TALKS ON HEALTH

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 14 November 1928, Page 3

TALKS ON HEALTH

BY A FAMILY DOCTOR

PLEASANT READING

1 Waal, you in read about .something else besides murders and other crimes I want you to give a trial to some of the old favourites, especially before, you go to siren. Wind about '1 be Viear of Wakelield" ? You have not read that for a long lime, and it will not do you ally harm to read it I wire. Aon must sink into a neaceful .slumber with gentle thoughts of green fields and comfortable people and neaceful pastimes. There are some lucky /nil; xvho can control I licit 1 thoughts and guide their minds as a mariner steers his ship. But- some, of us are less I’ortunale; however hard we try, xvi! cannot put certain thoughts out of our minds. In that case, a hook that introduces fresh ideas and characters to one's notice is a valuable friend. BISCUITS BY THE BEDSIDE

You should keep a few biscuits by your bedside. You may wake up at two or three in the morning and not be able to get to sleep again ; to cat a few biscuits brings slumber. Don't make crumbs in the bed. and don’t let the crumbs go down the wrong way. 'A feeling of hunger drives sleep away, the brain gets busy, and sleep is banished. Whatever organ is being used most gels the largest supply of blood. Nature lias a marvellous way of regulating the amount of blood that- is sent to any part. When you are adding up the housekeeping hooks the extra blood goes to the brain: when you are enjoying the pleasant feeling of fulness after a good' meal all the extra blood is in the digestive organs. That is why you fee! sleepy after a. meal; the blood goes to tin 1 liver and not to the brain. Warm fc-et and something in the stomach draw the blood away from the brain and induce sleep. A very hot bath will keep you axvnke; a tepid hath will make you sleepy. CHILDREN AND PARENTS

One day I shall start a discussion in the papers, “Should little children obey their parents?” All my well-meant efforts to keep little children healthy are made useless because the mothers assure me quite solemnly that little Agues and Katie will not go to bed when they are told. And, of course, dear mothers, if Agues says she won’t go to bed there is nothing more to he said. This discipline in the homes of England is deplorable. Mothers are sat on by children of six. Any mother who is so incompetent that slie has to submit to (he authority of a- child in the infants’ department ought to he deprived of her children. My language is terrible to listen to when mothers come to me with sickly children and ’•! discover after a few questions that all that is needed is a little common sense and wholesome care. THE TYRANT

You think I am joking, hut you should come and sit by my side in the Children’s Out-patient Department, and you would see some examples of mothers that would make, your hair curl. Little Agues, aged seven, will not go to bed at half-past six, and she will not eal her nice .milk pudding, and so she gets thin and has circles under her eyes. Her father is a blacksmith and her mother a washerwoman, but Agnes downs them both. But never mind, let her go to bed as late as 'slie likes, and let her eat any rubbish ; let her disobey her mother and undermine her own health; it does not matter-nothing matters so long as she drinks something out of a bottle. TOES AND TOENAILS

For in-growing toenail all that, is needed in the majority of cases is to have properly shaped boots. It is the pointed boot that crushes the big toe against the other toes that brings about tin's painful condition. If the ton lias been neglected for a long time and the flesh has grown round over the nail, then an operation is necessary. I warn you against trying to do this yourself ; you will make matters worse, as I have seen in many cases. Do not cut a Vpieee out of the nail ; this is worse than useless. A foot should he an object of beauty; a baby’s foot is a source of great'delight to the mother and to all beholders, but the feet of grown-up people are generally made hideous with ingrowing toenails, corns, bunions, 'ham-mer-toes, etc. TEETH IN A.D. 3928

.An oxaiVdnntion of a number of young men shows that we are a long way yet from understanding the importance of the care of the teeth. I do not despair, because I have always written that it will take a thousand years to drive this simple truth into the heads of the British public. It is about four or five thousand years since the Ten Commandments were given to the world, but one does not see much evidence to-day of the commands being obeyed. lam far from being impatient; let us make it two thousand years, so as to give people time to turn round before deciding to take care of their teeth. When your descendant in the year of Grace 3928 comes down to his bacon and eggs, aim opens his paper to see how the world is going on, let us hope that his smile of joy will reveal a nice white row of healthy ivories. Perhaps the museums of that day will ihow jaws of “Ancient Britons” of 1928 with a foul complement of rotten, blackened stumps, but (lie good people will pass by such exhibits as too disgusting for polite eyes. A PLEA FOB THRIFT

[ wonder if a mere doctor might be allowed to say a word on behalf ot thrift. No doctor will deny that a peaceful mind is • strongly conducive to leeovery from a bodily ill. Illness very often brings with it linaneial loss. 'I lie worry about money delays recovery; it leads to a premature return to work, followed by a second breakdown, when a fortnight spent at a health resort would have firmly established the new-found health. That twenty-pound note under the pillow is an excellent sleeping draught. Now is the lime to put vour inouev by for a rainy day or a pneumonia day; crisp banknotes are very good friends in times of illness. •innaßwißawM*^

The voting man arrived home from the olliee. earlier than usual, lie sal in his customary languid manner, and pulled up his trousers in order to display his fancy socks to full advantage. "'Voting man," said his father, "um take life too easily. You seem to he relying on some, stroke of good fortune''" "I am,” replied the young man. gloomily. "Hut you must fight for it." went on his father. "Why did all the famous men of the day succeed? Tt was push, just push." "Then." sighed the other, "perhaps I’m on the right track at last. I got it this morning!"