THE HEALTH CAMP

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 9 January 1936, Page 6

THE HEALTH CAMP

ACTIVITIES AT WAKEFIELD SCHOOL • INVITATION TO VISITORS CHILDREN WELL AND HARRY The 45 children in the Nelson Health Camp at the Wakefield school have now settled down to tlieiv camp life and all are well and happy in their new surroundings. The committee and the Matron (Miss C. M. Doneghue) extend an invitation to the public to visit the camp. Visitors are welcome at any time, and it is hoped that as many as possible w ill visit Wakefield to inspect the camp and see the work which is being carried out' there. A visitors’ book is

being kept at the camp. It has already been signed by over 100 people. Interviewed to-day Mr 11. J. Savage, chairman of the Nelson Health Camp Association, said the appeal made earlier in the week for voluntary assistance at the cam]) met with a ready response, six people offering their services. The staff lias now been strengthened, and the camp is progressing to the satisfaction of everyone connected with it. The people of the whole district have become interested in the camp and many gifts are being received. For example several pieces of venison arrived from the Owen yesterday, and a farmer sent in a bag of green peas. At the; present time difficulty U being experienced in securing lettuce,

and any donations towards the supply would be appreciated. The committee proposes to give the children a day at Taliuna beach and in Nelson on Saturday, 18th January. They will swim and sunbathe at the beach, have lunch in town and bo shown places of interest. “ARE WE GOING TO HEAR A BAND ?” It is the desire of many of the children to hear a band and arrangements are to be made for a band to visit the camp. ' Several of the children from the outer district had not seen a railway train until yesterday and they displayed the greatest of interest in the arrival and departure of the train at Wakefield. A frequent and welcome visitor to the camp is Dr Closs. of Wakefield, who is taking a keen interest in the children. Dr Closs has made his grounds and tennis court available to the camp staff. Yesterday’s showery weather did not inconvenience the camp to any extent.

The children went for a walk in the morning and spent most of the,aftericon and evening in the large recreation room.

HOW TO SUNBATHE Dr C. W. Saleeby, F.E.S.E. has done a very great deal to spread the gospel of sunlight and health throughout England. He writes: — ' _ Sunbathing, like eating, is natural, but it is not, foolproof. Uninstructed people may, and do, injure themselves and their children, by both practices. And there are different kinds of sunbathings, as of eating, each with its own advantages and dangers. First, we must find a pure atmosphere, unobstructed by coal smoke or dust, where the complete sunlight, in-

cluding (lie, slender and easily stopped ultra-violet rays, can reach us. 'These conditions are most easily obtained on tile mountains, at the seaside, or on tiir, sea—whence the deserved reputations of these places for illness, convalescence, and holidays. ;Having found complete sunlight, which is actually a rarity in our smokebound cities even in summer, we must use it intelligently. 'The rules arc really simple. Obviously, we must never be too hot or too cold. Either condition is risky, and it is merely stupid to sunbathe and suffer from heatstroke, headache, lumbago, or bronchitis thereafter. Our senses are there to warn us. We should always feel comfortable and physically pleased when sunbathing, it is not meant to be a kind of temporary ordeal like a Turkish bath. HINT’S FOR, THE BEGINNER The beginner should hasten slowly. Here I am not discussing heliotherapy, which is an expert treatment for experts alone. But people who are well can sunbathe with nothing but profit if they start slowly The object is not to

burn the skin or produce a' painful redness. The browner the skin the more freely we can start. Albinos cannot sunbathe at all, and “Titian-reds” must hasten very slowly indeed. Of course, we aim at and expect pigmentation, but there is no hurry about that. The most successful sunbathers tail evenly, and do not freckle. No time-table can be laid down. We aIT vary and so does the climate. We must use our sense and our senses. Protect the head and the eyes from excessive heat and glare. Do not use tinted glasses unless vou really find that you need them. Ultra-violet rays are superior to anything else as stimulants for the growth of hair, and there is good reason to let them reach the head. That can freely be clone when the sun is not too hot. Hence the advantage of the early morning, especially in our cities when the brimstone incense of our domestic lives, offered up to the deities of darkness and death, has scarcely begun to ascend. Baths of water arc good, baths of air are better, baths of light are best. Hence the value of water-bathing in sunlight. The water has the immense merit of keeping us cool enough when the sun is very hot. But remember to get the head under water often enough to keep it cool. To be cool in air and sunlight is good ; to he cold, at any time, anywhere, is dangerous. Fear the heat And love the light.

Keep your children cool and bright. We cannot sunbathe unless we release the skin to see the light. People who sit in the sun with their clothes on are sunbathing their clothes, but not themselves. It is well worth while to release the limbs alone, but then one may easily become too hot. We do best if we release four-fifths, or nine-tenths of the whole skin-surface. Entire nudity is quite unnecessary, as the superb results of Rollier during more than 30 years have overwhelmingly proved. Its advocates know nothing of the facts, and are out of court. (By courtesy of the “Sunlight League Journal.”) FOUNDER OF CAMP MOVEMENT Dr. Elizabeth Gunn, Wanganui, who initiated the children’s health camp scheme in New Zealand, as far back as 1919, is at present the guest of Mrs Herbert Acton-Adams, Ti papal, Canterbury. She is taking a eiose interest in the children in the Sunlight League’s camp on the station. HEALTH STAMPS The public is reminded that the health stamps and covers will be withdrawn from sale on the 11th January (Saturday next). Those wishing to assist the health camp through that means should pay early attention to their purchases.