MEDICAL NOTES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18019, 18 February 1922, Page 4 (Supplement)

MEDICAL NOTES.

THE PURPOSE OP THE COLD BATH.

:g Tho beat of the body is maintained by a tho combustion of certain materials in the ie muscles, tho supplies of which are drawn I- from the food we eat. The physiological u processes which convert the food into heat-hearing particles, capable of being converted into heat, which repair 0 used-up tissuos and dispose to a •' great extent of waste products proi- dii<cd by combustion, are grouped tori gather under the name metabolism. And .. it is upon the efficiency of these metabolic processes that our health, energy, appetitc, warmth, and so on, depend. p Now one of the most potent stimulants 1 to metabolism is provided by the skin, or r rather by the sensitive nerve-endings f which lie just beneath the skin's surface. , When the skin is exposed to a lower temperature than that of the body, these sensitive nerve-endings react and call upon 1 the interior to provide more heat to the . surface. Tins is liko a call upon the , stokers, and the fires are made up and . extra supplies are drawn upon to meet this extra demand. That is one of the 1 reasons why tho appetite is usually keener 1 in cold weather, why exercise creates I healthy hunger; in short, tho action of i cold upon the skin is a direct spur to those metabolic processes, and reacts upon the whole system liko a tonic. Tho application of cold water to tho body, particularly to the robust, provides a wholesome 1 antidote to the debilitating influence of 1 clothes. It gives these nerve-endings the 1 exercise they would otherwise lack, keeps 1 them up to tho mark, so to speak, and not only encourages metabolism, but rcn--1 ders the subject less liable to the ills which result from sudden exposure to cold. The Hot Bath. i Unlike the cold hath, which ig an admirable stimulant with which to start tho day, the warm bath is a soothing and relaxing thing with which to end it. It disposes the body to sleep by bringing the warm blood to tho surface and relieving ' congestion in other parts. It also cleanses by washing away the excretions and tho used-up scales of the skin. And because it opens the pores and induces this superficial warmth, it is important that tho bodv should not be exposed to cold after it, and why the evening is the most suitable timo for taking it. i Certain Precautions. The actual temperature of the cold bath depends very largely upon the age and constitution of the individual. It is a mistake to concentrate too exclusively | upon the mero coldness of the " tub." Unless the sponge down is followed by a Tiealthy reaction, really cold water is best avoided. Many of the benefits of the cold ; bath can bo enjoyed, particularly at this 1 time of year and by persons unaccustomed to it, by using lopid water. Inj deed, it is as well for a'l who embark i upon the cold bath for the first time j gradually tb accustom themselves to its I use by beginning with tepid water and i decreasing the temperature of the bath as they become'acclimatised to it. Another ; and inseparable accompaniment to the J cold bath is the vigorous rubbing with the towel afterwards. This should be quickly but thoroughly done, and the, dressing proceeded with without delay. To those who fear the fuss and inconvenience of the morning tub, it may be stated that depth of water is not important. Indeed, a couple of quarts of water, a sponge, and any receptacle that is wide enough to stand in are all that are necessary. Tho sponging should be done directly on rising, bo got through as speedily as may be, and tho application of the towel sliou'd follow without delay. A few simple stretching exercises, or a swing of the clubs, may be added with advantage to this stage of the toilet, but the bodv should, for preference, be partially clothed first.

DANGERS OF STAGNATION. The liuman being is distinguished from tho rest of the animal world bv what we may call his biological versatility. Man has the great gift of being able to respond heneficially to a great variety of conditions. The cow or the sheep—to take two simplo examples—seem to thrive best in conditions that are moro or less static, i Change, in the sense that we understand it, is neither necessary nor expedient to them. Provided food is regularly forthcoming, little else seems to matter. But with the human being it is different. Change, both in habits and circumstance, is almost a necessity to the well-being of man. Stagnation, the absence of any spur to renewed effort on his part, constitute for him an unsatisfactory and unwholesome stale of things. The human mind is stimulated and kept healthily active by the recurring need for effort. Human energies depend to a great extent upon the demands that are made upon them. Hence the feeling of well-being that so often follows the taking up of some new and interesting study, change in occupation or surroundings, the making of new friends. Hence, too, tho benefits «■? holidays and the comfortable feeling of satisfaction which accompanies success. Exercise for Mind and Body. Now, other things being equal, there is nothing Jike an active mind, busv with practical problems whose solution n> vital to existence, for making a man well and keening him well. He gets down to solid facts, and has no room for tho whimsies and refinements of worry which tend to absorb so large a part of the energies of the man whoso conditions of life are stagnant. The mind wants to be busy. It needs to be making constant efforts. And if healthy oportunities are not forthcoming for the exercise of the faculties, it is apt to create unhealthy ones in their place. The unoccupied or unstimulated mind rusts,_ so to speak, and gets out of condition, just as a machine does that is neglected or kept too long inactive. And one of the first results of a rusty mind is a sick or inefficient body. If tho controller of a business is slack and indifferent, tho chances are that the employees become so too, and the business goes to pot. So it is with mind and body. Their functions are inseparable, and tho well-being of one is wrapped up with the well-being of the other. Therel fore, if we would keep well, it is important that our minds should he constantly receiving wholesome stimulation and oportunitv for acting upon such stimulation. So much of tha minor i'lnegg wc suffer from is duo not only to faulty habits of life, but to the thwarted efforts of our minds to find congenial outlets for their wonderful powers of adaptation and initiative.

FOLLY OP PRACTICAL JOKES. Tho idiot that pullu away tho chair from a person about to .sit down ought to be locked up. Man i s too dignified to have a tail, but if you care to look at a skeleton next timo you go to a museum you will see lie. has a rudimentary tail at the lower end of the spine; anatomists call this the coccyx. It is very tender and liable to cause great pain if injured; sometimes, indeed, an operation is necessary to remove the little bones. Then frightening children by way of a "joke" is a senseless proceeding. A severefright, may leave a permanent mark on the developing nervous system. Threats to give them away to a policeman or to run away and leave them alone are made chiefly by brainless nursemaids, but parents are sometimes guilty, too. The other day a young man tried to amuse his friends by sifting on the open window of a moving train. He paid the penalty with bis life, but what a silly thing to do, Larking in a boat is another idiotic pa-stime. Too many people lose their lives every boatir,; season through sheer stupidity. Surely there is room for heaps of fun without dangerous " jokes." As for accidents, arising from the injudicious use of firearms, hardly a week goes by without a disaster. Pointing a gun at anyone is the worst i'joke" of all, tj