Spring Dangers to Guard Against

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23181, 29 October 1938, Page 6 (Supplement)

Spring Dangers to Guard Against

Clothing and Food CPRING is a time of year that carries certain dangers to both adults and children. The problem of clothing and diet is always difficult, for there aro rapid changes in temperature. The rule for the clothing of children in both winter and early spring is to have the trunk protected by at least one layer of porous woollen material and to keep the feet properly warm. The head needs no special protection in any weather, and closely fitting woollen caps aro quite unsuitable and actually increase the danger of colds. Suitable clothing for spring is a light woollen singlet, outer garments of a light loose nature, and a light coat to bo carried in ease of a sudden fall in temperature. The same general rides apply to bed clothes.

One of Mio great el fingers of spring and summer is infection of the bowels caused by germs conveyed by flies. It has been proved that the common house fly is the most important cause of infection in gastro-enteritis. Food must ho unceasingly guarded by gauze covers and the faces and heads of children protected by nets while asleep in daylight, and by wire gauze on doors and windows. Mies breed among germs, and can fly considerable distances from their breeding places The. early fruit season carries risks. Children are likely to eat fruit while unripe and in too large quantities. Colic is likely to result with pain, vomiting, and diarrhoea. The treatment of green fruit colic is castor oil, rest in bed, fluid diet, and a hot water bottle to the abdomen. Fruits are so important an item of diet on account of the vitamins and acids tliev contain that they should be given in reasonable quantities. The idea that the blood beou.ies "thinner" in warm weather is a mere superstition, and there is no basis for the belief that the thick blood purifies itself in the form of a crop of boils. • As the weather gets warmer, there is less need for foods of a high fuel value to maintain tho body temperature, and salads and fruits, either raw or stewed, can with advantage replace such foods as porridge and also some of the sugar ration. i