention to self. "This health business is getting to be a ‘racket,’ and we are much in need of folks brave- enough', to' break -through a lot of these silly rules and insist that there are other things worth while, and-that one- can be healthy without making it his life’s work. "Common sense and a fair appreciation of what is really essential is about all that is necessary. ’ ’