THE FOREST: A HEALTHGIVING AGENCY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6564, 30 November 1882, Page 6

THE FOREST : A HEALTHGIVING AGENCY.

EY C. A. SIMOXSES, K.M., r Member of the Eojal Fores: Aci-.lainjr of Copenhagen 1 NO. 11. r The leaves of vegetables emit aqueou E vapour, and, at the same time, many speck-: 2 of forest tree 3 emit volatile oils. In some 2 apecies this emanation 13 in less quantity . than in others ; sHH it is always sutEoieai I to impart to the air the intended salubriou--1 quality. These volatile oils po==ess differed 3 medical properties. They are odoriferou; 2 and pleasant, and their health-giving prin e ciple is most developed when diffused in th< - air, or when attenuated by solution in som< , inodorous vehicle. At the time a gentle 3 breeze is blowing, the air is filled with an ad 2 ditional fragrance from the trees, and as th< : wind spreads the pollen from the Sowers float; 1 in the air. Bat this fine dust is also ofter i possessed of medical properties, though dif , ferent from those in the volatile oil. This i; s especially the case with trees of the pin< famil}", with which it also appeare in grea' 1 quantity. An air thus prepared by tht 2 Omniscient Chemist and Physician is the trut . nutriment for our lungs fit for inhalation : It becomes a curative ajjent where iu wan . has long been felt. Art cures, but Natun ; prevents sickness, which is a safer way. Ii . the hands of Nature suoh an air is a mos 2 powerful preventive, and these medical sub

5 stances taKe the true form of a preventive, . viz., the daily use of themintheirinostattenu- . ated condition, by which they are enabled to - exert a co-operating influence on the or- - ganism. We must, moreover, bear in mind - what I have already mentioned, that, folr lowing the universal'principle of equilibrium, '■ Nature for every defect or luck in one thing 1 gives a corresponding equivalent, like an 3 antidote, in another thing. Hence, if we f will enjoy the full benctit of the wisdom of the Great Physician, we must inhale those i medicaments which He prescribes for each country an. 1 , elim.tte : we must breathe that ~> air which is composed by the indigenous "I forest trees, or at ieast such trees which arc the mesr related with them as to botanical 3 and physiological character. Such trees are ; also the most likely to thrive in the locality. It may now be seen more clearly what we ■ lose when we have lost the forest, and yet the forest not only prepares a salubrious air 3 for u≤, but also a drinking water. ; We know that the chemical composition 1 of fresh water, depending, as it does, on the ; constituents of the ground, differs much as to the country. In some countries or 5 localities it may be termed salubrious ov i indifferent : but it often happens that fresh water contains mineral substances in such quantities that its use becomes more or less y injurious to the health of the animal or- ! * ganism. This occurs naturally when such minerals form preponderant constituents of . the ground through which the water flows. That such a thing should take place was ■ inevitable : it was a natural consequence or s necessity. .Still, from that ground, and in 3 that din".i:e, a flora sprung up, r.iid in that flora the iu'r.-t,-.t.;e5 wore i-abjected to "■ ch-jmica! prcv-v-.se.-: which terminated in - their opr'.iit*;. -.■:<: iii ar. crgai.ic form, a::d tV.:s agiir; we :.v."O the volatile oils, j'jir.e , : 3 with iiutr.v, r^-:;.',J- -;:a:lat;r.r.s. tannic acid. : and the- so-calie-d vegetable liikilf-iJs. A I! thrrse 7:. '..-•:• or k = = ::ie'";ic:..l pro- •' pertits, a-i they uro :.;'. more or less soluble- ? in w.--.:< r. As v:~ :.ive tee:: :hat the :Vrtst ■ air is the '•quivt.lti.t e':i:p.jijSat:or: for the • insalubrious i-u-Ilties of tie .iirr.ate. so is. an agency co '" p-r:-_t:: _■ v.-.th the air. .-.! ■■• • simultaneously. l--.:>g imrr-j-jated v. :•! "■ other preventive-, it :tc.-i:.:-= '.he- natura s counteractive ai:ai:.~t the j:o:s:'j!c- ::i- - salur riou* finality of t::e v»;\;er. Ti.e volii tile oils a:.Vi w'.'-.t.ibi-.- aro bui sparingly soluble in water, vet in Xatr.r; the iormation c: earVinie re: i in the iiumu- : adds to the solubility of the- alkaloids, sc 1 I all parts of the ti'e-.s. and ''■'_, lifting tl:r:--v~] - the surface s<jil cj\_red with fallen l.av.s will become sufficiently impregnated v. it: - these necessary substances which Xatur- . intended for the animal organism, even i such water have passed some distance fron r the forest before it can be used. I s:n : anim?l organism, because I also includ, ■ domestic animals when speaking of th< 2 sanitary bectSt derived front the forest • though* J own that their position is loss con ■ spicuous than man : still every farir.ei : knows, for instance, with reference to milk . ing cows, how much the milk is influenced b\ I I the quality of the water for their daily dr:nk • i The above-mentioned cause of the prepoi; - ! de-rant and injurious admixture of certaL 5 j mineral iubstences to the drinking v.-atti 1 i will, of course, be more active when w< cannot t.ike the- w.uer fio:r. its su:face Led ■ j but when v.c- !i?.v t to a well, an'.i u>< 2 the water that i'.fta sifted ili-eper through t;: , t i t::e v.'atc-r c. a '.veil mav i-o o 1 j inferior quality an.i at =u-.-h r. distance fror: • j t!;e forest or otherwise sitr.ated that t!.-: I water from the forest is ucr lixely to End it.- . J way to it. In such cas<.= it will aiwayst; = j advisable to p!:s:it some i::i:_'onous fores' ■ J trees near th'? w-.-'.l. • I hope to hav-' been s ;?;;-.-s:'al in ni"ikir:_' '• my meaning clear, though i:i:: limited sp.i_•-_•. ; a≤ to convince my readers v. ;■ \z .1 r-o ■■■~r:-.:': 1 health-givini: ag*jccy the iorc.-t :-. If w≤ r_u'.-:•. a glance at til', nvi^lii-:;:.::.; untry —Av..tralia—with k* r.vg.ir.''.;- .-.:.i::t\ - srass, auil -st;;rv::•_- t'. i.;-:. v.-e ri:: i ev(| = there Nature i;ns - :ot f rj -v.-.r. to l--;:to-% 5 her best gift—the "Jt is nsto-.i-L-hi::; to see ami feel that p'.rfte:::-..-s v.-jth v.i:icl the gum forest r:;r :.uc :■:•_■ -vater. irr.preirnated with sub;: incts •.•- the uum-tree, compensate for the gre.'.t defects of the : experience One Jceis "l"k; another mas' when living in the Au?t:-:.ii;i:: gum forest. » Ailments and diseases ;-.-.-ul::ir to plaoe= destitute of these forests ore rare where tiu ' gum-tree grows, a:;.d when they vis:; yo.i tiiey are of a milder character. Baron von Mueller s.iys :—" Eucalypti leaves generate ozone largely, for the runneation of th< air, and tiie volatile oil is verv antiseptic." Tincture of euc.ilyptis proved e'.iieaek-'.;; agr.in.-t r:a::y _ei:rii:ie Ar.jtruli.'.n diseases. All'jw me heft- to touch upon a mistake ■ frequently m:>.i>e it: public i:: ■ and abo.-t ciriis. Instead c; selecting indigenous species, thfise wiiicL unite beautv with the most salubrious qualities, tht practice fvii.jv. e. , . in tliese nb.r.tings is nearly beautiful, still foreign to t'r.e climate, and l ir.wA. inferior as to sahiLi-ious (juaiities. It t:;.:s ;tra;;_'e in Au.~:r.;lia, where tht gum-tree is the. koy t-"> h> -.lzh, to see in parks and street plantations of cities r.iiy other imported tree prefv-.r:..': ;.o the gun:tree species, and. at the s ;tne time," th<. gum-tree is imported into other countries enacted on the sime prin.iple. a? whe:; people residing in the eastern pait of a i.-ity buy tiieir biead and groceries in the western part, while those ri-siiiiug ; :i the western part buy the same articles iii the ea.-tcrn— the farther it comes frcui :he better tiie article. In such plantations the leadi:i2 idea ought, of course, to be not ou:V beauty but utilit\\ Before I conclude a few thoughts oa the New Zealand conifra?, and particularly in reference to the kauri pine. Baron" von Mueller says : — "Theemanations from pines, especially the very resinous species, are ] antimalarian and antiseptic, as proved by residences near pine forests, and by the use cf hospital buildings constructed* oi pine wood. All fir forests are antimiasmatic ami salubrious for hectic patients, in consequence of the bi-oxide of hydrogen evolved from their terebinthine emanations." The resinous exudation called turpentine contains oil of turpentine—a volatile oil belonging to the hydrocarbons. This oil has proved a diuretic, and ag.-.inst flatulence and constipation of the bowels. It has also been praised in some forms of low fever. It is, however, bettor known for the following qualities :—As an anthelmintic ; it has been praised as elective against tape-worm and the small threaJ worm. In blennorrhea, through its eli'ects on the capillary vessels of the mucous membranes, it has often proved a remedy against ilennorrba-a and hemorrhages, also in gonorrhea and chronic pulmonary catarrh ; in chronic rheumatism it has long been praised : in scia'.ica and other neuralgic allectious, especially those which affect the lower extremities, it has been advantageously used by Dr. Home (Clin. Experiments), Dr. Martinet (f.ond. Med. and Fiiys. Journ., M.-ir-h, 1529). and Dr. Kaylu (BiL.l. Thcrap. t. 4). The elects of turpentine are almost identical with those of oil of turpentine. Now, by comparison, we find that the most of the above-mentioned discuses correspond to those prevalent in this country. We find that tlitre is wanted a precious link in the great chain, and that we miss the resinous kauri foreet. It may be said, " Well, then, let us rub our skin with turpentine, and drink the oil." Yes, the judicious use of

these may in casea even cure, bnt oh ' hn«r 1. a f<r * leftnnalleviaW? We be pine forest, with her air r h ' is a great difference between ♦• * re skilled physician, who only t'r", 2°* and Nature who adminiatj, against sickness. Nature «**,££*" ' Choose between two alternatives • is, destroy my best gift to von tu™ -f"* once ,nto money, and lose in and beauty ; the other is. have i 1 and progressive a.lvancement, income from my gift, and possW '°™ l T health, and beauty." Should on " e t ' r V."■..".':?• man would choose the firs r '' y'-I'•'"'" * cat as if such an unwi;e choicehad *